KENOSHA, Wis. — With the November 3, 2026, General Election less than two weeks away, the City of Kenosha Clerk’s Office has released important information about early voting, absentee ballot deadlines, polling locations and identification requirements. City officials are also advising residents to carefully examine election-related mailings after some voters reported confusion over absentee ballot request forms being distributed by outside organizations.
In a press release issued Thursday, October 22, the city outlined several ways residents can cast their ballots before Election Day, including in-person absentee voting at the Kenosha Municipal Building, 625 52nd Street. Officials also emphasized that absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
In-Person Absentee Voting Underway
In-person absentee voting began Tuesday, October 20, and will continue through Friday, October 30. All in-person absentee voting takes place at the Kenosha Municipal Building, 625 52nd Street. Remaining voting hours are as follows:
- Thursday, October 22: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Friday, October 23: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Monday, October 26: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 27: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 28: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. (Extended hours)
- Thursday, October 29: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Friday, October 30: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Extended hours)
The city is offering extended voting hours on Wednesday, October 28, and Friday, October 30, to accommodate residents who cannot vote during regular business hours. Friday, October 30, will be the final day of in-person absentee voting before the general election.
Absentee Ballot Request Deadlines
Residents who wish to vote absentee by mail must submit their requests by 5 p.m. Thursday, October 29. Voters who are indefinitely confined or serving in the military have until 5 p.m. Friday, October 30, to request an absentee ballot.
Requests can be submitted online through MyVote.WI.gov, by email to [email protected], or by mailing an application to the City Clerk’s Office at 625 52nd Street, Room 104, Kenosha, WI 53140.
Applications generally require the voter’s name, date of birth, address, mailing address if different, signature and a copy of an acceptable photo ID when required. The city notes that a signature is not required for requests submitted by email.
Some voters are exempt from providing a photo ID with their absentee ballot applications. These include qualifying indefinitely confined voters, certain nursing home or care facility residents, military voters and permanent overseas voters. Residents who previously submitted a photo ID for absentee voting may already have identification on file with the Clerk’s Office.
City Warns: Do Not Return Absentee Ballots To Polling Places Or Utility Payment Boxes
The City Clerk’s Office is reminding voters that completed absentee ballots must be returned directly to the Clerk’s Office or mailed in sufficient time to arrive by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3. Residents returning ballots in person must bring them inside the Kenosha Municipal Building, and Wisconsin law generally requires voters to return their own ballots unless an exception applies.
The city specifically warns residents not to bring completed absentee ballots to their regular polling locations on Election Day. Officials also emphasize that ballots must never be placed in utility payment boxes.
The City of Kenosha does not use ballot drop boxes. Completed absentee ballots can instead be delivered to the Clerk’s Office during regular business hours or the extended in-person absentee voting hours announced by the city.
For voters returning ballots through the mail, the Postal Service recommends mailing them at least 10 days before Election Day. Ballots received after the 8 p.m. Election Day deadline will not be counted, regardless of when they were mailed.
City Addresses Confusing Mailings From Outside Organizations
The Clerk’s Office is also alerting residents about election-related mailings distributed by third-party organizations, including The Voter Participation Center (VPC) and The Center for Voter Information (CVI). Some of these mailings contain envelopes stating, “Vote at home ballot request form enclosed. Do not discard.”
According to the city, these mailings have created confusion among residents who have already updated their voter registration information, have not changed their names or addresses, or have already requested absentee ballots. Residents receiving these materials may mistakenly believe they are official correspondence from election officials.
The city emphasizes that Wisconsin law permits private organizations and political parties to distribute voter registration and absentee ballot request forms. However, residents should distinguish these third-party solicitations from official election correspondence.
Official absentee ballots mailed to City of Kenosha voters will come from the City Clerk’s Office and display the official election mail logo. Anyone who receives an envelope they believe contains an absentee ballot they did not request is encouraged to contact the Clerk’s Office directly.
Voters can also visit MyVote.WI.gov to verify their voter registration information, check the status of an absentee ballot request or track an absentee ballot.
Election Day Voting And Photo ID Requirements
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3. Residents who plan to vote in person on Election Day must report to their designated polling locations, which can be found through MyVote.WI.gov or by contacting the Clerk’s Office.
Wisconsin voters must present an acceptable photo ID to receive a ballot, subject to applicable legal exceptions. Examples listed by the city include a Wisconsin driver’s license or state identification card, a U.S. passport, a U.S. military identification card and qualifying veterans identification.
Voters who have questions about acceptable identification can visit BringIt.WI.gov for additional information. The website provides guidance on acceptable forms of identification and Wisconsin’s voter ID requirements.
Special Provisions For Hospitalized Voters
Residents who become hospitalized within seven days before Election Day may designate an agent to obtain and deliver an absentee ballot on their behalf. The designated agent must return the completed ballot to the City Clerk’s Office no later than 8 p.m. on November 3.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot through this procedure is 5 p.m. on Election Day. Hospitalized voters or their representatives should contact the Clerk’s Office for assistance with the process.
Where To Get Election Information
City of Kenosha residents with questions about voting, absentee ballot requests, polling locations or election-related mailings can contact the City Clerk’s Office at (262) 653-4020 or [email protected]. Additional election information is available through the city’s official website, Kenosha.org, and the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s voter information website, MyVote.WI.gov.
The General Election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and polls throughout Kenosha will remain open until 8 p.m. Residents planning to vote absentee are encouraged to pay close attention to the approaching deadlines to ensure their ballots are received in time to be counted.
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