Elections

There will be an election worker training Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 1 PM in the Rutledge Room for anyone interested in helping out. We will go over election day procedures, what's on the ballot, how the voting machine works, and answer questions. Workers can be compensated for their time.

Please contact the Town Office for more information at (920) 847-2522 or email townoffice@washingtonisland-wi.gov

Public Testing of Electronic Voting System

TBD at 2 PM in the Washington Island Town Office, 910 Main Road, Washington Island, WI 54246

The Town of Washington will be holding public testing of the electronic voting system. The test shall be conducted by processing a pre-audited group of ballots so marked as to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate and on each referendum (if any). The test will include for each office one or more ballots which have votes in excess of the number allowed by law, in order to test the ability of the automatic tabulating equipment to reject such votes. The Clerk shall make an errorless count before the automatic tabulating equipment is approved by the Clerk to use in the elections.

Type A Notice - N/A

Type E Notice - Spring Election

Voting by Absentee Ballot

Any qualified elector who is unable or unwilling to appear at the polling place on Election Day may submit a request to vote an absentee ballot to their municipal clerk. A qualified elector is any U.S. citizen who:

will be 18 years of age or older on Election Day
has resided in the ward or municipality where they wish to vote for at least 28 consecutive days before the election

The elector must also be registered to vote to receive an absentee ballot. Proof of identification must be provided before an absentee ballot may be issued*.

Making an application to receive an absentee ballot by mail:

Contact your municipal clerk and request that an application for an absentee ballot be sent to you for the primary or election or both. You may make written application to your municipal clerk for an absentee ballot in person, by mail, by fax, by email or at MyVote.wi.gov.

Your written request must include:

your voting address within the municipality where you wish to vote
the address where the absentee ballot should be sent, if different from the address above
your signature
a copy of your photo identification*

The deadline for making application to receive an absentee ballot by mail is:

5:00 p.m. on the fifth day before the election, Thursday, October 29, 2026.

*Voters who are indefinitely confined due to age, illness, infirmity, or disability may not be required to provide photo ID. If this applies to you, contact the municipal clerk regarding deadlines for requesting and submitting an absentee ballot.

**Special absentee voting application provisions apply to electors who are indefinitely confined, in the military, hospitalized, or serving as a sequestered juror. If this applies to you, contact the municipal clerk regarding deadlines for requesting and submitting an absentee ballot.

Voting an Absentee Ballot In-Person

You may also request and vote an absentee ballot in the clerk's office or other specified location during the days and hours specified for casting an absentee ballot in person.

Town of Washington

Alexandria McDonald

910 Main Road, PO BOX 220

Washington Island WI 54246

(920) 847-2522

Monday - Friday 8 AM to 3 PM

The first day to vote an absentee ballot in the clerk’s office is: Tuesday, October 20, 2026

The last day to vote an absentee ballot in the clerk's office is: Friday, October 30, 2026

No in-person absentee voting may occur on the day before the election. The municipal clerk will deliver voted ballots returned on or before Election Day to the proper polling place location before the polls close on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Any ballots received after the polls close will not be counted.

Type C Notice

NOTICE OF REFERENDUM ELECTION

November 3, 2026

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that at an election to be held in the several towns, villages, city, wards, and election districts of the County of Door, State of Wisconsin, on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the following questions will be submitted to a vote of the people pursuant to law:

2025 Senate Joint Resolution 116

To amend section 10(1)(c) of article V; relating to: prohibiting the governor from using the partial veto to create or increase any tax or fee.

Whereas, the 2023 legislature in regular session considered a proposed amendment to the constitution in 2023 Assembly Joint Resolution 112, which became 2023 Enrolled Joint Resolution 16, and agreed to it by a majority of the members elected to each of the two houses, which proposed amendment reads as follows:

Section 1. Section 10 (1) (c) of article V of the constitution is amended to read:

[Article V] Section 10 (1) (c) In approving an appropriation bill in part, the governor may not create a new word by rejecting individual letters in the words of the enrolled bill, and may not create a new sentence by combining parts of 2 or more sentences of the enrolled bill, and may not create or increase or authorize the creation or increase of any tax or fee.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the foregoing proposed amendment to the constitution is agreed to by the 2025 legislature; and, be it further

Resolved, That the foregoing proposed amendment to the constitution be submitted to a vote of the people at the election to be held on the first Tuesday of November 2026; and, be it further

Resolved, That the questions concerning ratification of the foregoing proposed amendment to the constitution be stated on the ballot as follows:

QUESTION 1: “Partial veto. Shall section 10 (1) (c) of article V of the constitution be amended to prohibit the governor, in exercising his or her partial veto authority, from creating or increasing or authorizing the creation or increase of any tax or fee?”

2025 Assembly Joint Resolution 10

To amend section 18 of article I of the constitution; relating to: the freedom to gather in places of worship during a state of emergency.

