SB939: Bill Text

SB939,10,6 6.86 (1) (as) The absentee ballot application form and instructions shall be prescribed by the commission and shall be separate and distinct from the certificate envelope prescribed in s. 6.87 (2). The application shall require the elector to certify facts establishing that he or she is qualified to vote in the election at the municipality of his or her legal voting residence and shall include at least all of the following information:

SB939,10,7 1. The elector's municipality and county of residence.

SB939,10,9 2. The elector's name, date of birth, and contact information, including as applicable the elector's telephone number, fax number, and electronic mail address.

SB939,10,10 3. The street address of the elector's legal voting residence.

SB939,10,11 4. The election at which the elector intends to vote absentee.

SB939,10,12 5. Whether the elector is a military or overseas elector.

SB939,10,14 6. The elector's confidential identification serial number if the elector has obtained a confidential listing under s. 6.47 (2).

SB939,10,15 7. The lawful method by which the elector prefers to receive the absentee ballot.

SB939,10,16 8. Whether the elector is hospitalized for purposes of sub. (3).

SB939,10 Section 10. 6.86 (2m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB939,11,23 6.86 (2m) (a) Except as provided in this subsection, any elector other than an elector who receives an absentee ballot under sub. (2) or s. 6.22 (4) or 6.24 (4) (c) may by written application filed with the municipal clerk of the municipality where the elector resides require that an absentee ballot be sent to the elector automatically for every a primary and its associated election that is held within the same calendar year in which the application is filed. An elector must submit a separate application for each primary and the election associated with that primary, and the application shall specify the primary and election to which the application applies. The application form and instructions shall be prescribed by the commission, and furnished upon request to any elector by each municipal clerk. The municipal clerk shall thereupon mail an absentee ballot to the elector for all elections that are held in the municipality during the same calendar year that the application is filed the primary and election to which the application applies, except that the clerk shall not send an absentee ballot for an election if the elector's name appeared on the registration list in eligible status for a previous election following the date of the application but no longer appears on the list in eligible status. The municipal clerk shall ensure that any envelope containing the absentee ballot is clearly marked as not forwardable. If an elector who files an application under this subsection no longer resides at the same address that is indicated on the application form, the elector shall so notify the municipal clerk. The municipal clerk shall discontinue mailing absentee ballots may not mail an absentee ballot to an elector under this subsection upon receipt of reliable information that the elector no longer qualifies as an elector of the municipality. In addition, the municipal clerk shall discontinue mailing absentee ballots may not mail an absentee ballot to an elector under this subsection for the election specified in the elector's application if the elector fails to return any the absentee ballot mailed to the elector. The municipal clerk shall notify the elector of any such action not taken at the elector's request within 5 days, if possible. An elector who fails to cast an absentee ballot but who remains qualified to receive absentee ballots under this subsection may then receive absentee ballots for subsequent elections by notifying the municipal clerk that the elector wishes to continue receiving absentee ballots for subsequent elections for the primary specified in the elector's application.

SB939,11 Section 11 . 6.86 (8) of the statutes is created to read:

SB939,12,5 6.86 (8) (a) No municipal or county clerk or municipal or county board of election commissioners, and no person acting on behalf of the commission, may send or transmit an absentee ballot application or an absentee ballot to an elector for voting in an election unless the elector applies for the application or ballot as provided by law.

SB939,12,9 (b) No committee, as defined in s. 11.0101 (6), may send or transmit an absentee ballot application to an elector that contains a return address for the application other than the address of the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners of the municipality where the elector is registered to vote.

SB939,12 Section 12 . 6.87 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB939,12,22 6.87 (1) Upon proper request made within the period prescribed in s. 6.86, the municipal clerk or a deputy clerk authorized by the municipal clerk shall write on the official ballot, in the space for official endorsement, the clerk's initials, which may not be preprinted or stamped, and official title. Unless application is made in person under s. 6.86 (1) (ar), the absent elector is exempted from providing proof of identification under sub. (4) (b) 2. or 3., or the applicant is a military or overseas elector, the absent elector shall enclose a copy of his or her proof of identification or any authorized substitute document with his or her application. The municipal clerk shall verify that the name on the proof of identification conforms to the name on the application. The clerk shall not issue an absentee ballot to an elector who is required to enclose a copy of proof of identification or an authorized substitute document with his or her application unless the copy is enclosed and the proof is verified by the clerk.

SB939,13 Section 13 . 6.87 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB939,13,11 6.87 (2) (intro.) Except as authorized under sub. (3) (d), the municipal clerk shall place the ballot in an unsealed envelope furnished by the clerk. The envelope shall have the name, official title and post-office address of the clerk upon its face. The other side of the envelope shall have a printed certificate which shall include a space for the municipal clerk or deputy clerk to enter write his or her initials indicating that if the absentee elector voted in person under s. 6.86 (1) (ar), the elector presented proof of identification to the clerk and the clerk verified the proof presented. The certificate shall also include a space for the municipal clerk or deputy clerk to enter write his or her initials indicating that the elector is exempt from providing proof of identification because the individual is a military elector or an overseas elector who does not qualify as a resident of this state under s. 6.10 or is exempted from providing proof of identification under sub. (4) (b) 2. or 3. The certificate shall be in substantially the following form:

