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LRBs0293/1
JK:emw
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
SENATE SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1,
TO SENATE BILL 852
February 9, 2024 - Offered by Senator Feyen.
SB852-SSA1,1,5 1An Act to amend 7.51 (5) (b), 7.53 (1) (a), 7.53 (2) (d), 7.60 (3), 7.60 (5) (a), 7.70
2(1) (b), 7.70 (3) (a), 7.70 (3) (c), 7.70 (5) (b), 7.75 (1), 9.01 (1) (ar) 3., 9.01 (6) (a),
39.01 (6) (b), 9.01 (7) (b) and 9.01 (9) (a); and to create 7.70 (3) (cm), 9.01 (1) (ar)
44., 9.01 (6) (am), 9.01 (9) (am) and 9.01 (9) (cm) of the statutes; relating to:
5compliance with the federal Electoral Count Reform Act.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under the federal Electoral Count Reform Act, states should ensure that their
canvass, recount, and any precertification procedures are completed within a 36-day
period from the date of a presidential election to the date in which a state certifies
its presidential election results. This bill makes the following changes to Wisconsin
election laws in order to comply with deadlines established by the ECRA for selecting
presidential electors and transmitting election results to Congress:
1. Current law does not include a state deadline for certification of a
presidential election. The bill requires the governor to transmit a certificate of the
election results to the archivist of the United States no later than six days before the
meeting of the state's presidential electors.
2. Current law requires the governor to deliver six duplicate originals of the
certificate described above to one of the state's presidential electors on or before the

first Monday after the second Wednesday in December. The bill changes the deadline
for delivering the certificate to the first Tuesday after the second Wednesday in
December.
3. Current law requires the electors for president and vice president to meet
at the state capitol at noon on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in
December. The bill requires the electors to meet on the first Tuesday after the second
Wednesday in December.
4. Current law requires the Elections Commission chairperson to complete the
state canvass of election results within 10 days from the day on which it commences
and, for a general election, no later than December 1 following the election. With
regard to a presidential election, the bill requires that commission chairperson to
complete the state canvass no later than 16 days after the election.
5. Under current law, when the Elections Commission receives a valid petition
for a recount, it must promptly order the proper county board of canvassers to
commence the recount. The order must be sent by certified mail or by “other
expeditious means,” and the county board of canvassers must commence the recount
no later than 9 a.m. on the third day after receiving the order. With regard to a
presidential election, the bill requires that the order be sent immediately, on the
same day on which the commission receives the petition, and by email or other
electronic transmission. In addition, the board of canvassers must commence a
recount no later than 9 a.m. on the second day after receiving an order and may not
adjourn until the recount is complete in the county, except to the extent permitted
by the commission.
6. Under current law, a candidate may file an appeal of the recount results with
the circuit court within five business days after the recount is completed. With
regard to a presidential election, the bill shortens that deadline to one business day.
The bill also requires the court to make a determination on the appeal no later than
10 days after the day on which the appeal is filed rather than “as expeditiously as
possible,” as provided under current law.
7. With regard to a recount, current law allows a candidate aggrieved by an
order of the circuit court to file an appeal with the court of appeals within 30 days
after the circuit court's order. Under the bill, with regard to a presidential election
recount, a candidate who wishes to appeal a circuit court order must file his or her
appeal with the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The bill requires a candidate to file his
or her appeal no later than the day after the circuit court issues its order. The bill
also requires the supreme court to resolve such appeals as soon as possible and
directs the governor to update the certificate of the election results pursuant to an
order of the supreme court, if the court issues the order no later than the day before
the date on which the presidential electors are to convene.

