Election Administration Manual

Elections in the State of Wisconsin are conducted at the local level. As a municipal clerk you are entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring fair, accessible, and transparent elections. Our job at the Government Accountability Board is to provide you with a range of resources to support you in carrying out your duties.

Many changes have occurred in the way elections are conducted in the State of Wisconsin over the past ten years. The changes have not been easy but due to the dedication, patience, and hard-work of election officials at all levels of government, we have transitioned well into the new requirements. I believe local election administration in Wisconsin is better than ever and that is a testament to the efforts of Wisconsin’s dedicated municipal clerk.

The Election Administration Manual for Wisconsin Municipal Clerks was developed to serve as a knowledge base for the array of duties required of municipal clerks. I encourage you to reference this manual frequently and to make use of the other resources cited throughout the manual. And, as always, the Government Accountability Board staff is here to provide answers and advice to assist you in fulfilling your obligations to protect the integrity of elections and ensure public confidence in the election process.

Kevin J. Kennedy
Director & General Counsel
Government Accountability Board

2/1/2012:  p. 94 methods of providing provisional information 

3/12/2012:  Post-Election Activities chapter updated for late-arriving absentees and provisional ballots

4/19/2012:  p. 94 and p. 160 methods of providing provisional information

5/8/2012:  Electors section updated to reflect new absentee voting law

8/15/2012:  Post-Election Activities chapter updated with GAB-104AP and GAB-106AP

9/19/2012:  Electors section updated with Military and Overseas absentee ballot voting procedure
10/23/2012:  Updated with disclaimer regarding photo ID requirement currently enjoined by two courts