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7. Certain notices must be provided before each election at which the
municipality intends to canvass absentee ballots on the day before the election.
Under the bill, if a municipality passes an ordinance authorizing the early
canvassing of absentee ballots, the municipal clerk or municipal board of election
commissioners may elect to canvass ballots early for any particular election, except
as otherwise provided in the ordinance.
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,
the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a
report.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB574-SSA1,1 1Section 1 . 5.84 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB574-SSA1,3,72 5.84 (1) Where any municipality employs an electronic voting system which
3utilizes automatic tabulating equipment, either at the polling place or at a central
4counting location,
the municipal clerk shall, on any day not more than 10 days prior
5to the election day on which the equipment is to be utilized in an election, have the
6equipment tested to ascertain that it will correctly count the votes cast for all offices
7and on all measures. Public notice of the time and place of the test shall be given by
8the clerk at least 48 hours prior to the test by publication of a class 1 notice under
9ch. 985 in one or more newspapers published within the municipality if a newspaper
10is published therein, otherwise in a newspaper of general circulation therein. The
11test shall be open to the public. The test shall be conducted by processing a
12preaudited group of ballots so marked as to record a predetermined number of valid
13votes for each candidate and on each referendum. The test shall include for each

1office one or more ballots which have votes in excess of the number allowed by law
2and, for a partisan primary election, one or more ballots which have votes cast for
3candidates of more than one recognized political party, in order to test the ability of
4the automatic tabulating equipment to reject such votes. If any error is detected, the
5municipal clerk shall ascertain the cause and correct the error. The clerk shall make
6an errorless count before the automatic tabulating equipment is approved by the
7clerk for use in the election.
SB574-SSA1,2 8Section 2 . 5.86 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB574-SSA1,3,249 5.86 (1) All proceedings at each central counting location shall be under the
10direction of the municipal clerk or an election official designated by the clerk unless
11the central counting location is at the county seat and the municipal clerk delegates
12the responsibility to supervise the location to the county clerk
, in which case the
13proceedings shall be under the direction of the county clerk or an election official
14designated by the county clerk. If for any municipality the central counting location
15is at the county seat and the municipality authorizes or elects the early canvassing
16of absentee ballots under s. 7.525, the county clerk or the county clerk's designee
17shall begin the proceedings for that municipality on the day before the election
18consistent with that section.
Unless election officials are selected under s. 7.30 (4)
19(c) without regard to party affiliation, the employees at each central counting
20location, other than any specially trained technicians who are required for the
21operation of the automatic tabulating equipment, shall be equally divided between
22members of the 2 major political parties under s. 7.30 (2) (a) and all duties performed
23by the employees shall be by teams consisting of an equal number of members of each
24political party whenever sufficient persons from each party are available.
SB574-SSA1,3 25Section 3 . 6.15 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB574-SSA1,4,7
16.15 (4) (b) During polling hours, or between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on the day before
2the election if authorized or elected for that election under s. 7.525,
the inspectors
3shall open each carrier envelope, announce the elector's name, check the affidavit for
4proper execution, and check the voting qualifications for the ward, if any. In
5municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, the municipal
6board of absentee ballot canvassers shall perform this function at a meeting of the
7board of absentee ballot canvassers.
SB574-SSA1,4 8Section 4 . 6.86 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB574-SSA1,5,89 6.86 (1) (b) Except as provided in this section, if application is made by mail,
10the application shall be received no later than 5 p.m. on the 5th day immediately
11preceding the election. If application is made in person, the application shall be
12made no earlier than 14 days preceding the election and no later than the Sunday
13preceding the election. No application may be received on a legal holiday. A
14municipality shall specify the hours in the notice under s. 10.01 (2) (e). The
15municipal clerk or an election official shall witness the certificate for any in-person
16absentee ballot cast. Except as provided in par. (c), if the elector is making written
17application for an absentee ballot at the partisan primary, the general election, the
18presidential preference primary, or a special election for national office, and the
19application indicates that the elector is a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1), the
20application shall be received by the municipal clerk no later than 5 p.m. on election
21day. If the application indicates that the reason for requesting an absentee ballot is
22that the elector is a sequestered juror, the application shall be received no later than
235 p.m. on election day. If the application is received after 5 p.m. on the Friday
24immediately preceding the election, the municipal clerk or the clerk's agent shall
25immediately take the ballot to the court in which the elector is serving as a juror and