8. Finally, the bill adjusts municipal and county canvassing deadlines with
regard to a presidential election in order to conform with the other changes made by
the bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB852-SSA1,1 1Section 1. 7.51 (5) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,3,182 7.51 (5) (b) The municipal clerk shall deliver all ballots, statements, tally
3sheets, lists, and envelopes relating to a school district election to the school district
4clerk, excluding any provisional ballots, by 4 p.m. on the day following each such
5election and shall deliver to the school district clerk any amended statements, tally
6sheets, and lists for additional provisional ballots canvassed under s. 6.97 (4) no later
7than 4 p.m. on the Monday after the election. The municipal clerk shall deliver to
8the county clerk the ballots, statements, tally sheets, lists, and envelopes for his or
9her municipality relating to any county, technical college district, state, or national
10election no later than 4 p.m. on the day following each such election or, in
11municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, by 4 p.m. on the
122nd day following each such election, and shall deliver to the county clerk any
13additional provisional ballots canvassed under s. 6.97 (4) together with amended
14statements, tally sheets, lists, and envelopes no later than 4 p.m. on the Monday after
15the election or, for a presidential election, no later than 4 p.m. on the Friday after the
16election
. The person delivering the returns shall be paid out of the municipal
17treasury. Each clerk shall retain ballots, statements, tally sheets, or envelopes
18received by the clerk until destruction is authorized under s. 7.23 (1).
SB852-SSA1,2 19Section 2. 7.53 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,5,6
17.53 (1) (a) Where the municipality constitutes one ward or combines all wards
2to utilize a single polling place under s. 5.15 (6) (b), the canvass of the votes cast at
3the polling place shall be conducted publicly under s. 7.51 and the inspectors, other
4than any inspector appointed under s. 7.30 (1) (b), shall act as the municipal board
5of canvassers. The inspectors shall then complete the return statement for all votes
6cast at the polling place. If there are no provisional ballots that are eligible to be
7counted under s. 6.97 and no absentee ballots are being canvassed under s. 7.52, the
8inspectors may complete and sign the canvass statement and determination on
9election night. In municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52,
10after the canvass of the absentee ballots is completed under s. 7.52, the board of
11absentee ballot canvassers shall reconcile the poll list of the electors who vote by
12absentee ballot with the corresponding poll list of the electors who vote in person to
13ensure that no elector is allowed to cast more than one ballot. If an elector who votes
14in person has submitted an absentee ballot, the absentee ballot is void. Except as
15authorized in par. (b), if one or more electors of the municipality have cast provisional
16ballots that are eligible to be counted under s. 6.97, the inspectors, acting as the board
17of canvassers, shall reconvene no later than 9 a.m. on the Monday after the election,
18or no later than 4 p.m. on the Friday after a presidential election,
to count the valid
19provisional ballots and shall adjust the returns accordingly. The inspectors, acting
20as the board of canvassers, need not reconvene if the municipal clerk certifies that
21he or she has received no provisional ballots from the time that the board of
22canvassers completed the initial canvass and 4 p.m. on the Friday after the election.
23Upon completion of the canvass under this paragraph and any canvass that is
24conducted under s. 7.52 and ascertainment of the results by the inspectors or, in
25municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, by the inspectors

1and the board of absentee ballot canvassers, the municipal clerk shall publicly read
2to the inspectors or the board of absentee ballot canvassers the names of the persons
3voted for and the number of votes for each person for each municipal office, the names
4of the persons declared by the inspectors or board of absentee ballot canvassers to
5have won nomination or election to each municipal office, and the number of votes
6cast for and against each municipal referendum question.
SB852-SSA1,3 7Section 3. 7.53 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,6,48 7.53 (2) (d) In municipalities with one polling place, the canvass shall be
9conducted under sub. (1) publicly on election night. In other municipalities, the
10municipal board of canvassers shall publicly canvass the returns of every election.
11The canvass shall begin no earlier than the time that the municipal board of
12canvassers receives the returns from all polling places in the municipality on election
13night and no later than 9 a.m. on the Monday after the election, except that, for a
14presidential election, the canvass shall begin no later than 4 p.m. on the Friday after
15the election
. After any canvass of the absentee ballots is completed under s. 7.52, the
16board of canvassers shall reconcile the poll list of the electors who vote by absentee
17ballot with the corresponding poll list of the electors who vote in person to ensure that
18no elector is allowed to cast more than one ballot. If an elector who votes in person
19has submitted an absentee ballot, the absentee ballot is void. At the spring election,
20the board of canvassers shall publicly declare the results on or before the 3rd Tuesday
21in April. The board of canvassers shall prepare a statement showing the results of
22each election for any municipal office and each municipal referendum. After each
23primary for municipal offices, the board of canvassers shall prepare a statement
24certifying the names of those persons who have won nomination to office. After each
25other election for a municipal office and each municipal referendum, the board of

