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SB159,16,42 6.86 (1) (b) Except as provided in this section, if application is made by mail,
3the application shall be received no later than 5 p.m. on the 5th day immediately
4preceding the election. If application is made in person, the application shall be
5made no earlier than 14 days preceding the election and no later than the Sunday
6preceding the election. No application may be received on a legal holiday. A
7municipality shall specify the hours in the notice under s. 10.01 (2) (e). The
8municipal clerk or an election official shall witness the certificate for any in-person
9absentee ballot cast. Any elector waiting to cast an in-person absentee ballot at the
10time the municipal clerk's office officially closes on the last day for which such ballots
11may be cast, whether the elector is waiting within or in the line outside the municipal
12clerk's office, shall be permitted to cast his or her in-person absentee ballot.
Except
13as provided in par. (c), if the elector is making written application for an absentee
14ballot at the partisan primary, the general election, the presidential preference
15primary, or a special election for national office, and the application indicates that
16the elector is a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1), the application shall be
17received by the municipal clerk no later than 5 p.m. on election day. If the application
18indicates that the reason for requesting an absentee ballot is that the elector is a
19sequestered juror, the application shall be received no later than 5 p.m. on election
20day. If the application is received after 5 p.m. on the Friday immediately preceding
21the election, the municipal clerk or the clerk's agent shall immediately take the ballot
22to the court in which the elector is serving as a juror and deposit it with the judge.
23The judge shall recess court, as soon as convenient, and give the elector the ballot.
24The judge shall then witness the voting procedure as provided in s. 6.87 and shall
25deliver the ballot to the clerk or agent of the clerk who shall deliver it to the polling

1place or, in municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, to the
2municipal clerk as required in s. 6.88. If application is made under sub. (2) or (2m),
3the application may be received no later than 5 p.m. on the Friday immediately
4preceding the election.
SB159,19 5Section 19 . 6.86 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB159,16,256 6.86 (3) (c) An application under par. (a) 1. may be made and a registration form
7under par. (a) 2. may be filed in person at the office of the municipal clerk not earlier
8than 7 days before an election and not later than 5 p.m. on the day of the election.
9A list of hospitalized electors applying for ballots under par. (a) 1. shall be made by
10the municipal clerk and used to check that the electors vote only once, and by
11absentee ballot. If Except as provided in s. 6.34 (2m), if the elector is registering for
12the election after the close of registration or if the elector registered by mail and has
13not voted in an election in this state, the municipal clerk shall inform the agent that
14proof of residence under s. 6.34 is required and the elector shall enclose proof of
15residence under s. 6.34 in the envelope with the ballot. The clerk shall verify that
16the name on any required proof of identification presented by the agent conforms to
17the name on the elector's application. The clerk shall then enter his or her initials
18on the carrier envelope indicating that the agent presented proof of identification to
19the clerk. The agent is not required to enter a signature on the registration list. The
20ballot shall be sealed by the elector and returned to the municipal clerk either by mail
21or by personal delivery of the agent; but if the ballot is returned on the day of the
22election, the agent shall make personal delivery to the polling place serving the
23hospitalized elector's residence before the closing hour or, in municipalities where
24absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, to the municipal clerk no later than 8
25p.m. on election day.
SB159,20
1Section 20. 7.08 (3) (d) to (g) of the statutes are created to read:
SB159,17,22 7.08 (3) (d) Be written in clear, unambiguous language.
SB159,17,33 (e) Be indexed by subject.
SB159,17,54 (f) Contain specific examples of common problems encountered at polling
5places on election day and detailed, specific procedures for resolving those problems.
SB159,17,66 (g) Include an explanation of all of the following:
SB159,17,87 1. Laws and rules governing solicitation by individuals and groups at a polling
8place.
SB159,17,109 2. Procedures to be followed with respect to electors whose names do not appear
10on the registration list.
SB159,17,1211 3. Procedures to be followed with respect to electors attempting to vote on
12election day who have cast an absentee ballot in the election.
SB159,17,1413 4. Procedures for assisting voters who need help due to language barriers or
14disabilities.