1deposit it with the judge. The judge shall recess court, as soon as convenient, and
2give the elector the ballot. The judge shall then witness the voting procedure as
3provided in s. 6.87 and shall deliver the ballot to the clerk or agent of the clerk who
4shall deliver it to the polling place election inspectors of the proper ward or election
5district
or, in municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, to
6the municipal clerk as required in s. 6.88. If application is made under sub. (2) or
7(2m), the application may be received no later than 5 p.m. on the Friday immediately
8preceding the election.
SB574-SSA1,5 9Section 5 . 6.87 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB574-SSA1,5,1610 6.87 (6) The ballot shall be returned so it is delivered to the polling place
11election inspectors of the proper ward or election district no later than 8 p.m. on
12election day. Except in municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under
13s. 7.52, if the municipal clerk receives an absentee ballot on election day, the clerk
14shall secure the ballot and cause the ballot to be delivered to the polling place serving
15the elector's residence before 8 p.m. Any ballot not mailed or delivered as provided
16in this subsection may not be counted.
SB574-SSA1,6 17Section 6 . 6.88 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB574-SSA1,6,818 6.88 (1) When an absentee ballot arrives at the office of the municipal clerk,
19or at an alternate site under s. 6.855, if applicable, the clerk shall enclose it,
20unopened, in a carrier envelope which shall be securely sealed and endorsed with the
21name and official title of the clerk, and the words “This envelope contains the ballot
22of an absent elector and must be opened in the same room where votes are being cast
23at the polls during polling hours on election day or, in municipalities where absentee
24ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, stats., at a meeting of the municipal board of
25absentee ballot canvassers under s. 7.52, stats
only as provided by law." If the elector

1is a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1), or an overseas elector, regardless of
2whether the elector qualifies as a resident of this state under s. 6.10, and the ballot
3was received by the elector by facsimile transmission or electronic mail and is
4accompanied by a separate certificate, the clerk shall enclose the ballot in a
5certificate envelope and securely append the completed certificate to the outside of
6the envelope before enclosing the ballot in the carrier envelope. The clerk shall keep
7the ballot in the clerk's office or at the alternate site, if applicable until delivered, as
8required in sub. (2).
SB574-SSA1,7 9Section 7 . 6.88 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB574-SSA1,7,1110 6.88 (3) (a) Except in municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed
11under s. 7.52, at any time between the opening and closing of the polls on election day,
12or between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on the day before the election if authorized or elected
13for that election under s. 7.525,
the inspectors shall, in the same room where votes
14are being cast, or in the place where absentee ballots begin being canvassed early
15under s. 7.525
, in such a manner that members of the public can hear and see the
16procedures, open the carrier envelope only, and announce the name of the absent
17elector or the identification serial number of the absent elector if the elector has a
18confidential listing under s. 6.47 (2). When the inspectors find that the certification
19has been properly executed, the applicant is a qualified elector of the ward or election
20district, and the applicant has not voted in the election, they shall enter an indication
21on the poll list next to the applicant's name indicating an absentee ballot is cast by
22the elector. They shall then open the envelope containing the ballot in a manner so
23as not to deface or destroy the certification thereon. The inspectors shall take out the
24ballot without unfolding it or permitting it to be unfolded or examined. Unless the
25ballot is cast under s. 6.95, the inspectors shall verify that the ballot has been

1endorsed by the issuing clerk. If the poll list indicates that proof of residence under
2s. 6.34 is required and proof of residence is enclosed, the inspectors shall enter both
3the type of identifying document submitted by the absent elector and the name of the
4entity or institution that issued the identifying document on the poll list in the space
5provided. If the poll list indicates that proof of residence under s. 6.34 is required and
6no proof of residence is enclosed or the name or address on the document that is
7provided is not the same as the name and address shown on the poll list, the
8inspectors shall proceed as provided under s. 6.97 (2). The inspectors shall then
9deposit the ballot into the proper ballot box and enter the absent elector's name or
10voting number after his or her name on the poll list in the same manner as if the
11elector had been present and voted in person.
SB574-SSA1,8 12Section 8 . 6.91 of the statutes is created to read:
SB574-SSA1,7,18 136.91 Place for challenging an elector. The vote of any voter, including an
14absent voter, may be challenged as provided under this subchapter at the polling
15place, at the municipal clerk's office, at an in-person absentee voting location during
16the period for making an in-person application for an absentee ballot under s. 6.86
17(1) (b), at a location where the early canvassing of absentee ballots is being conducted
18under s. 7.525, or at a central count location.
SB574-SSA1,9 19Section 9 . 7.52 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB574-SSA1,8,1420 7.52 (1) (a) The governing body of any municipality may provide by ordinance
21that, in lieu of canvassing absentee ballots at polling places under s. 6.88, the
22municipal board of absentee ballot canvassers designated under s. 7.53 (2m) shall,
23at each election held in the municipality, canvass all absentee ballots received by the
24municipal clerk by 8 p.m. on election day. Prior to enacting an ordinance under this
25subsection, the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners of the