1canvassers shall prepare a determination showing the names of the persons who are
2elected to each municipal office and the results of each municipal referendum. The
3board of canvassers shall file each statement and determination in the office of the
4municipal clerk or board of election commissioners.
SB852-SSA1,4 5Section 4. 7.60 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,6,236 7.60 (3) Canvassing. Not later than 9 a.m. on the Tuesday after each election
7the county board of canvassers shall open and publicly examine the returns, except
8that, for a presidential election, the board of canvassers shall open and publicly
9examine the returns not later than noon on the Saturday after the election
. If returns
10have not been received from any election district or ward in the county, they shall
11dispatch a messenger and the person having them shall deliver the returns to the
12messenger. If, on examination, any of the returns received are so informal or
13defective that the board cannot intelligently canvass them, they shall dispatch a
14messenger to deliver the returns back to the municipal board of canvassers with
15written specifications of the informalities or defects and command them to
16immediately complete the returns or remedy the defects in the manner required and
17deliver them to the messenger. Every messenger shall safely keep all returns, show
18them to no one but the municipal clerk and board of canvassers and deliver them to
19the county clerk with all possible dispatch. To acquire the necessary full returns and
20remedy any informalities or defects the county board of canvassers may adjourn not
21longer than one day at a time nor more than 2 days in all, except that, for a
22presidential election, the board of canvassers may adjourn only to the extent
23permitted by the commission
.
SB852-SSA1,5 24Section 5. 7.60 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,7,20
17.60 (5) (a) Immediately following the canvass, the county clerk shall deliver
2or transmit to the elections commission a certified copy of each statement of the
3county board of canvassers for president and vice president, state officials, senators
4and representatives in congress, state legislators, justice, court of appeals judge,
5circuit judge, district attorney, and metropolitan sewerage commissioners, if the
6commissioners are elected under s. 200.09 (11) (am). The statement shall record the
7returns for each office or referendum by ward, unless combined returns are
8authorized under s. 5.15 (6) (b) in which case the statement shall record the returns
9for each group of combined wards. Following primaries the county clerk shall enclose
10on forms prescribed by the elections commission the names, party or principle
11designation, if any, and number of votes received by each candidate recorded in the
12same manner. The county clerk shall deliver or transmit the certified statement to
13the elections commission no later than 9 days after each primary except the partisan
14primary, no later than 10 days after the partisan primary and any other election
15except the general election, and no later than 14 days after the general election
16except a presidential election. The county clerk shall deliver or transmit the certified
17statement to the elections commission no later than 6 days after a presidential
18election
. The board of canvassers shall deliver or transmit a certified copy of each
19statement for any technical college district referendum to the secretary of the
20technical college district board.
SB852-SSA1,6 21Section 6. 7.70 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,8,322 7.70 (1) (b) If any county clerk fails or neglects to forward any statements, the
23commission may require the clerk to do so immediately and if not received by the 8th
24day after a primary, by the 7th day after a presidential election, or by the 11th day
25after any other election, the commission may dispatch a special messenger to obtain

1them. Whenever it appears upon the face of any statement that an error has been
2made in reporting or computing, the commission may return it to the county clerk
3for correction.
SB852-SSA1,7 4Section 7. 7.70 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,8,125 7.70 (3) (a) The Except for a presidential election, the chairperson of the
6commission or a designee of the chairperson appointed by the chairperson to canvass
7a specific election shall publicly canvass the returns and make his or her
8certifications and determinations on or before the 2nd Tuesday following a spring
9primary,; the 15th day of May following a spring election,; the 3rd Wednesday
10following a partisan primary,; the first day of December following a general election, ;
11the 2nd Thursday following a special primary,; or within 18 days after any special
12election.
SB852-SSA1,8 13Section 8. 7.70 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,8,1614 7.70 (3) (c) The Except for a presidential election, the chairperson of the
15commission or the chairperson's designee shall conclude the state canvass within 10
16days after its commencement.
SB852-SSA1,9 17Section 9. 7.70 (3) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:
SB852-SSA1,8,2118 7.70 (3) (cm) For a presidential election, the chairperson of the commission or
19the chairperson's designee shall conclude the state canvass and make his or her
20certifications and determinations no later than 16 days after the date of the
21presidential election.
SB852-SSA1,10 22Section 10. 7.70 (5) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,9,1023 7.70 (5) (b) For presidential electors, the commission shall prepare a certificate
24of ascertainment showing the determination of the results of the canvass and the
25names of the persons elected, and the governor shall sign, affix the great seal of the

1state, and transmit the certificate as soon as possible by registered mail the most
2secure and expeditious method available
to the U.S. administrator of general
3services
archivist of the United States. The certificate shall contain at least one
4security feature, as determined by the governor, for the purpose of verifying the
5authenticity of the certificate. The secure components of any security feature used
6to verify the authenticity of a certificate are confidential and not subject to disclosure
7under s. 19.35. The governor shall transmit the certificate no later than 36 days
8following the general election
. The governor shall also prepare 6 duplicate originals
9of such certificate and deliver them to one of the presidential electors on or before the
10first Monday Tuesday after the 2nd Wednesday in December.
SB852-SSA1,11 11Section 11. 7.75 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,9,1912 7.75 (1) The electors for president and vice president shall meet at the state
13capitol following the presidential election at 12:00 noon the first Monday Tuesday
14after the 2nd Wednesday in December or at the time directed by federal law. If there
15is a vacancy in the office of an elector due to death, refusal to act, failure to attend
16or other cause, the electors present shall immediately proceed to fill by ballot, by a
17plurality of votes, the electoral college vacancy. When all electors are present, or the
18vacancies filled, they shall perform their required duties under the constitution and
19laws of the United States.
SB852-SSA1,12 20Section 12. 9.01 (1) (ar) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,9,2521 9.01 (1) (ar) 3. Whenever Except as provided in subd. 4., whenever a clerk
22receives a valid petition and any payment under par. (ag) 3., the clerk shall
23thereupon notify the proper board of canvassers. Whenever the commission receives
24a valid petition and any payment under par. (ag) 3., the commission shall promptly
25by certified mail or other expeditious means order the proper county boards of

