More than 18000 Madison voters could be affected by voter purge – Madison.com

For all of Dane County, 29,808 voters — or about 8.5% — have been flagged as having potentially moved, according to the most recent figures from the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Madison is second only to Milwaukee in the number of registered voters potentially subject to the purge. Both cities comprise significant Democratic voting blocs.

About 35,343 registered voters in Milwaukee could see their registrations revoked if the court orders the purge. Other cities with large numbers of registered voters who could be affected include Eau Claire, Green Bay and La Crosse.

To help keep the state’s voter records current and accurate, Wisconsin elections officials sent notices this fall to registered voters flagged as having potentially moved, urging them to re-register at their new address or take steps to continue their registration at their current address if they didn’t move.

The mailings are required as part of an agreement with the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, which flags potential movers by comparing their addresses to other records such as Wisconsin motor vehicle records, voter registration and motor vehicle records from other states, or the National Change of Address database from the U.S. Postal Service.

While the state Elections Commission reviews the data for accuracy, about 7% of the names on the list are there by mistake. Citing that error rate, the commission this year decided to wait until between 12 and 24 months to purge voters who didn’t respond to the mailing, as opposed to the originally planned 30 days.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty is challenging that action in court, arguing for an immediate purge of suspected “movers.”

Of the roughly 234,000 voters statewide believed to have moved in 2019, just over 2,400 requested to continue registration at their current address, meaning they hadn’t moved and were likely sent the mailing in error.

Elections officials say that could be due to a number of reasons, such as registering a car at a relative’s house to avoid a local wheel tax but keeping one’s current address for voting purposes.

The mailings encourage voters who may have moved to register online at their new address, on Election Day at their new polling place, or via a registration form at a local clerk’s office. For voters who received the mailing but didn’t move, the letter says they should confirm their address online at myvote.wi.gov, vote in the next election or return a postcard to their local election official confirming they still reside at their address.

Whether you’ve received a mailing or not, state and county election officials say it’s always a good practice for voters to check their status before an election by logging onto myvote.wi.gov. Voters can also call their municipal clerk or the state Elections Commission to check where they’re registered.

The MyVote website will indicate whether a voter has received a “movers” mailing. Voters who have moved can update their address online up to 20 days before an election if they have an up-to-date Wisconsin driver’s license or state ID card. Voters who haven’t moved can confirm the address where they’re registered.

Voters can also register by mail up to 20 days before an election. After that, they can register at their local clerk’s office until the Friday before the election, or at the polling place on Election Day with ID and proof of residence.

“Regardless of what the courts ultimately decide, voters should be prepared for Election Day,” said Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe.