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The bill eliminates the requirement that a partisan primary ballot list the
names of independent candidates for state office. Prior to July 1, 2011, listing the
names of independent candidates for state office on the partisan primary ballot was
necessary for determining eligibility for providing public financing for such
candidates. Current law no longer provides public financing for campaigns for state
office.
11. Maintaining poll lists after an election.
Under current law, a poll list created for an election must be maintained for 22
months after the election. The bill provides that an original electronic poll list need
not be maintained if a true copy is maintained for the 22-month period.

12. Notice of ballot form and contents when an electronic voting system is
used for an election.
Under current law, when a municipality uses an electronic voting system for an
election, the clerks of the county and municipality where the system is used must
provide notice of the ballot form and contents by arranging for the publication of an
actual-size copy of the ballot. Current law, however, allows a publisher to reduce the
size of the facsimile ballot for publication purposes. The bill eliminates the
inconsistency between these two provisions by eliminating the requirement that the
clerks arrange for publication of an actual-size copy of the ballot.
13. Paper copies of registration lists used in an election.
The bill specifies that a municipal clerk need not make paper copies of a
registration list for use in an election if an electronic registration list is used.
14. References to copying machines.
Under current law, a municipal clerk is required upon request to provide a
candidate one copy of the current poll list for those areas for which he or she is a
candidate. Current law specifies that if a copying machine is unavailable, the clerk
is required to remove the lists from the office to make copies and return the lists
immediately thereafter. The bill removes any reference to a copying machine.
15. Counting of write-in votes.
Under current law, one of the circumstances under which all write-in votes
must be counted for a particular office in an election occurs if a candidate certified
to appear on the ballot dies or withdraws before the election. Under the bill, all
write-in votes must be counted under that circumstance only if a candidate certified
to appear on the ballot dies before the election.
16. Commission rules relating to forms of election notices.
Under current law, the commission is required to make rules and draft
whatever forms it considers necessary to standardize the form of various election
notices. The bill eliminates the requirement to make such rules but not the
requirement to draft standardized forms.
17. Establishing ward lines.
The bill provides that, for the purpose of creating wards, no ward line may cross
the boundary of a congressional, assembly, or supervisory district.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB178,1 1Section 1. 5.06 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 5.06 (1) (a) and amended to
2read:
SB178,5,18
15.06 (1) (a) Whenever any elector of a jurisdiction or district served by an
2election official
person authorized under par. (b) to file a complaint believes that a
3decision or action of the an election official or the failure of the official to act with
4respect to any matter concerning nominations, qualifications of candidates, voting
5qualifications, including residence, ward division and numbering, recall, ballot
6preparation, election administration or, conduct of elections, or, subject to par. (b) 2.,
7conduct of a recount,
is contrary to law, or the official has abused the discretion vested
8in him or her by law with respect to any such matter, the elector authorized person
9may file a written sworn complaint with the commission requesting that the official
10be required to conform his or her conduct to the law, be restrained from taking any
11action inconsistent with the law, or be required to correct any action or decision
12inconsistent with the law or any abuse of the discretion vested in him or her by law.
13The complaint shall set forth such facts as are within the knowledge of the
14complainant to show probable cause to believe that a violation of law or abuse of
15discretion has occurred or will occur. The complaint may be accompanied by relevant
16supporting documents. The commission may conduct a hearing on the matter in the
17manner prescribed for treatment of contested cases under ch. 227 if it believes such
18action to be appropriate.
SB178,2 19Section 2. 5.06 (1) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
SB178,5,2120 5.06 (1) (b) The following persons are authorized to file a complaint under this
21subsection:
SB178,5,2322 1. An elector of a jurisdiction or district served by an election official who is a
23subject of the complaint.
SB178,6,224 2. A candidate voted for at an election who is an aggrieved party, as determined
25under s. 9.01 (1) (a) 5., or an elector who voted upon a referendum question at an