1municipality shall notify the elections commission in writing of the proposed
2enactment and shall consult with the elections commission concerning
3administration of this section. At every election held in the municipality following
4enactment of an ordinance under this subsection, the board of absentee ballot
5canvassers shall, any time after the opening of the polls, or between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.
6on the day before the election if authorized or elected for that election under s. 7.525,

7and before 10 p.m. on election day, publicly convene to count the absentee ballots for
8the municipality. The municipal clerk shall give at least 48 hours' notice of any
9meeting under this subsection. Any member of the public has the same right of
10access to a meeting of the municipal board of absentee ballot canvassers under this
11subsection that the individual would have under s. 7.41 to observe the proceedings
12at a polling place. The board of absentee ballot canvassers may order the removal
13of any individual exercising the right to observe the proceedings if the individual
14disrupts the meeting.
SB574-SSA1,10 15Section 10 . 7.52 (10) of the statutes is created to read:
SB574-SSA1,8,1816 7.52 (10) If, subject to s. 7.525, absentee ballots begin being canvassed under
17this section on the day before the election, no action under subs. (4) to (8) may be
18performed before election day.
SB574-SSA1,11 19Section 11 . 7.525 of the statutes is created to read:
SB574-SSA1,9,2 207.525 Early canvassing of absentee ballots. (1) Ordinance authorizing
21early canvassing; requirements.
(a) 1. The governing body of any municipality that
22uses automatic tabulating equipment to process absentee ballots may provide by
23ordinance that absentee ballots received by the municipal clerk may begin being
24canvassed on the day before the election. Unless the ordinance provides otherwise,

1the municipal clerk or municipal board of election commissioners may elect to begin
2canvassing ballots early under this section in any election.
SB574-SSA1,9,73 2. Prior to enacting an ordinance under subd. 1., the municipal clerk or
4municipal board of election commissioners shall notify the elections commission in
5writing of the proposed enactment and shall consult with the elections commission
6concerning administration of this section. No ordinance under subd. 1. may take
7effect unless approved by the elections commission.
SB574-SSA1,9,108 (b) Ballots may be canvassed early under this section only between 7 a.m. and
98 p.m. on the day before the election and may not be tallied until after the polls close
10on election day.
SB574-SSA1,9,1311 (c) Any member of the public has the same right of access to a place where
12absentee ballots are being canvassed early under this section that the individual
13would have under s. 7.41 to observe the proceedings at a polling place.
SB574-SSA1,9,1714 (d) When not in use, automatic tabulating equipment used for purposes of this
15section and the areas where the programmed media, memory devices, and ballots are
16housed shall be secured with tamper-evident security seals in a double-lock location
17such as a locked cabinet inside a locked office.
SB574-SSA1,9,2118 (e) No person may act in any manner that would give him or her the ability to
19know or to provide information on the accumulating or final results from the ballots
20canvassed early under this section before the close of the polls on election day. A
21person who violates this paragraph is guilty of a Class I felony.
SB574-SSA1,9,23 22(2) Notice requirements. Absentee ballots may not begin being canvassed
23early under this section for any election unless all of the following apply:
SB574-SSA1,9,2524 (a) At least 70 days before the election the municipal clerk or executive director
25of the municipal board of election commissioners notifies in writing the county clerk

1or executive director of the county board of election commissioners that early
2canvassing of absentee ballots will take place in the election.
SB574-SSA1,10,43 (b) The notice under s. 10.01 (2) (e) specifies the date and time during which,
4and each location where, the early canvassing of absentee ballots will be conducted.
SB574-SSA1,12 5Section 12. Initial applicability.
SB574-SSA1,10,66 (1) This act first applies to the August 11, 2020, primary election.
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