Glossary of Election Terms
Absentee Ballot: a ballot cast by a registered voter who is unable or unwilling to appear at the polling place on Election Day. An absentee ballot application or a written request with all the required information must be received by the elections clerk before an absentee ballot is issued. The ballot must be returned by Election Day, with certification properly completed in order to be counted.
Ballot Box: the container or box in which electors place their voted ballot in wards that use paper ballots. The ballot box must be secured by lock or numbered seal.
Board of Election Commissioners: a special board, established in every city with a population of over 500,000 that carries out all powers and duties assigned to the municipal clerk.
Canvass: to examine the Election Day records for completeness and accuracy, and make an official determination and certification of the outcome of the election.
Central Count: a voting system that tabulates ballots from multiple reporting units of municipalities at a central location. Voted ballots are secured in ballot containers at the polling place. Secured ballots are then transported to the central counting location for tabulation.
Challenged Ballot: a ballot voted by an elector who completes the challenge process including the “Oath of Eligibility”. If the challenged elector refuses to make a statement under oath, the elector shall not be given a ballot. If the challenging elector withdraws the challenge, the challenged elector shall vote a regular ballot without special notation. Challenged ballots are issued with the Voter Number and “Section 6.95” marked on the back of the ballot. Once the challenged elector has marked the ballot, it is placed by the electorinto the ballot box. A notation “Challenged” and the reason for the challenge is made on the voter lists and the appropriate sections of the Inspectors’ Statement are completed by the election inspector.
Chief Inspector: one of the election inspectors (poll workers) at each polling place who directs the conduct of activities assigned to the other election inspectors (poll workers). Every elections inspector (poll worker) must view or attend one training program every two years. In Wisconsin, every polling place is required to have a chief inspector who has been appointed by the municipal clerk and certified as a chief inspector by the Elections Division of GAB.
Corroborating Witness: a qualified elector of the municipality who can corroborate the residency of another voter who is unable to provide the required identifying document showing proof of residency on an Election Day or a voter with the notation “ID Required” beside their name. The corroborator must show proof of residence and sign the Voter Registration Application of the other voter, but the corroborator is not required to be a registered voter.
Deceased List: a list generated by the Wisconsin Dept. of Health and Family Services that lists all recorded deaths in Wisconsin counties for a specific period of time. This is a confidential list that is used by municipal clerks to cross-check data currently in the State Voter Registration System (SVRS) and indentifies voters that have died and need to be cancelled in the SVRS system.
Direct Recording Electronic Voting Equipment (DRE): a voting system that records votes by means of an electronic display provided with mechanical or electro-optical components that can be activated by voter; that processes voter selections by means of a computer; and that records that processed voting data in memory components.
Election Day Registration: refers to the ability of Wisconsin electors to register at their polling place on Election Day. These electors must complete the Application for Voter Registration form and provide proof of residence or bring another elector to corroborate the elector’s residency.
Electioneering: any activity intended to influence voting at an election. Electioneering is prohibited on public property within 100 feet of any entrance to a building containing a polling place. This does not apply to private property.
First-time voter: a voter who has not voted in Wisconsin and, therefore, must register to vote.
Government Accountability Board: (GAB) a new agency formed in the fall of 2007 when the State Elections Commission and the State Ethics Board merged. The GAB consists of two divisions: an Elections Division and an Ethics and Accountability Division.
General Election: the election held in even-numbered years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November to elect U.S. Senators, Representatives of Congress and a President. In addition, elections for State Senators, State Assembly Representatives, District Attorneys, State Officers, other than the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Judicial and County Officers, other than Supervisors and County Executives.
Help America Vote Act (HAVA): HAVA a federal law enacted in 2002, which establishes requirements for voting systems used in federal elections and contains provisions for improving access to polling places and voting systems for persons with disabilities. This law, also, requires a single, central, computerized list of registered voters (Statewide Voter Registration System or SVRS) to be maintained by the Elections Division of GAB.
Ineligible Voter List: a list generated by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections that identifies convicted felons currently on probation or parole who are ineligible to vote in an election. This list is required to be at all polling places on Election Day to help election inspectors identify potential ineligible voters attempting to register on Election Day.
Late Registration: electors who registered in the clerk’s office after the close of registration which is the third Wednesday before an election. These electors are issued a Certificate of Registration from the clerk that identifies them as being properly registered and their names may appear on the supplemental voter list. If not on the list the Certificate of Registration will enable them to vote at the polling place.
Mail-In-Registration: electors may register to vote by mail by completing a Voter Registration Application and mailing that to the municipal clerk’s office postmarked no later than the third Wednesday before the election.
Observer: a person who wishes to exercise his/her right to be present at the polling place on Election Day.
