Your absentee ballots could have some minor changes to it next year if two bills pass the Wisconsin State Assembly. Lawmakers are pushing for military members to provide their Department of Defense number when requesting an absentee ballot. Currently, members of the military are exempt from the state’s voter identification law. The bill was originally introduced in June alongside other bills that have bipartisan support including broadcasting election night procedures, preventing polling place closures within 30 days of an election, and helping local governments pay for special elections. Another bill being discussed would add watermarks to absentee ballots sent through the mail. Republican Reps. Scott Allen and Romaine Quinn argue that the watermarks add another level of security to the ballots that have been questioned ever since the 2020 election.  Jay Heck from Common Cause Wisconsin sides with the Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association, saying that the addition of the watermark may do more harm than good.

Whatever tweaks need to be made to the ballot still have plenty of time before the next elections, which are February 20th for the Spring Primary and April 2nd for the Spring Election. April 2nd is also the election where voters will be able to choose who they want to see get the Democratic or Republican nomination for U.S. President.