1canvassers to commence the recount. County boards of canvassers shall convene no
2later than 9 a.m. on the 3rd day after receipt of an order and may adjourn for not more
3than one day at a time until the recount is completed in the county, except that the
4commission may permit extension of the time for adjournment. Returns from a
5recount ordered by the commission shall be transmitted to the office of the
6commission as soon as possible, but in no case later than 13 days from the date of the
7order of the commission directing the recount. The commission chairperson or the
8chairperson's designee may not make a determination in any election if a recount is
9pending before any county board of canvassers in that election. The commission
10chairperson or the chairperson's designee need not recount actual ballots, but shall
11verify the returns of the county boards of canvassers in making his or her
12determinations.
SB852-SSA1,13 13Section 13. 9.01 (1) (ar) 4. of the statutes is created to read:
SB852-SSA1,11,414 9.01 (1) (ar) 4. In the event of a recount for a presidential election, whenever
15the commission receives a valid petition and any payment under par. (ag) 3., the
16commission shall immediately, on the same day on which the commission receives
17the petition and payment, order the proper county boards of canvassers to commence
18the recount. The commission shall send the order by email or other electronic
19transmission. County boards of canvassers shall convene no later than 9 a.m. on the
202nd day after the receipt of an order and may not adjourn until the recount is
21completed in the county, except to the extent permitted by the commission. Returns
22from a recount ordered by the commission under this subdivision shall be
23transmitted to the office of the commission as soon as possible but in no case later
24than 5 days from the date of the order directing the recount. The commission
25chairperson or the chairperson's designee may not make a determination in the

1presidential election if a recount of the presidential election is pending before any
2county board of canvassers for that election. The commission chairperson or the
3chairperson's designee need not recount actual ballots but shall verify the returns
4of the county boards of canvassers in making his or her determination.
SB852-SSA1,14 5Section 14. 9.01 (6) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,11,216 9.01 (6) (a) Within Except as provided in par. (am), within 5 business days after
7completion of the recount determination by the board of canvassers in all counties
8concerned, or within 5 business days after completion of the recount determination
9by the commission chairperson or the chairperson's designee whenever a
10determination is made by the chairperson or designee, any candidate, or any elector
11when for a referendum, aggrieved by the recount may appeal to circuit court. The
12appeal shall commence by serving a written notice of appeal on the other candidates
13and persons who filed a written notice of appearance before each board of canvassers
14whose decision is appealed, or in the case of a statewide recount, before the
15commission chairperson or the chairperson's designee. The appellant shall also
16serve notice on the commission if the commission chairperson or the chairperson's
17designee is responsible for determining the election. The appellant shall serve the
18notice by certified mail or in person. The appellant shall file the notice with the clerk
19of circuit court together with an undertaking and surety in the amount approved by
20the court, conditioned upon the payment of all costs taxed assessed against the
21appellant.
SB852-SSA1,15 22Section 15. 9.01 (6) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
SB852-SSA1,12,1023 9.01 (6) (am) With regard to a presidential election, within one business day
24after the completion of the recount determination by the commission chairperson or
25the chairperson's designee whenever a determination is made by the chairperson or

1designee, any candidate aggrieved by the recount may appeal to circuit court. The
2appeal shall commence by serving a written notice of appeal on the other candidates
3who filed a written notice of appearance before each board of canvassers whose
4decision is appealed or, in the case of a statewide recount, before the commission
5chairperson or the chairperson's designee. The appellant shall also serve notice on
6the commission if the commission chairperson or the chairperson's designee is
7responsible for determining the election. The appellant shall serve the notice by
8certified mail or in person. The appellant shall file the notice with the clerk of circuit
9court together with an undertaking and surety in the amount approved by the court,
10conditioned upon the payment of all costs assessed against the appellant.
SB852-SSA1,16 11Section 16. 9.01 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB852-SSA1,12,2112 9.01 (6) (b) If an appeal is filed from a recount determination in an election
13which is held in more than one judicial circuit, the chief judge of the judicial
14administrative district in which the election is held shall consolidate all appeals
15relating to that election and appoint a circuit judge, who shall be a reserve judge if
16available, to hear the appeal. If the election is held in more than one judicial
17administrative district, the chief justice of the supreme court shall make the
18appointment. In any year in which there is a presidential election, the chief justice
19of the supreme court shall, on the first Monday in November, appoint a circuit judge,
20who shall be a reserve judge if available, to hear any appeals under this section,
21except as provided under sub. (9) (am).
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