Optical Scan: voting technology using scanners where voters mark their choice by completing an arrow or filling in an oval.
Paper Ballot: a ballot where an elector indicates voting preference by marking an X next to his/her voting choice. Paper ballots are tabulated by hand.
Proof of Residence: Identifying documents that fulfill the requirement for first-time voters registering by mail, electors registering at the clerk’s office after the close of registration (20 days before an election) and voters who register at the polls on Election Day. Proof of residence is used in all situations where a voter must show some sort of documentation. Acceptable forms must contain a complete name including first and last name; a current and complete residential address, including a numbered street address, if any, and the name of the municipality. Forms of residency proof must have a valid, current expiration date on Election Day.
Provisional Ballot: a ballot that is marked by a voter but is not counted at the time it is cast because the voter was unable to provide poll workers with the documentation required by Wisconsin and federal law. Each provisional ballot is reviewed by the municipal clerk on the day after the election to determine if the voter is eligible to vote.
Qualified Elector: a qualified elector is defined as a U.S. citizen, 18 years of age or older, who has resided in the election district for at least 10 days prior to any election at which he/she offers to and is qualified to vote. Wisc. Stats. 6.10 (l)”The residence of a person is the place where the person’s habitation is fixed, without any present intent to move, and to which, when absent the person intends to return”. All electors, except for military electors, are required to register to vote.
Referendum: an election at which an advisory, validating or ratifying question is submitted to voters.
September Primary Election: election held on the 2nd Tuesday in September to nominate candidates to be voted for in the general November election.
Special Registration Deputy: an individual appointed by a clerk to register individuals outside of the clerk’s office until the third Wednesday before an election. STD’s must undergo at least one training program every two year and take and file an oath administered by the municipal clerk.
Special Voting Deputy: an individual appointed by a clerk or board of election commissioners to carry out absentee voting in nursing homes and qualified retirement homes. At least two SVD’s must be appointed for each municipality . SVD’s must take an Oath of Special Voting Deputy and undergo at least one training program every two years.
Spring Election: an election held on the 1st Tuesday in April to elect non-partisan judicial, educational, municipal county officers and sewer commissioners.
Spring Primary: an election held on the 3rd Tuesday in February to nominate nonpartisan candidates to be voted on in the April election.
Voter-verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT): a requirement under Wisconsin law that all direct recording electronic (DRE) voting systems produce a complete, permanent paper record showing all votes cast by the elector. The VVPAT is considered the official ballot and is to be used in a recount of each vote cast by the elector.
Ballot Box: the container or box in which electors place their voted ballot in wards that use paper ballots. The ballot box must be secured by lock or numbered seal.
Board of Election Commissioners: a special board, established in every city with a population of over 500,000 that carries out all powers and duties assigned to the municipal clerk.
Canvass: to examine the Election Day records for completeness and accuracy, and make an official determination and certification of the outcome of the election.
Central Count: a voting system that tabulates ballots from multiple reporting units of municipalities at a central location. Voted ballots are secured in ballot containers at the polling place. Secured ballots are then transported to the central counting location for tabulation.
Challenged Ballot: a ballot voted by an elector who completes the challenge process including the “Oath of Eligibility”. If the challenged elector refuses to make a statement under oath, the elector shall not be given a ballot. If the challenging elector withdraws the challenge, the challenged elector shall vote a regular ballot without special notation. Challenged ballots are issued with the Voter Number and “Section 6.95” marked on the back of the ballot. Once the challenged elector has marked the ballot, it is placed by the electorinto the ballot box. A notation “Challenged” and the reason for the challenge is made on the voter lists and the appropriate sections of the Inspectors’ Statement are completed by the election inspector.
Chief Inspector: one of the election inspectors (poll workers) at each polling place who directs the conduct of activities assigned to the other election inspectors (poll workers). Every elections inspector (poll worker) must view or attend one training program every two years. In Wisconsin, every polling place is required to have a chief inspector who has been appointed by the municipal clerk and certified as a chief inspector by the Elections Division of GAB.
Corroborating Witness: a qualified elector of the municipality who can corroborate the residency of another voter who is unable to provide the required identifying document showing proof of residency on an Election Day or a voter with the notation “ID Required” beside their name. The corroborator must show proof of residence and sign the Voter Registration Application of the other voter, but the corroborator is not required to be a registered voter.
Deceased List: a list generated by the Wisconsin Dept. of Health and Family Services that lists all recorded deaths in Wisconsin counties for a specific period of time. This is a confidential list that is used by municipal clerks to cross-check data currently in the State Voter Registration System (SVRS) and indentifies voters that have died and need to be cancelled in the SVRS system.
