National Voter Registration Day: Ready, Set, Vote
By Molly Nichols l September 14, 2026
Where should you plan to vote when your college apartment is in Madison, your parents live in Milwaukee and your driver’s license still has your childhood address on it?
What if your voter ID has expired? What if you have no idea what the three referendums on your ballot mean? And, perhaps most importantly, what if you have absolutely no idea where to start?
As a UW–Madison student, we’re here to help you get vote ready
Tuesday, Sept. 15, marks National Voter Registration Day, a day intended to make voting feel a little less complicated. Through the Morgridge Center for Public Service, in collaboration with the Student Voters Union, organizers are bringing voter information directly to students through workshops, registration drives and drop-in sessions.
The goal is to help students figure out how to vote and what all they can expect to see on their ballot.
Morgridge Center workshops will cover all of the basics: how to register, where to vote and what the necessary forms are to fill out. They also walk students through address requirements and explain things like three ballot referendums without getting into candidate-specific information.
These workshops aren’t just intended for students engaged or interested in government. Fraternities, sororities, classes and other on-campus organizations can request a workshop, and Morgridge Center staff will accommodate based on availability.
The Morgridge Center will be hosting drop-in workshops on Wednesday, Sept. 16 and Friday, Sept. 18. After that, events will occur weekly, based on initial popularity, through Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Below are two dates worth putting on your calendar
- Early voting begins Tuesday, Oct. 20
- Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Students can use myvote.wi.gov to check their voter registration, see what’s on their ballot and find a polling location that works for them.
Then there’s the ID check
Wisconsin voter IDs expire every two years, so students who last voted in the 2024 Presidential Election may need to renew theirs before heading to the polls. UW–Madison students can visit the Morgridge Center in the Red Gym or Wiscard office at Union South to print out a campus-issued voter ID.
On Election Day, BadgersVote will have voter ID printers at all on-campus polling locations where students can print out a campus-issued voter ID. Lines can be long, and getting it taken care of early means one less thing to worry about, especially with more elections ahead.
Voting isn’t the only way students can get involved
The City of Madison is also hiring students and community members to help work the polls. Election officials can work during early voting or on Election Day to help you exercise your right to have your voice heard.
So, whether your voting questions refer to determining the right address, renewing an ID, deciphering a referendum or simply finding the polling location closest to you, the first step is to register and make sure you are ready to vote.