SB159,17,1515 5. Proper operation of any electronic voting system used at a polling place.
SB159,17,1616 6. Procedures for handling ballots.
SB159,17,1717 7. Procedures governing spoiled ballots.
SB159,17,1818 8. Procedures to be followed after a polling place closes.
SB159,17,1919 9. Rights of electors at the polls.
SB159,17,2020 10. Procedures for handling emergency situations.
SB159,17,2121 11. Procedures for handling and processing provisional ballots.
SB159,17,2222 12. Security procedures.
SB159,21 23Section 21. 7.08 (13) of the statutes is created to read:
SB159,18,224 7.08 (13) Remedies for deceptive election practices. Disseminate through
25the Internet and radio, television, and newspaper advertisements information

1concerning complaint procedures and remedies for deceptive election practices
2under s. 12.17.
SB159,22 3Section 22. 7.08 (14) of the statutes is created to read:
SB159,18,94 7.08 (14) Withhold personal information provided to commission. Withhold
5from public inspection under s. 19.35 (1) the telephone number and electronic mail
6address of any elector who voluntarily provides that information to the commission
7or to a county or municipal clerk. The commission may transfer the information to
8any official or employee who has access to the information in the registration list
9under s. 6.36 (1) (b) 1. a. to be used for the administration of elections.
SB159,23 10Section 23. 7.10 (11) of the statutes is created to read:
SB159,18,1611 7.10 (11) Withhold personal information provided to clerk. The county clerk
12shall withhold from public inspection under s. 19.35 (1) the telephone number and
13electronic mail address of any elector who voluntarily provides that information to
14the clerk or to the commission or a municipal clerk. The county clerk may transfer
15the information to any official or employee who has access to the information in the
16registration list under s. 6.36 (1) (b) 1. a. to be used for the administration of elections.
SB159,24 17Section 24. 7.15 (16) of the statutes is created to read:
SB159,18,2318 7.15 (16) Withhold personal information provided to clerk. The municipal
19clerk shall withhold from public inspection under s. 19.35 (1) the telephone number
20and electronic mail address of any elector who voluntarily provides that information
21to the clerk or to the commission or a county clerk. The municipal clerk may transfer
22the information to any official or employee who has access to the information in the
23registration list under s. 6.36 (1) (b) 1. a. to be used for the administration of elections.
SB159,25 24Section 25. 12.09 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB159,19,4
112.09 (1) No person may personally or through an agent make use of or
2threaten to make use of force, violence, or restraint , or any tactic of coercion or
3intimidation
in order to induce or compel any person to vote or refrain from voting
4or to refrain from registering to vote at an election.
SB159,26 5Section 26. 12.09 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB159,19,106 12.09 (3) No person may personally or through an agent, by make use of or
7threaten to make use of force, violence, restraint, or
any act tactic of coercion or
8intimidation in order to
compel, induce, or prevail upon an elector either to vote or
9refrain from voting at any election for or against a particular candidate or question
10at a
referendum.
SB159,27 11Section 27 . 12.17 of the statutes is created to read:
SB159,19,13 1212.17 Deceptive election practices. (1) In this section, “election-related
13information" means information concerning any of the following:
SB159,19,1414 (a) The date, time, place, or manner of conducting an election.
SB159,19,1715 (b) The qualifications for or restrictions on the eligibility of electors voting at
16an election, including any criminal penalties associated with voting in an election or
17a voter's registration status or eligibility.
SB159,19,1818 (c) The explicit endorsement by any person of a candidate at an election.
SB159,19,21 19(2) No person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, may
20intentionally induce another person to refrain from registering or voting at an
21election by knowingly providing that person with false election-related information.
SB159,19,24 22(3) Any person who is aggrieved by an alleged violation of sub. (2) may bring
23an action for injunctive relief in circuit court for the county where the violation is
24alleged to occur.
SB159,20,3
1(4) Any person may file a verified complaint with the commission alleging facts
2that the person believes to constitute a violation of sub. (2). The complaint shall be
3filed under s. 5.05 (2m) (c).
