How to Vote in the Wisconsin Primary

Wisconsin is an open primary. (Getty)

The Republican and Democrat primaries in Wisconsin are today, April 5. You may not realize it, but even if you’re not registered to vote, you can still register today at your polling location. Here’s everything you need to know about how to vote in the Wisconsin primary, including who’s eligible to vote, all the appropriate deadlines, how to find the right polling place, and who is on the ballot.

Here’s what you need to know.

1. Who’s Eligible in Which Primary?

How do you vote in Wisconsin? When is the deadline? (Getty)

The rules about who is eligible to vote and in which primary can get a little confusing depending on which state you live in. Fortunately, Wisconsin is an open primary so its rules are much simpler than many states. You can vote in either the Republican or the Democratic primary, regardless of your registered party.

You must have a photo ID in order to vote. A list of acceptable IDs is here. If you’re a college student not living in your home state, you can either vote in your home state or in Wisconsin today.

2. You Can Still Register to Vote Today At the Polls

The deadline for registering to vote in Wisconsin is today. (Getty)

Some states allow same-day registration and Wisconsin is one of them. That means that you can register to vote at your polling location today. You will need a proof of residency and you’ll also need to certify that you’ve been a resident of Wisconsin for 28 days.

It’s too late to register to vote online for the primary. If you want to register today, you must do so in-person at the polling location.

3. When Is the Deadline to Change Your Party Registration?

Lilyan Maitan stands in a voting booth during the Republican primary election in 2012. Wisconsin is an open primary. (Getty)

You’ve probably heard about states like New York and Arizona, where voters’ party affiliations were changed and they couldn’t vote in the primary. Wisconsin is an open primary. This means that as long as you’re registered to vote (and you can register at the polling station today), you can vote on any party’s ballot on primary day.

4. How to Find the Right Polling Place and Time

Voters look for their district on a map for the Utah Republican caucuses in Provo, Utah. (Getty)

The primary election in Wisconsin is today, Tuesday, April 5. When you’re voting in the primary, you’ll have to make sure that you’re voting in the right location. You can find out which polling place you should vote at by visiting this website and filling in your name and date of birth.

Polling stations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. across the state. If you’re in line by 8 p.m., you can vote.

5. Who’s on the Ballot & Who’s Still in the Race?

A poster for the South Carolina Republican presidential primary sits on a table at American Legion Post 79, showing who was no longer running. (Getty)

Sometimes candidates who dropped out of the race may still actually be on the ballot. Here’s who you can expect to see on the ballot in Wisconsin, according to WisconsinVote.org.

For the Democratic party, you’ll see Hillary Clinton, Martin O’Malley, and Bernie Sanders. But remember, only Clinton and Sanders are still running.

On the Republican ticket, you’ll see Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Jim Gilmore, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum, and Donald Trump. But remember, only Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, and John Kasich are still running.

Wisconsin is expected to have 96 delegates for the Democratic party. These include 86 pledged delegates, who are tied to the primary votes, in a proportional system.

Republicans are expected to have 42 delegates in a winner-take-all system, both by district and statewide. These include 24 congressional delegates, 10 at-large, five bonus, and three party delegates.