Wisconsin will hold Democratic and Republican primaries on Tuesday, April 5, 2016, between 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The process can sound complex, and people are often confused about when, where and how to vote. We hope that this blog post answers some of your questions.

How the Wisconsin Primary Process Works

In both parties, the delegate system helps make sure that the candidate chosen is the most representative and the most likely to be competitive in the general election. The parties hold primaries to choose delegates. Those delegates will then represent their states at their party conventions prior to the presidential election.

For Democrats, 86 pledged delegates are at stake. For Republicans, 42 pledged delegates are at stake. The parties do things a little bit differently:

• The Democrats: Delegates will be allocated proportionately. Candidates will each receive a percentage of the pledged delegates, depending on how people vote. There is a threshold, however: A candidate must receive more than 15 percent of the votes cast in order to be allocated pledged delegates.
• The Republicans: Delegates are allocated on a winner-take-all basis, so the candidate who receives a relative majority of the votes will be allocated all of the pledged delegates.

Pledged delegates aren’t the only delegates that count. Both parties also have “superdelegates,” although Republican superdelegates wield a lot less power than Democrat superdelegates. Republican superdelegates must vote for the candidate that their state voted for (as per a 2015 Republican National Committee ruling).

Democrat superdelegates are members of the official party apparatus who can vote for whichever candidate they support, regardless of how the state they came from votes. They truly have the power to tip the election one way or another. That’s why we hear so much about Democrat superdelegates in the news.

Getting Ready to Vote: What You Need to Know

Step 1: Register to vote. Wisconsin has open primaries, which means that Wisconsinites can vote for the candidate they support regardless of their registered party. However, you can’t vote in both the Democratic and the Republican primaries, and you need to be registered in order to vote.

Mail-in registration to vote in the Wisconsin Democratic Primary has already closed, but you may register in person by bringing proof of residency to your municipal clerk’s office before April 1 or to your local polling place on Election Day.

Many documents qualify as “proof of residency,” including current utility bills, leases or IDs. You’ll also have to certify that you’ve been a resident of Wisconsin for 28 days (but your proof doesn’t have to be 28 days old).

Step 2: Find out where to vote. The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board can also help you find your polling place, generally a school or community center near your home.

Step 3: Bring your ID with you. You’ll need a photo ID to vote in Wisconsin. For most people, a driver’s license is the most convenient option. You can bring your driver’s license even if your driving privileges are revoked or suspended. If you don’t have a driver’s license, there are many other types of IDs that you can use, including most college student IDs, a certificate of naturalization or a driver’s license receipt. The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board has a complete list of acceptable photo IDs.

Why This Is Important

The Wisconsin primary is going to be especially important because polls show that the competition is fierce. For the Democrats, polls show that Hillary Clinton has only a slight edge over Bernie Sanders. For the Republicans, polls show that Ted Cruz has a slight lead over Donald Trump.

When the race is tight, even a small number of voters choosing to support one candidate over another can make a huge difference. No matter who you support, we hope that you choose to vote on April 5.

Photo: Election 2016 by DonkeyHotey (Some rights reserved)