This is the preview version of the Wisconsin State Legislature site.
Please see http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov for the production version.
LRBs0222/1
JK:cjs/amn/skw
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
SENATE SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1,
TO SENATE BILL 366
January 5, 2024 - Offered by Senator Taylor.
SB366-SSA1,1,3 1An Act to renumber and amend 5.25 (3); and to create 5.25 (3) (a) 1. to 5., 5.25
2(3) (b), 5.25 (3) (c) and 5.25 (3) (d) of the statutes; relating to: polling place
3closures.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, polling places are required to be established for each
election at least 30 days before the election. Under this bill, under no circumstance
may a municipality close more than one-half of its polling places within 30 days
before an election. Additionally, the bill prohibits a municipality from closing any
polling place within 30 days before an election unless the majority of the
members-elect of the governing body makes a finding of emergency, both the
majority of the members-elect of the governing body and the municipal clerk
approve the closure, and the municipal clerk does all of the following
1. Posts public notice of the closure on the municipality's website or, if the
municipality does not maintain a website, posts notices in at least three different
locations within the municipality reasonably calculated to notify the most residents.
2. Publishes three notices in a newspaper likely to give notice in the area
notifying the public of the closure.
3. Publishes two notices or one notice in a newspaper likely to give notice in the
area if time does not permit publication of three notices.

4. Designates a proper person who shall be stationed at or as near as possible
to the closed location to notify all electors of the closure and of their new polling
location.
5. In a municipality establishing one polling place only, establishes a new
polling location approved by the majority of the members-elect of the governing body
and the municipal clerk.
Additionally, under the bill, if after an election and more than 30 days before
the next election, a municipality wishes to discontinue a polling place location, the
municipality's governing body may approve the discontinuation only after a public
hearing at which the public has an opportunity to present testimony on the proposed
discontinuation.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB366-SSA1,1 1Section 1. 5.25 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 5.25 (3) (a) (intro.) and
2amended to read:
SB366-SSA1,2,93 5.25 (3) (a) (intro.) Polling places shall be established for each election at least
430 days before the election. Subject to par. (b), no polling place so established in a
5municipality may be closed to voters on election day unless the majority of the
6members-elect, as defined in s. 66.10015 (1) (bs), of the governing body of the
7municipality makes a finding of emergency, both the majority of the members-elect
8of the governing body of the municipality and the municipal clerk approve the
9closure, and the municipal clerk does all of the following:
SB366-SSA1,2 10Section 2. 5.25 (3) (a) 1. to 5. of the statutes are created to read:
SB366-SSA1,2,1311 5.25 (3) (a) 1. Posts public notice of the closure on the municipality's website
12or, if the municipality does not maintain a website, posts notices in at least 3 different
13locations within the municipality reasonably calculated to notify the most residents.
SB366-SSA1,2,1414 2. Publishes a class 3 notice under ch. 985 notifying the public of the closure.
SB366-SSA1,2,1615 3. Publishes a class 2 or class 1 notice under ch. 985 notifying the public of the
16closure if time does not permit publication of a class 3 notice.
SB366-SSA1,3,3
14. Designates a proper person who shall be stationed at or as near as possible
2to the closed location to notify all electors of the closure and of their new polling
3location.
SB366-SSA1,3,64 5. In a municipality establishing one polling place only, establishes a new
5polling location approved by the majority of the members-elect of the governing body
6and the municipal clerk.
SB366-SSA1,3 7Section 3. 5.25 (3) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
SB366-SSA1,3,108 5.25 (3) (b) Under no circumstance may a municipality close more than
9one-half of its polling places within 30 days before an election, except as provided in
10par (a) 5.
SB366-SSA1,4 11Section 4. 5.25 (3) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
SB366-SSA1,3,1512 5.25 (3) (c) After an election and more than 30 days before the next election,
13the location of a polling place in a municipality may not be discontinued without the
14approval of the municipality's governing body after a public hearing at which the
15public has an opportunity to present testimony on the proposed discontinuation.
SB366-SSA1,5 16Section 5. 5.25 (3) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
SB366-SSA1,3,1817 5.25 (3) (d) Nothing in this subsection alters the authority of the election
18inspectors to adjourn to another location for voting on election day under s. 7.37 (1).
Loading...
Loading...