6.28 Where and when to register.

(1) Registration deadline; locations.

(a) Except as authorized in ss. 6.29, 6.55 (2), and 6.86 (3) (a) 2., registration in person for an election closes at 5 p.m. on the 3rd Wednesday preceding the election. Registrations made by mail under s. 6.30 (4) must be delivered to the office of the municipal clerk or postmarked no later than the 3rd Wednesday preceding the election. Electronic registration under s. 6.30 (5) for an election closes at 11:59 p.m. on the 3rd Wednesday preceding the election. The municipal clerk or board of election commissioners may assign election registration officials to register electors who apply for an in-person absentee ballot under s. 6.86 (1) (b) or to register electors at a polling place on election day or at a residential care facility, as defined under s. 6.875 (1) (bm).

(b) All applications for registration corrections and additions may be made throughout the year at the office of the city board of election commissioners, at the office of the municipal clerk, at the office of the county clerk, or at other locations provided by the board of election commissioners or the common council in cities over 500,000 population or by either or both the municipal clerk, or the common council, village or town board in all other municipalities. An elector who wishes to obtain a confidential listing under s. 6.47 (2) shall register at the office of the municipal clerk of the municipality where the elector resides.

(4) At the office of the county clerk. Any person shall be given an opportunity to register to vote at the office of the county clerk for the county in which the person's residence is located. An applicant may complete the required registration form under s. 6.33. Unless the county clerk performs registration functions for the municipality where the elector resides under s. 6.33 (5) (b), the county clerk shall forward the form submitted by an elector to the appropriate municipal clerk, or to the board of election commissioners in cities over 500,000 population within 5 days of receipt. The clerk shall forward the form immediately whenever registration closes within 5 days of receipt.

History: 1971 c. 304 s. 29 (2); 1973 c. 166, 225, 334; 1975 c. 85, 199; 1977 c. 378, 394, 447; 1979 c. 32; 1981 c. 44 s. 3; 1981 c. 202 s. 23; 1983 a. 484; 1985 a. 304; 1989 a. 31, 192; 1991 a. 221; 1999 a. 49, 182; 2001 a. 38, 51; 2003 a. 265; 2005 a. 451; 2009 a. 302; 2011 a. 240; 2015 a. 261.