SB939,14 Section 14 . 6.87 (4) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB939,15,5 6.87 (4) (b) 1. Except as otherwise provided in s. 6.875, an elector voting absentee, other than a military elector or an overseas elector, shall make and subscribe to the certification before one witness who is an adult U.S. citizen. A military elector or an overseas elector voting absentee, regardless of whether the elector qualifies as a resident of this state under s. 6.10, shall make and subscribe to the certification before one witness who is an adult but who need not be a U.S. citizen. The absent elector, in the presence of the witness, shall mark the ballot in a manner that will not disclose how the elector's vote is cast. The elector shall then, still in the presence of the witness, fold the ballots so each is separate and so that the elector conceals the markings thereon and deposit them in the proper envelope. If a consolidated ballot under s. 5.655 is used, the elector shall fold the ballot so that the elector conceals the markings thereon and deposit the ballot in the proper envelope. If proof of residence under s. 6.34 is required and the document enclosed by the elector under this subdivision does not constitute proof of residence under s. 6.34, the elector shall also enclose proof of residence under s. 6.34 in the envelope. Except as provided in s. 6.34 (2m), proof of residence is required if the elector is not a military elector or an overseas elector and the elector registered by mail or by electronic application and has not voted in an election in this state. If the elector requested a ballot by means of facsimile transmission or electronic mail under s. 6.86 (1) (ac), the elector shall enclose in the envelope a copy of the request which bears an original written signature of the elector. The elector may receive assistance under sub. (5). The return envelope shall then be sealed. The witness may not be a candidate. The envelope shall be mailed by the elector, or delivered in person, by the elector, a member of the elector's immediate family, or the elector's legal guardian to the office of the municipal clerk issuing the ballot or ballots; to the municipal clerk at an alternate absentee ballot site under s. 6.855; or to the elector's polling place on election day. The elector may also designate, in writing, one person who is registered to vote in this state to deliver the return envelope as provided in this subdivision, except that the elector may not designate a candidate on the ballot nor compensate the person to deliver the envelope. No person designated to deliver a return envelope may deliver more than 2 envelopes for any election for persons who are not members of the person's immediate family. If the envelope is mailed from a location outside the United States, the elector shall affix sufficient postage unless the ballot qualifies for delivery free of postage under federal law. Failure to return an unused ballot in a primary does not invalidate the ballot on which the elector's votes are cast. Return of more than one marked ballot in a primary or return of a ballot prepared under s. 5.655 or a ballot used with an electronic voting system in a primary which is marked for candidates of more than one party invalidates all votes cast by the elector for candidates in the primary. In this subdivision, “ immediate family” means persons who are related as spouses, as siblings, as parent and child, or as a grandparent or grandchild. For purposes of this subdivision, the return of an envelope by mail includes the return of an envelope by a for-profit commercial delivery service moving parcels nationally and internationally.

SB939,15 Section 15. 6.87 (4) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB939,15,12 6.87 (4) (b) 2. Unless subd. 3. applies, if If the absentee elector has applied for and qualified to receive absentee ballots automatically under s. 6.86 (2) (a), the elector may, in lieu of providing proof of identification, submit with his or her absentee ballot a statement signed by the same individual who witnesses voting of the ballot which contains the name and address of the elector and verifies that the name and address are correct.

SB939,16 Section 16 . 6.87 (4) (b) 3. of the statutes is repealed.

SB939,17 Section 17 . 6.87 (4) (b) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB939,15,25 6.87 (4) (b) 5. Unless subd. 3. or 4. applies, if the absentee elector resides in a qualified retirement home, as defined in s. 6.875 (1) (at), or a residential care facility, as defined in s. 6.875 (1) (bm), and the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners of the municipality where the facility or home is located does not send special voting deputies to visit the facility or home at the election under s. 6.875, the elector may, in lieu of providing proof of identification, submit with his or her absentee ballot a statement signed by the same individual who witnesses voting of the ballot that contains the certification of an authorized representative of the facility or home that the elector resides in the facility or home and the facility or home is certified or registered as required by law, that contains the name and address of the elector, and that verifies that the name and address are correct.

SB939,18 Section 18. 12.13 (3) (md) of the statutes is created to read:

SB939,16,7 12.13 (3) (md) Obtain a marked absentee ballot from another person in order to deliver it to the proper municipal clerk or polling place, unless the person obtaining the ballot is a member of the elector's immediate family, the elector's legal guardian, or a person designated to deliver the ballot under s. 6.87 (4) (b) 1. In this paragraph, “immediate family” means persons who are related as spouses, as siblings, as parent and child, or as a grandparent or grandchild.

SB939,19 Section 19 . 12.60 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB939,16,10 12.60 (1) (a) Whoever violates s. 12.09, 12.11 or 12.13 (1), (2) (b) 1. to 7. or (3) (a), (e), (f), (j), (k), (L), (m), (md), (y) or (z) is guilty of a Class I felony.

SB939,20 Section 20 . Initial applicability.

SB939,16,13 (1) Electronic registrations. The treatment of s. 6.30 (5) first applies to electronic registrations initiated or updated on the effective date of this subsection.

SB939,21 Section 21 . Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows:

SB939,16,17 (1) Electronic registrations. The treatment of s. 6.30 (5) and Section 20 (1) of this act take effect on the first day of the 4th month beginning after publication.

SB939,16,18 (End)