This presentation is a companion resource to the Official Wisconsin Election Observer Manual, not a replacement for actually reading it! Whether you watch this video before or after you read the manual or both, the better you prepare yourself to exercise your right to be an observer of the election process.

1. Election Observer
Manual Overview
Last revised—May 2010

2. Election Observer
Manual

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4. Table of Contents
Election Observer Manual Overview
Observation Basics
Before Voting Takes Place
During Voting
After Voting Takes Place
Forms

5. Observation Basics
• What Observation Means
• Where Observation Occurs
Glossary

6. Tip
What Observation Means
• Election
• Observe and document only. Manual
p 25
• Do not discuss politics or wear
anything political.
• Do not handle any official
election documents.
• Be courteous and polite.
Caution: The chief inspector can have
you removed for any reason.

7. Tip
Where Observation Occurs
• Election
Prior to Election Day at: Manual
p
• The municipal clerk’s office during the
absentee voting period.
• Nursing homes and community
facilities.
On Election Day at the polls:
• During voting.
• After polls close to witness the ballot
count (open to all citizens).
Note: Half-day shifts at the polls are also
encouraged.

8. Before Voting
• Going to the Polls on Election
Day
• What to Do Once You Arrive
• Who Else Is Involved
• Who Is Eligible to Vote
• Who Is Not Eligible to Vote

9. Going to the Polls on Election Day
• Polls open at 7:00 AM. Plan on being
early.
• Make sure you have the manual.
• Take a notebook and a pen for
documenting incidents.
• Your cell phones can only be used for
personal reasons outside the polling
place (in a hallway, another room…).
• Bring your own:
– Food
– Drink
– Folding chair

10. What to Do Once You Arrive
• Sign in to get an observer nametag.
• Locate and set-up your spot in the
designated area for observing.
• Make sure you are able to hear the
voters.
• Check out the polling place:
– Traffic flow.
– Security of ballots.
– Voting machines.

11. Who Else Is Involved
• Chief Election Inspector
• Poll Workers
• Greeters
• Other Election Observers
• Attorneys from political parties
Note: You should not act as a greeter –
you are there to observe.

12. Who Is Eligible to Vote
A voter must be:
• 18 years old
• A U.S. Citizen
• A resident for at least 10 days
• Registered to vote

13. Who Is Not Eligible to Vote
• Felons
• A resident for less than 10 days
• Temporary resident with the intent to
move
• A person under guardianship deemed
incompetent
• Anyone who has made a bet or wager
on the election

14. During Voting
• Registration at the Polls
• Verifying Residence
• The Voting Process at the Polls
• Absentee Ballots
• Challenging Voters
• Reasons for Challenging
• Electioneering at the Polls

15. Registration at the Polls
Many errors can happen at the
registration table; this is the
most important area to observe.
• Registrants must fill out a registration
form and produce an I.D.
– A Driver’s License must be used for ID, even
if it has been lost, stolen or suspended.
– A state issued I.D. or the last four digits of
the Social Security Number may be used,
only if the person has never been issued a
driver’s license.
• Residency must be verified.

16. Tip
Verifying Residence
•The following documents may be used to verify residence:
• Print this
slide and
• Wisconsin Driver’s License take it
• Wisconsin State ID with you
• ID or license issued by a Wisconsin governmental body to the
• Any photo ID card issued by an employer – not a business
card polls.
• Real estate tax bill or receipt for current or preceding year
• Residential lease that’s effective for a period covering Election
Day
• University, college or technical institute fee card which
includes a photo
• University, college or technical institute ID card which includes
a photo
• A gas, electric, or telephone utility bill for the period
beginning no more than 90 days prior to Election Day
• A bank statement
• A paycheck
• A check or other document issued by a unit of government
• A corroborating witness

17. The Voting Process at the Polls
• Voter gets in line at the check-in table.
• Once at the table, the voter, not the
poll worker, states name and address.
• Two poll workers check the voter’s
name on identical poll lists.
If the name is … Then…
On the list the voter is issued a voter
number and a ballot.
Not on the list the individual is sent to the
registration table.
• Voter goes into voting booth and votes,
then inserts his ballot into the machine.

18. Absentee Ballots
• Citizens are allowed to vote by mail or at
the clerk’s office up to 30 days prior to
Election Day.
• These “absentee” ballots are delivered to
the polling place (or a central count
location) on Election Day.
• Poll workers assigned to this:
– Announce the name of the voter on the
absentee ballot envelope.
– Check for a witness’s signature on the
envelope.
– Cast the ballot into the voting machine.
• Election observers (that’s you) may also
challenge these ballots.

19. Challenging Voters
• Election Observers should call the
HOTLINE for assistance.
• Observers have the right to challenge
a voter’s right to vote.
• The challenge must occur before the
voter is given a ballot.
• Observers must signify to the Chief
Election Inspector their intent “to
challenge.”
• It is the Chief Inspector’s job to make a
decision and conduct the challenge
process.