Whereas, the 2023 legislature in regular session considered a proposed amendment to the constitution in 2023 Senate Joint Resolution 54, which became 2023 Enrolled Joint Resolution 11, and agreed to it by a majority of the members elected to each of the two houses, which proposed amendment reads as follows:

Section 1. Section 18 of article I of the constitution is created to read:

[Article I] Section 18. The right of every person to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of conscience shall never be infringed; nor shall any person be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry, without consent; nor shall any control of, or interference with, the rights of conscience be permitted, or any preference be given by law to any religious establishments or modes of worship; nor shall any money be drawn from the treasury for the benefit of religious societies, or religious or theological seminaries; nor shall the state or a political subdivision of the state order the closure of or forbid gatherings in places of worship in response to a state of emergency at the national, state, or local level, including an emergency related to public health.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the foregoing proposed amendments to the constitution is agreed to by the 2025 legislature; and, be it further

Resolved, That the foregoing proposed amendments to the constitution be submitted to a vote of the people at the election to be held on the first Tuesday of November 2026; and, be it further

Resolved, That the question concerning ratification of the foregoing proposed amendments to the constitution be stated on the ballot as follows:

QUESTION 2: “Freedom to gather in places of worship during an emergency. Shall section 18 of article I of the constitution, which deals with religious liberty, be amended to prohibit the state or a political subdivision of the state from ordering the closure of, or forbidding gatherings in, places of worship in response to a state of emergency, including a public health emergency?”

2025 Assembly Joint Resolution 102

To create section 27 of article I of the constitution; relating to: prohibiting governmental entity discrimination.

Whereas, the 2023 legislature in regular session considered a proposed amendment to the constitution in 2023 Assembly Joint Resolution 109, which became 2023 Enrolled Joint Resolution 15, and agreed to it by a majority of the members elected to each of the two houses, which proposed amendment reads as follows:

Section 1. Section 27 of article I of the constitution is created to read:

[Article I] Section 27 (1) In this section, “governmental entity” means the state, its political subdivisions including municipalities, the University of Wisconsin System, the Technical College System, any public college or university, any public school district, and any office, department, independent agency, board, commission, authority, institution, association, society, or other body in state or local government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, including the legislature and the courts.

(2) A governmental entity may not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration.

(3) This section does not prohibit action that must be taken to establish or maintain eligibility for any federal program, if ineligibility would result in a loss of federal funds to the governmental entity.

(4) Nothing in this section prohibits bona fide qualifications based on sex that are reasonably necessary to the normal operation of public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration.

(5) If any part or parts of this section are found to be in conflict with the United States Constitution or federal law, the section shall be implemented to the maximum extent that the United States Constitution and federal law permit. Any provision of this section held invalid shall be severable from the remaining portions of this section.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the foregoing proposed amendments to the constitution is agreed to by the 2025 legislature; and, be it further

Resolved, That the foregoing proposed amendments to the constitution be submitted to a vote of the people at the election to be held on the first Tuesday of November 2026; and, be it further

Resolved, That the question concerning ratification of the foregoing proposed amendments to the constitution be stated on the ballot as follows:

QUESTION 3: “Governmental entity discrimination prohibited. Shall section 27 of article I of the constitution be created to prohibit governmental entities in the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration?”

Explanatory Statements as to the Questions

Explanatory statement regarding Question 1:

Under current law, the Governor may partially veto language in a spending bill passed by the Legislature. The veto may result in either more or fewer taxes or fees being imposed and may also result in local government entities being authorized to increase or decrease local taxes or fees.

The proposed amendment would add a new clause to Article V, section 10(1)(c) of the Wisconsin Constitution, providing that the Governor’s veto “may not create or increase or authorize the creation or increase of any tax or fee.” This language would not only prevent a veto from increasing any state taxes or fees, but also prevent a veto from allowing local governments, such as school districts, to increase their own taxes or fees.

A “yes” vote on Question 1 would vote to amend Wis. Const. art. V, § 10(1)(c) to prohibit the Governor from partially vetoing a spending bill in a way that would create or increase or authorize the creation or increase of any tax or fee.

A “no” vote on Question 1 would vote not to amend Wis. Const. art. V § 10(1)(c) of the Wisconsin Constitution.

Explanatory statement regarding Question 2:

Under current law, Article I, section 18 of the Wisconsin Constitution, like the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, protects religious rights. In a declared state of emergency, officials may limit public gatherings, including religious gatherings, so long as religious and secular gatherings are treated equivalently.

The proposed amendment would add a new clause to the end of Article I, section 18, prohibiting the state and local governments from ordering the closure or forbidding gatherings “in places of worship” when there is a state of emergency. That language would prevent officials from forbidding gatherings in places of worship even when other types of public gatherings have been closed.

A “yes” vote on Question 2 would vote to amend Wis. Const. art. I, § 18. The amendment would prohibit the state and local governments from closing or prohibiting gatherings in places of worship during a state of emergency.