Direct Recording Electronic Voting Equipment (DRE): a voting system that records votes by means of an electronic display provided with mechanical or electro-optical components that can be activated by voter; that processes voter selections by means of a computer; and that records that processed voting data in memory components.
Election Day Registration: refers to the ability of Wisconsin electors to register at their polling place on Election Day. These electors must complete the Application for Voter Registration form and provide proof of residence or bring another elector to corroborate the elector’s residency.
Electioneering: any activity intended to influence voting at an election. Electioneering is prohibited on public property within 100 feet of any entrance to a building containing a polling place. This does not apply to private property.
First-time voter: a voter who has not voted in Wisconsin and, therefore, must register to vote.
Government Accountability Board: (GAB) a new agency formed in the fall of 2007 when the State Elections Commission and the State Ethics Board merged. The GAB consists of two divisions: an Elections Division and an Ethics and Accountability Division.
General Election: the election held in even-numbered years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November to elect U.S. Senators, Representatives of Congress and a President. In addition, elections for State Senators, State Assembly Representatives, District Attorneys, State Officers, other than the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Judicial and County Officers, other than Supervisors and County Executives.
Help America Vote Act (HAVA): HAVA a federal law enacted in 2002, which establishes requirements for voting systems used in federal elections and contains provisions for improving access to polling places and voting systems for persons with disabilities. This law, also, requires a single, central, computerized list of registered voters (Statewide Voter Registration System or SVRS) to be maintained by the Elections Division of GAB.
Ineligible Voter List: a list generated by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections that identifies convicted felons currently on probation or parole who are ineligible to vote in an election. This list is required to be at all polling places on Election Day to help election inspectors identify potential ineligible voters attempting to register on Election Day.
Late Registration: electors who registered in the clerk’s office after the close of registration which is the third Wednesday before an election. These electors are issued a Certificate of Registration from the clerk that identifies them as being properly registered and their names may appear on the supplemental voter list. If not on the list the Certificate of Registration will enable them to vote at the polling place.
Mail-In-Registration: electors may register to vote by mail by completing a Voter Registration Application and mailing that to the municipal clerk’s office postmarked no later than the third Wednesday before the election.
Observer: a person who wishes to exercise his/her right to be present at the polling place on Election Day.
Optical Scan: voting technology using scanners where voters mark their choice by completing an arrow or filling in an oval.
Paper Ballot: a ballot where an elector indicates voting preference by marking an X next to his/her voting choice. Paper ballots are tabulated by hand.
Proof of Residence: Identifying documents that fulfill the requirement for first-time voters registering by mail, electors registering at the clerk’s office after the close of registration (20 days before an election) and voters who register at the polls on Election Day. Proof of residence is used in all situations where a voter must show some sort of documentation. Acceptable forms must contain a complete name including first and last name; a current and complete residential address, including a numbered street address, if any, and the name of the municipality. Forms of residency proof must have a valid, current expiration date on Election Day.
Provisional Ballot: a ballot that is marked by a voter but is not counted at the time it is cast because the voter was unable to provide poll workers with the documentation required by Wisconsin and federal law. Each provisional ballot is reviewed by the municipal clerk on the day after the election to determine if the voter is eligible to vote.
Qualified Elector: a qualified elector is defined as a U.S. citizen, 18 years of age or older, who has resided in the election district for at least 10 days prior to any election at which he/she offers to and is qualified to vote. Wisc. Stats. 6.10 (l)”The residence of a person is the place where the person’s habitation is fixed, without any present intent to move, and to which, when absent the person intends to return”. All electors, except for military electors, are required to register to vote.
Referendum: an election at which an advisory, validating or ratifying question is submitted to voters.
September Primary Election: election held on the 2nd Tuesday in September to nominate candidates to be voted for in the general November election.
Special Registration Deputy: an individual appointed by a clerk to register individuals outside of the clerk’s office until the third Wednesday before an election. STD’s must undergo at least one training program every two year and take and file an oath administered by the municipal clerk.
Special Voting Deputy: an individual appointed by a clerk or board of election commissioners to carry out absentee voting in nursing homes and qualified retirement homes. At least two SVD’s must be appointed for each municipality . SVD’s must take an Oath of Special Voting Deputy and undergo at least one training program every two years.
Spring Election: an election held on the 1st Tuesday in April to elect non-partisan judicial, educational, municipal county officers and sewer commissioners.
Spring Primary: an election held on the 3rd Tuesday in February to nominate nonpartisan candidates to be voted on in the April election.
Voter-verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT): a requirement under Wisconsin law that all direct recording electronic (DRE) voting systems produce a complete, permanent paper record showing all votes cast by the elector. The VVPAT is considered the official ballot and is to be used in a recount of each vote cast by the elector.