1election, with respect to a recount under s. 9.01, except that a recount determination
2that is ripe for appeal under s. 9.01 (6) is not reviewable under this subsection.
SB178,3 3Section 3. 5.06 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,6,94 5.06 (4) The commission may, on its own motion, investigate and determine
5whether any election official, with respect to any matter concerning nominations,
6qualifications of candidates, voting qualifications, including residence, ward
7division and numbering, recall, ballot preparation, election administration or
8conduct of elections
specified in sub. (1), has failed to comply with the law or abused
9the discretion vested in him or her by law or proposes to do so.
SB178,4 10Section 4. 5.06 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,6,1411 5.06 (7) The commission may withdraw, modify, or correct an order issued
12under sub. (6) within a timely period if it finds such action to be appropriate. The
13commission may issue such other temporary orders of limited effect as it deems
14necessary to carry out its powers and duties under this section.
SB178,5 15Section 5. 5.06 (10) of the statutes is repealed.
SB178,6 16Section 6. 5.15 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,7,1117 5.15 (4) (a) Except as provided in par. (c), the division ordinance or resolution
18shall number all wards in the municipality with unique whole numbers in
19consecutive order, beginning with the number one, shall designate the polling place
20for each ward, and shall describe the boundaries of each ward consistent with the
21conventions set forth in s. 4.003. No ward line may cross the boundary of a
22congressional, assembly, or supervisory district.
The ordinance or resolution shall
23be accompanied by a list of the block numbers used by the U.S. bureau of the census
24that are wholly or partly contained within each ward, with any block numbers partly
25contained within a ward identified, and a map of the municipality which illustrates

1the revised ward boundaries. If the legislature, in an act redistricting legislative
2districts under article IV, section 3, of the constitution, or in redistricting
3congressional districts, establishes a district boundary within a municipality that
4does not coincide with the boundary of a ward established under the ordinance or
5resolution of the municipality, the municipal governing body shall, no later than
6April 10 of the 2nd year following the year of the federal decennial census on which
7the act is based, amend the ordinance or resolution to the extent required to effect
8the act. The amended ordinance or resolution shall designate the polling place for
9any ward that is created to effect the legislative act. Nothing in this paragraph shall
10be construed to compel a county or city to alter or redraw supervisory or aldermanic
11districts.
SB178,7 12Section 7. 5.60 (3) (ag) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,7,1713 5.60 (3) (ag) Except as authorized in s. 5.655, there shall be a separate ballot
14giving the names of all candidates for city offices, printed in the same form as
15prescribed by the commission under s. 7.08 (1) (a). Sufficient space shall be provided
16on the ballot for write-in candidates.
City election ballots may vary in form to
17conform to the law under which an election is held.
SB178,8 18Section 8. 5.62 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,8,1019 5.62 (1) (a) At the partisan primary, the following ballot shall be provided for
20the nomination of candidates of recognized political parties for national, state, and
21county offices and independent candidates for state office in each ward, in the same
22form as prescribed by the commission under s. 7.08 (1) (a), except as authorized in
23s. 5.655. The ballots shall be made up of the several party tickets with each party
24entitled to participate in the primary under par. (b) or sub. (2) having its own ballot,
25except as authorized in s. 5.655. The ballots shall be secured together at the bottom.