SB159,20,12 4(5) (a) Notwithstanding s. 5.05 (2m) (c), the commission shall promptly review
5each complaint received under sub. (4), and if the commission finds that the facts
6alleged in the complaint, if true, would constitute a violation of sub. (2), the
7commission shall promptly investigate the complaint. Notwithstanding s. 5.05 (2m)
8(c) 11., if the commission finds that a violation of sub. (2) has occurred or is occurring,
9the commission shall take all measures necessary to provide correct information to
10electors who may have been deceived by the actions of the alleged violator, and shall
11refer the matter to the appropriate authority for prosecution in accordance with ss.
125.05 (2m) (i) and 12.60 (4).
SB159,20,1413 (b) The commission shall promulgate rules concerning the methods and means
14of providing corrective information to electors under par. (a).
SB159,20,21 15(6) (a) No later than 90 days after each each general election, the commission
16shall report to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for referral to the
17appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (2) concerning any complaints
18under sub. (4) that were acted upon or referred by the commission under sub. (5)
19during the period beginning with the date of the 2nd preceding general election and
20ending with the preceding general election. Except as provided in par. (b), the report
21shall include all of the following:
SB159,20,2322 1. A description of the alleged deceptive election practices that were the subject
23of each complaint.
SB159,20,2524 2. Any corrective measures taken by the commission with regard to the subject
25matter of each complaint.
SB159,21,2
13. The commission's evaluation of the effectiveness of those corrective
2measures.
SB159,21,43 4. The status of any prosecution relating to the subject matter of each
4complaint.
SB159,21,65 5. A compilation of the number and types of allegations made that were acted
6upon or referred by the commission under sub. (5).
SB159,21,87 6. The locations and segments of the population that were affected by the
8alleged deceptive election practices.
SB159,21,99 7. The status of any investigations conducted by the commission under sub. (5).
SB159,21,1210 (b) The commission may exclude from the report under par. (a) any information
11that, if disclosed, would interfere with a pending investigation of a violation of the
12law.
SB159,21,1413 (c) The commission shall post a copy of each report submitted under this
14subsection on the Internet.
SB159,28 15Section 28 . 12.19 of the statutes is created to read:
SB159,21,19 1612.19 Voter suppression. No person may knowingly attempt to prevent or
17deter another person from voting or registering to vote based upon fraudulent,
18deceptive, or spurious grounds or information. Violations of this section include any
19of the following:
SB159,21,21 20(1) Challenging another person's right to register or vote at an election based
21upon information the person knows is false.
SB159,21,23 22(2) Attempting to induce another person to refrain from registering or voting
23by providing that person with information the person knows is false.
SB159,29 24Section 29. 12.60 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB159,22,2
112.60 (1) (a) Whoever violates s. 12.09, 12.11 or 12.13 (1), (2) (b) 1. to 7. or (3)
2(a), (e), (f), (j), (k), (L), (m), (y) or (z) is guilty of a Class I felony.
SB159,30 3Section 30 . 12.60 (1) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
SB159,22,64 12.60 (1) (am) Whoever violates s. 12.17 (2) with the intent to prevent any
5person from exercising the right to vote in an election is guilty of a Class D felony,
6except that the term of imprisonment may not exceed 5 years.
SB159,31 7Section 31 . 12.60 (1) (an) of the statutes is created to read:
SB159,22,98 12.60 (1) (an) Whoever violates s. 12.09 is guilty of a Class D felony, except that
9the term of imprisonment may not exceed 3 years.
SB159,32 10Section 32 . 12.60 (1) (ap) of the statutes is created to read:
SB159,22,1211 12.60 (1) (ap) Whoever violates s. 12.19 is guilty of a Class E felony, except that
12the term of imprisonment may not exceed 2 years.
SB159,33 13Section 33 . 12.60 (1) (bn) of the statutes is created to read:
SB159,22,2014 12.60 (1) (bn) If a municipal clerk or executive director of a board of election
15commissioners fails to ensure compliance with s. 5.25 (4) (b) or to post the materials
16specified in s. 5.35 (6) (a) at each polling place located in the municipality served by
17the clerk or executive director at any election, except as authorized in s. 5.35 (6) (d),
18or the administrator of the elections commission fails to include any of the materials
19specified in s. 7.08 (3) in the election manual, the violator may be required to forfeit
20not more than $500 for each violation.
