County Clerk to Absentee Voters: Know Your Ballot - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (WXOW) – Absentee voting began Monday for the upcoming August 14 Primary Election.

Absentee voters do not have to provide a reason for voting early, but can do so at their municipal clerk's office until August 10.

In La Crosse, City Clerk Teri Lehrke said voters can cast ballots between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily.

But unlike the June 5 recall races, in which people could vote for different parties in each race, crossover voting will not be allowed in this election.  

Voters will only be permitted to cast ballots in one party's primaries or the other's.

"If you cross vote nothing on your ballot gets counted," said La Crosse County Clerk Ginny Dankmeyer.

"If that happens on election day at the polling places, the machine knows to kick it back so you get an opportunity to correct your ballot" Dankmeyer said. "However that doesn't happen when you vote absentee. So you have to make sure you know what's going on with your ballot." 

This year's race will be the first time a Wisconsin partisan primary is scheduled in August since 1946.

Dankmeyer said the primary was moved up due to federal guidelines, which require ballots be ready 45 days in advance to make absentee voting easier for military members both in the U.S. and overseas.