1The party ballot of the party receiving the most votes for president or governor at the
2last general election shall be on top with the other parties arranged in descending
3order based on their vote for president or governor at the last general election. The
4ballots of parties qualifying under sub. (2) shall be placed after the parties qualifying
5under par. (b), in the same order in which the parties filed petitions with the
6commission. Any ballot required under par. (b) 2. shall be placed next in order. At
7polling places where voting machines are used, each party shall be represented in
8one or more separate columns or rows on the ballot. At polling places where an
9electronic voting system is used other than an electronic voting machine, each party
10may be represented in separate columns or rows on the ballot.
SB178,9 11Section 9. 5.94 of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,8,20 125.94 Sample ballots; publication. When an electronic voting system
13employing a ballot that is distributed to electors is used, the county and municipal
14clerk of the county and municipality in which the polling place designated for use of
15the system is located shall cause to be published, in the type B notices, a true
16actual-size
copy of the ballot containing the names of offices and candidates and
17statements of measures to be voted on, as nearly as possible, in the form in which they
18will appear on the official ballot on election day. The notice may be published as a
19newspaper insert. Municipal clerks may post the notice if the remainder of the type
20B notice is posted.
SB178,10 21Section 10. 6.45 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,8,2422 6.45 (1) After the deadline for revision of the registration list, the municipal
23clerk shall make copies of the list for election use. Paper copies need not be made if
24an electronic registration list is used.
SB178,11 25Section 11. 6.46 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,9,9
16.46 (2) Poll lists shall be open to public inspection, except as provided in s.
26.47. The municipal clerk shall furnish upon request to each candidate who has filed
3nomination papers for an office which that represents at least part of the
4municipality one copy of the current poll list for those areas for which he or she is a
5candidate for a fee not to exceed the cost of reproduction. If a copying machine is not
6accessible,
the clerk shall must remove the lists from the office for the purposes of
7copying, and the clerk shall return them immediately thereafter. The clerk shall
8exclude information that is confidential under s. 6.47 (2) from copies of the list, except
9as authorized under s. 6.47 (8).
SB178,12 10Section 12. 6.47 (1) (ag) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,9,1411 6.47 (1) (ag) “Domestic abuse victim service provider" means an organization
12that is certified by the department of children and families as eligible to receive
13grants under s. 49.165 (2) and whose name is included on the list provided by the
14commission under s. 7.08 (10)
.
SB178,13 15Section 13. 6.47 (1) (dm) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,9,1916 6.47 (1) (dm) “Sexual assault victim service provider" means an organization
17that is certified by the department of justice as eligible to receive grants under s.
18165.93 (2) and whose name is included on the list provided by the commission under
19s. 7.08 (10)
.
SB178,14 20Section 14. 7.08 (10) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,9,2521 7.08 (10) Domestic abuse and sexual assault victim service providers.
22Provide to each municipal clerk, on a continuous basis as needed to confirm the
23eligibility to vote of electors who have obtained a confidential listing under s. 6.47 (2)
,
24the names and addresses of organizations that are certified under s. 49.165 (4) (a)
25or 165.93 (4) (a) to provide services to victims of domestic abuse or sexual assault.
SB178,15
1Section 15. 7.23 (1) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,10,52 7.23 (1) (e) Poll lists created for any election may be destroyed 22 months after
3the election at which they were created. An original electronic poll list need not be
4maintained under this paragraph if a true copy of the electronic poll list is
5maintained whether in hard copy or electronic format.
SB178,16 6Section 16. 7.50 (2) (em) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,10,157 7.50 (2) (em) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, write-in votes
8shall only be counted if no candidates have been certified to appear on the ballot. If
9a candidate has been certified to appear on the ballot, write-in votes may only be
10counted for a candidate that files a registration statement under s. 11.0202 (1) (a) no
11later than noon on the Friday immediately preceding the election. If a candidate
12certified to appear on the ballot dies or withdraws before the election, all write-in
13votes shall be counted. When write-in votes are counted, every vote shall be counted
14for the candidate for whom it was intended, if the elector's intent can be ascertained
15from the ballot itself.
SB178,17 16Section 17. 7.52 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,11,717 7.52 (1) (b) A municipality that adopts the canvassing procedure under this
18section may appoint additional inspectors under s. 7.30 (2) (a) to assist the absentee
19ballot board of canvassers in canvassing absentee ballots under this section. In such
20case, an odd number of inspectors shall be appointed, and at no time may there be
21less than 3 inspectors who serve. Except as authorized in s. 7.30 (4) (c), all inspectors
22shall be affiliated with one of the 2 recognized political parties receiving the largest
23numbers of votes for president, or for governor in nonpresidential general election
24years, in the municipality. The party whose candidate received the largest number
25of votes in the municipality is entitled to one more inspector than the party whose

1candidate received the next largest number of votes in the municipality. Each
2inspector so appointed shall be a qualified elector of the municipality , except that if
3the municipality cannot identify a sufficient number of qualified electors of the
4municipality to serve as inspectors, the municipality may appoint qualified electors
5of the county in which the municipality is located to serve as inspectors
. The
6inspectors who are appointed under this paragraph shall serve under the direction
7and supervision of the board of absentee ballot canvassers.
SB178,18 8Section 18. 7.60 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,12,29 7.60 (5) (a) Immediately following the canvass, the county clerk shall deliver
10or transmit to the elections commission in a manner prescribed by the commission
11a certified copy of each statement of the county board of canvassers for president and
12vice president, state officials, senators and representatives in congress, state
13legislators, justice, court of appeals judge, circuit judge, district attorney, and
14metropolitan sewerage commissioners, if the commissioners are elected under s.
15200.09 (11) (am). The statement shall record the returns for each office or
16referendum by ward, unless combined returns are authorized under s. 5.15 (6) (b) in
17which case the statement shall record the returns for each group of combined wards.
18Following primaries the county clerk shall enclose on forms prescribed by the
19elections commission the names, party or principle designation, if any, and number
20of votes received by each candidate recorded in the same manner. The county clerk
21shall deliver or transmit the certified statement to the elections commission no later
22than 9 days after each primary except the partisan primary, no later than 10 days
23after the partisan primary and any other election except the general election, and no
24later than 14 days after the general election. The board of canvassers shall deliver