SB159,34 21Section 34. 12.60 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB159,22,2422 12.60 (4) Prosecutions of civil offenses under this chapter shall be conducted
23in the manner prescribed in s. 11.1400 (5). Prosecutions of criminal offenses
under
24this chapter shall be conducted in accordance with s. 11.1401 (2).
SB159,35 25Section 35 . 85.61 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB159,23,12
185.61 (1) The secretary of transportation and the administrator of the elections
2commission shall enter into an agreement to match personally identifiable
3information on the official registration list maintained by the commission under s.
46.36 (1) and the information specified in s. ss. 6.256 (2) and 6.34 (2m) with personally
5identifiable information in the operating record file database under ch. 343 and
6vehicle registration records under ch. 341 to the extent required to enable the
7secretary of transportation and the administrator of the elections commission to
8verify the accuracy of the information provided for the purpose of voter registration.
9Notwithstanding ss. 110.09 (2), 342.06 (1) (eg), and 343.14 (2j), but subject to s.
10343.14 (2p) (b), the agreement shall provide for the transfer of electronic information
11under s. 6.256 (2) to the commission on a continuous basis, no less often than
12monthly.
SB159,36 13Section 36 . 343.14 (2p) of the statutes is created to read:
SB159,23,1814 343.14 (2p) (a) The forms for application for a license or identification card or
15for renewal thereof shall inform the applicant of the department's duty to make
16available to the elections commission the information described in s. 6.256 (2) for the
17purposes specified in s. 6.256 (1) and (3) and shall provide the applicant an
18opportunity to elect not to have this information made available for these purposes.
SB159,23,2419 (b) If the applicant elects not to have the information described in s. 6.256 (2)
20made available for the purposes specified in s. 6.256 (1) and (3), the department shall
21not make this information available for these purposes. This paragraph does not
22preclude the department from making available to the elections commission
23information for the purposes specified in s. 6.34 (2m) or for any purpose other than
24those specified in s. 6.256 (1) and (3).
SB159,37 25Section 37 . Nonstatutory provisions.
SB159,24,5
1(1) Initial sharing of registration information. Notwithstanding ss. 85.61
2(1), 110.09 (2), 342.06 (1) (eg), and 343.14 (2j), the department of transportation shall
3enter into and begin transferring information under a revised agreement with the
4elections commission administrator pursuant to s. 85.61 (1) no later than the first
5day of the 4th month beginning after the effective date of this subsection.
SB159,24,206 (2) Report on voter registration information integration. No later than July
71, 2021, the elections commission shall report to the appropriate standing
8committees of the legislature, in the manner specified in s. 13.172 (3), its progress
9in initially implementing a system to ensure the complete and continuous
10registration of all eligible electors in this state, specifically including the operability
11and utility of information integration with the department of transportation and the
12feasibility and desirability of integrating public information maintained by other
13state agencies and by technical colleges with the commission's registration
14information to enhance the completeness and accuracy of the information. At a
15minimum, the report shall contain an assessment of the feasibility and desirability
16of the integration of registration information with information maintained by the
17departments of health services, children and families, workforce development,
18revenue, safety and professional services, and natural resources; the University of
19Wisconsin System; and the technical college system board, as well as the technical
20colleges within each technical college district.
SB159,25,421 (3) Study of options for corrective action. The elections commission, in
22consultation with the department of justice and the federal election assistance
23commission, shall study the feasibility of providing corrective information that may
24be required under s. 12.17 (5) (a) through public service announcements, other uses
25of broadcast, Internet, or social media, or an emergency alert system. No later than

1the first day of the 7th month beginning after the effective date of this subsection,
2the elections commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the
3appropriate standing committees of the legislature, in the manner specified in s.
413.172 (3).
SB159,25,55 (End)
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