The Government Accountability Board offer more information about absentee voting by clicking here.

More than 412,000 voters have requested absentee ballots in Wisconsin as the deadline to vote early approaches.

The state elections board reported Thursday that 412,000 absentee ballots had been requested. That includes more than 256,000 requested by people in clerks' offices during the in-person early voting time that started last week and ends Friday, November 2 at 5 pm.

However, to vote absentee by mail you must request an application to your city clerk by 5 pm on November 1. The ballot must be postmarked by November 6, but will be counted if your clerk receives it by November 9.

If you are already a registered voter, you can go to your city clerk's office and request to vote absentee. Ballots cannot leave the building and must completed while you are there.

Experts say one of the biggest benefits to voting early is having more flexibility for time.

The Government Accountability Board had no comparable number to compare with 2008. Board spokesman Reid Magney cautioned that many more absentee ballots had been requested but not yet reported.
A final tally of absentee voting numbers won't be available until after the election.

Wausau City Clerk Toni Rayala says 30 percent of voters are expected to vote by absentee ballot this year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report