A “no” vote on Question 2 would vote not to amend Wis. Const. art. I, § 18 of the Wisconsin Constitution.

Explanatory statement regarding Question 3:

Under current law, both under Article I, section 1 of the Wisconsin Constitution and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, states and local governments may not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, color, national origin, or sex except under specific circumstances. For race, color, ethnicity, or national origin, discrimination in favor of or against a group is permissible only if the government has a compelling interest and a narrowly tailored remedy. For sex, discrimination is permissible if it serves an important government interest and is substantially related to that interest. Current law also makes distinctions depending on whether discrimination is overt and intentional, or merely a disparate impact of a neutral policy.

The proposed amendment would create a new provision, Article I, section 27, which would prohibit state and local governmental entities from discriminating or granting preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration.

This language appears to impose stricter standards against discrimination than the standards under current state and federal law.

The amendment contains three exceptions. It does not apply if it would cause the governmental entity (1) to lose eligibility for a federal program or (2) to violate federal law. And the amendment’s prohibition on treating people differently based on sex does not apply to measures that are “reasonably necessary” to the “normal operation” of public employment, education, contracting, or administration.

A “yes” vote on Question 3 would vote to create a new provision of the Wisconsin Constitution—Wis. Const. art. I, § 18, which would prohibit any governmental entity from discriminating or granting preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration.

A “no” vote on Question 3 would vote not to add Wis. Const. art. I § 18 to the Wisconsin Constitution.

Type B Notice

Notice of Partisan Election and Referendum and Sample Ballot

November 3, 2026

Office of the Town of Washington Clerk

To the voters of the Town of Washington:

Notice is hereby given of a Partisan Election and Referendum to be held in the Town of Washington on November 3, 2026, at which the officers named below shall be nominated. The names of the candidates for each office, whose nominations have been certified to or filed in this office, are given under the title of the office, each in its proper column, together with the questions submitted to a vote, for a referendum, if any, in the sample ballot below.

Information to Voters

Upon entering the polling place and before being permitted to vote, a voter shall:

state their name and address
show an acceptable form of photo identification*
sign the poll book**

*If a voter does not have acceptable photo identification, the voter may obtain a free photo ID for voting from the Division of Motor Vehicles.

**If the voter is unable to sign the poll book due to disability, a poll worker may write the word “exempt.”

If a voter is not registered to vote, they may register to vote at the polling place serving their residence if the voter provides proof of residence.

Where ballots are distributed to voters, the initials of two inspectors must appear on the ballot.

Upon being permitted to vote, the voter shall enter a voting booth or go to a machine and cast their ballot. The vote should not be cast in any manner other than specified here. Sample ballots or other materials to assist the voter in marking their ballot may be taken into the booth and copied. The sample ballot shall not be shown to anyone so as to reveal how the ballot is marked.

A voter who is a parent or guardian may be accompanied by the voter's minor child or minor ward.

An election official may inform the voter of the proper manner for casting a vote but the official may not advise or indicate a particular voting choice.

Assistance for Voting

A voter may select an individual to assist in casting their vote if the voter declares to the presiding official that they are unable to read, have difficulty reading, writing, or understanding English, or that due to disability are unable to cast their ballot. The selected individual rendering assistance may not be the voter's employer or an agent of that employer or an officer or agent of a labor organization which represents the voter. If a voter is unable to state their name and address, an assistant may also do so for the voter.

At the partisan primary, the voter shall select the party of their choice. Voting for candidates of more than one party may invalidate the ballot. The voter must cast a vote for individual candidates.

Where Optical Scan Voting is Used

If a party preference is designated, and votes are cast for ballot candidates of another party or write-in votes are cast in another party, only votes cast in the designated party will count.

If a party preference is not designated, and votes are cast for candidates (or write-in votes are cast) in more than one party, no votes will be counted

Within the party of their choice, the voter shall fill in the oval next to the name of the candidate of their choice for each office for which they intend to vote. To vote for a person whose name does not appear on the ballot, the voter shall write in the name of the person of their choice in the space provided for a write-in vote and fill in the oval next to the write-in line.

When using an electronic ballot marking device to mark an optical scan ballot, the voter shall use the tactile pad to select the party of their choice. The voter shall then use the tactile pad to select the name of the candidate of their choice for each office for which they intend to vote. To vote for a person whose name does not appear on the ballot, the voter shall type in the name of the person of their choice in the space provided for a write-in vote.

Spoiled Ballots

If a voter spoils an optical scan ballot, they shall return it to an election official who shall issue another ballot in its place, but not more than three ballots shall be issued to any one voter. If the ballot has not been initialed by two inspectors or is defective in any other way, the voter shall return it to the election official, who shall issue a proper ballot in its place.

After Voting the Ballot

After an official optical scan ballot is marked, it may be inserted in the security sleeve, so the marks do not show. The voter shall then insert the ballot in the voting device and discard the sleeve or deliver the ballot to an inspector for deposit. The voter shall leave the polling place promptly.