Commit to Vote in 2022
MENOMONIE, WI – While the 2021 election season is over for Wisconsin residents, next year looms large for voters at every level – local, state and federal. The range of open positions will impact many current hot topics: broadband internet access, rural farm issues, housing, roads, schools, climate change, and health care.
The League of Women Voters-Greater Chippewa Valley (LWV-GCV) encourages all residents to put these election dates on their calendars and to commit to vote in 2022.
2022 Spring Election Dates and Races
• Spring primary – February 15
• Spring general election – April 5
SPRING – WISCONSIN: Judges in three districts on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals will be up for election. Of local interest will be the seat for District III, which covers 35 counties including Buffalo, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire and Pepin counties. Wisconsin residents will also be voting for various nonpartisan local and judicial offices, including the election of two Circuit Court judges in Eau Claire County.
SPRING – COUNTY:
• Buffalo: All County Board of Supervisors; school board members.
• Chippewa: All County Board of Supervisors; school boards members.
• Dunn: All County Board of Supervisors; seats in the even-numbered wards in the City of Menomonie; and three Menomonie School Board seats. Township and village boards have their own specific timeframes; check with those municipal clerks for more information.
• Eau Claire: All County Board of Supervisors; school board members in the school districts of Altoona, Augusta, Cadott, Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Eleva-Strum, Elk Mound, Fall Creek, Mondovi, Osseo-Fairchild, and Stanley-Boyd. Township and village boards have their own specific timeframes; check with those municipal clerks for more information.
• Pepin: All County Board of Supervisors; school board members and municipal contests in the Town of Frankfort, Town of Pepin, Town of Stockholm, Village of Pepin, Village of Stockholm, and City of Durand.
2022 Fall Election Dates and Races
• Fall primary – August 9
• Fall general election – November 8
FALL – US FEDERAL: One Wisconsin Senate seat and all 8 Wisconsin US House seats (based on the 2011 legislative maps). Locally, Buffalo, Dunn, Eau Claire and Pepin County residents will be voting for the one Senate seat and the US House seat for District 3; Chippewa County residents will be voting for the one Senate seat and either the US House seat for District 3 (southern Chippewa) or District 7 (northern Chippewa).
FALL – WISCONSIN: Five state executive offices – Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer.
State Legislature – 17 odd-numbered district seats in the Wisconsin State Senate, and all 99 seats in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Based on the current 2011 legislative maps, local residents will be voting in these district races; however, the district numbers are likely to change with redistricting:
• Buffalo County: Senate 31; and Assembly 92, 93
• Chippewa County: Senate 23; and Assembly 67, 68
• Dunn County: Senate 23; and Assembly 29, 67, 75, 93
• Eau Claire County: Senate 23, 31; and Assembly 68, 91, 93
• Pepin County: Senate 31; and Assembly 93
FALL – COUNTY: Residents of Buffalo, Chippewa, and Pepin counties will be voting for Clerk of Court, Sheriff, and Coroner. Residents of Dunn and Eau Claire counties will be voting for Clerk of Circuit Court and Sheriff.
Who are the candidates?
Candidates are just beginning to register their campaigns or to file a Declaration of Candidacy form with the Wisconsin Elections Commission. By January 22, 2022, voters can get a good idea about who’s running in the spring elections by visiting MyVote.wi.gov. Just click on “What’s on my Ballot?”, and enter your address; all candidates for all races and any referenda will be listed. You can call your municipal clerk for this information, too. To learn candidates’ positions on issues, visit Vote411.org/Wisconsin and click on “Find what’s on your ballot,” read your local newspaper, or ask your public librarian for help.
Can I register to vote now?
Yes. You can register to vote online at MyVote.wi.gov up to 20 days before an election. You can also register by mail, in-person at your local municipal clerk’s office, or at the polling place on Election Day. All voters must submit a proof of residence along with their voter registration. Check with your municipal clerk for more detailed instructions about registration, including deadlines, length of residency, and name or address changes.
Can I vote absentee?
Yes, but you’ll need to sign-up to vote absentee in 2022, even if you voted that way in 2021; it’s a yearly request. After January 1, 2022, you can sign-up online at MyVote.wi.gov or complete a “Wisconsin Application for Absentee Ballots,” which is also available on MyVote.wi.gov or through your municipal clerk. If your municipal clerk already has a copy of your required photo ID from a previous request or you are indefinitely confined, you don’t need to send a copy with your request.
Along with your municipal clerk, the LWV-GCV is a good local resource for election information. If you have questions about the voting process or using MyVote.wi.gov and Vote411, please call LWV-GCV members Lori Miller (715-285-5659) or Jane Pedersen (715-456-6922).