1or transmit a certified copy of each statement for any technical college district
2referendum to the secretary of the technical college district board.
SB178,19 3Section 19 . 9.01 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,13,24 9.01 (2) Notice to candidates. When the recount concerns an election for an
5office, the clerk or body with whom the petition is filed shall promptly prepare a copy
6of the petition for delivery to each opposing candidate for the same office whose name
7appears on the ballot. In a recount proceeding for a partisan primary, the clerk or
8body shall prepare a copy of the petition for delivery to each opposing candidate for
9the same party nomination for the same office, to each opposing candidate for the
10party nomination of each other party for the same office and to each independent
11candidate qualifying to have his or her name placed on the ballot for the succeeding
12election. A candidate or agent designated by a candidate may personally accept
13delivery of a copy of the petition. Upon such delivery, the clerk or body shall require
14the candidate or agent to sign a receipt therefor acknowledging delivery of the
15petition
. If a candidate or agent does not personally accept delivery, the clerk or body
16shall then attempt to notify the candidate or agent of the petition by electronic mail
17and by telephone and, upon receiving acknowledgment from the candidate or agent,
18retain documentation of that notice. If the clerk or body does not receive
19acknowledgment by electronic mail or by telephone, the clerk or body shall
promptly
20deliver the copies of the petition to the sheriff, who shall promptly deliver the copies
21of the petition to each candidate at the address given on the candidate's nomination
22papers, without fee, in the manner provided for service of a summons in civil actions.
23If the sheriff does not complete service of a copy of the petition to a candidate within
2424 hours after having received the copy from the clerk or body, the clerk or body shall
25publish or post notice of the petition. If the clerk or body is required to publish or post

1notice of the petition, the clerk or body shall do so at least 24 hours before the start
2of the recount.
SB178,20 3Section 20. 9.10 (2) (e) 9. of the statutes is created to read:
SB178,13,54 9.10 (2) (e) 9. The signer has not legibly printed his or her name in a space
5provided next to his or her signature.
SB178,21 6Section 21. 10.01 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,13,157 10.01 (1) The form of the various election notices shall be prescribed by the
8commission to standardize election notices. To accomplish this purpose, the
9commission shall make rules and draft whatever forms it considers necessary.
10Notification or certification lists of candidates or referenda questions sent to the
11county clerks shall prescribe the form in which the county clerks shall publish the
12relevant portions of the notice and any additional county offices and referenda
13questions. The commission shall also prescribe the provisions for municipal notices
14which shall be sent to each county clerk who shall immediately forward them to each
15municipal clerk.
SB178,22 16Section 22. 10.06 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,13,1817 10.06 (2) (d) On the Monday preceding the spring primary, when held, the
18county clerk shall publish a type B notice and, if applicable, a type C notice.
SB178,23 19Section 23. 10.06 (2) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,13,2220 10.06 (2) (f) On the 4th Tuesday preceding the each spring primary and
21election, the county clerk shall publish a type A notice of any state or county
22referendum to be held at the primary or election.
SB178,24 23Section 24. 10.06 (2) (j) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,13,2524 10.06 (2) (j) On the Monday preceding the partisan primary, the county clerk
25shall publish a type B notice and, if applicable, a type C notice.
SB178,25
1Section 25. 10.06 (2) (L) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,14,42 10.06 (2) (L) On the 4th Tuesday preceding the each partisan primary and
3general election, the county clerk shall publish a type A notice of any state or county
4referendum to be held at the primary or election.
SB178,26 5Section 26. 10.06 (3) (as) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,14,96 10.06 (3) (as) On the 4th Tuesday preceding the spring primary, when held, the
7municipal clerk shall publish a type E notice. In cities and villages, the municipal
8clerk shall publish a type A notice on the 4th Tuesday preceding the spring primary
9of any direct legislation questions referendum to be voted on held at the primary.
SB178,27 10Section 27. 10.06 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,14,1511 10.06 (3) (b) If there is to be a municipal primary, the municipal clerk shall
12publish a type B notice on the Monday before the primary election. In cities and
13villages, the municipal clerk shall publish a type C notice on the Monday before the
14primary election of any direct legislation questions referendum to be voted on held
15at the primary.
SB178,28 16Section 28. 10.06 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,14,2017 10.06 (3) (c) On the Monday before the each spring primary and election, the
18municipal clerk shall publish a type B notice and a type D notice. If there are
19municipal referenda, the municipal clerk shall publish a type C notice at the same
20time.
SB178,29 21Section 29. 10.06 (3) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB178,14,2422 10.06 (3) (d) On the Monday preceding the each partisan primary and general
23election, the municipal clerk shall publish a type D notice. If there are municipal
24referenda, the municipal clerk shall publish type B and C notices at the same time.
SB178,30 25Section 30. Initial applicability.
SB178,15,2
1(1) Recall petitions. The treatment of s. 9.10 (2) (e) 9. first applies to a recall
2petition filed on the effective date of this subsection.
SB178,15,33 (End)
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