20. Reasons for Challenging
• The challenge must be based on the
following questions:
– Are they a citizen of the U.S.?
– Are they 18 years old?
– Are they a resident for at least 10 days?
– Are they a felon who has not had their
rights restored?
– Have they been judged incompetent?
– Have they made a bet or wager?
– Have they already voted in this election?

21. Electioneering at the Polls
• The following must be 100+ feet from the
polling place:
– Candidates, political supporters, or activists.
– Distribution of campaign materials or display
of campaign signs.
• A vehicle with political bumper sticker may
remain ONLY as long as it takes its owner to
vote.
• No political discussions may take place
inside the polls.
• Voters are allowed to wear political
apparel, but they must leave as soon as they
finish voting.

22. After Voting

23. After the Polls Close
• The polls must close at 8:00 PM,
unless by court order.
• The chief election inspector will
position a designated poll worker at
the end of the line at 8:00 PM.
• Any citizen, including a candidate, is
allowed into the polling place to
witness the counting of ballots.

24. Closing Procedures
• Election observers are asked to witness
the closing procedures – a crucial part of
the Election Day.
• This process has many facets – at the first
sign of trouble call the HOTLINE.
• Tabulators aid the poll workers in counting
and tallying the votes.
• Numerous forms must be filled out and
certified.
• Ballots (used and unused) must be
accounted for, secured, and sealed.
• Documentation of this process must be
included in your notes.

25. Final Comment
Congratulations and Thank You!
• Your day is done.
• Make sure you answer the questions
from the questionnaire at the back of
the manual directly into your notes.
• Organize and secure all your
documentation and take it home with you.
• If there is a recall or problem at your
polling place, you will be called upon for
your documentation! It is important.

26. Thank you for your
service to our country
Last revised—May 2010

27. Forms
• Official Election Observer
Manual
• Hotline Data Sheet
• Questionnaire

28. Hotline Data Sheet
HOTLINE NUMBER: 1 -______ -______ -________
Municipal Clerk: _________________________ Phone: _________________________________
County Clerk: ____________________________ Phone: _________________________________
How the HOTLINE NUMBER works:
– This number changes every election. It connects to people who will help you determine what to
do.
Why you should call:
– You should call whenever you see or hear something that is out of the ordinary. Pay attention to
the contents of this manual and the examples it contains for further guidance.
When you should call:
– You may call before the polls open, throughout the day, or after the polls close with any questions
you have regarding something you have observed during your shift, especially if you have brought
it to the attention of the Chief Election Inspector and it has not been resolved.
How you should call:
– Make sure you bring a cell phone and paper and pen for use during your shift on Election Day. You
are not allowed to call from inside the polling place itself, so make sure you step out into a hallway
or outside if necessary. It may be important for you to make your call from a location that is more
private so as not to be overheard.
You should:
– Document the information with the date and time the incident occurred.
– Include a description of the person in general and a name if at all possible.
– Include a description about the incident itself with the names of any people involved.
– Document the steps you may have taken to get it corrected in case there is a problem with the
polling place or the election in general.
Print this page.

29. Questionnaire
• Save your notes until after the election has been certified and there is no chance of a recount. If you feel there are any
problems as you document your day, call the HOTLINE NUMBER. If you are assigned to the first shift of the day:
1. Document the county, municipality and wards where you are observing.
2. Note the date and the time your shift began.
3. Note the names of any election officials present, including the Chief Election Inspector and the poll
workers.
4. Are there any other campaigns or groups present?
5. Did all election officials agree that the machines present were the proper machines?
6. Did at least two election officials identify each machine; verify that it was the proper machine; that it
was in the proper working order and that it was secure?
7. Did each machine’s vote counting mechanism show a “zero count” (no pre-Election Day votes)?
8. Did the machines appear to be well kept and in working condition?
• Observations to be made throughout your shift (remember to include the time and a description of the event or
situation, and a description or the names of any people involved):
1. Answer questions 1-4 above.
2. How many election officials were present in the polling place?
3. Were there any unauthorized persons in the polling place?
4. Were there long lines at the polls?
5. How long was the wait to cast a ballot? Check this at various times throughout the day.
6. How many voting booths were there?
7. Did the voting equipment appear to be in good working order?
8. Are there adequate supplies? (Blank ballots, marking pens, etc.)
9. Was the polling place handicapped accessible?
10. Were election instructions posters displayed where they could be easily read?
11. Is there any campaigning in the polling place?
12. Do you see any effort to intimidate or interfere with individuals seeking to cast a ballot?
13. Were you ever barred from observing the voting process?
14. Are voters who are in the wrong polling place being redirected to the proper one?
15. Are there any instances where a voter was permitted to vote a regular ballot (not a provisional one)
even though the voter wasn’t qualified to do so?
16. Did provisional voters and poll-workers properly complete and sign the certifications on the
provisional ballot envelope? Are provisional ballots being placed in the provisional ballot
envelopes, sealed and placed in the separate provisional ballot box or envelope?
17. Have you observed any voter that voted more than once?
18. Does anything seem unusual about the polling place?
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