SB859: Bill Text

LRB-5732/1

JK:cjs

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Senate BILL 859

February 20, 2020 - Introduced by Senators Larson, Smith and Carpenter, cosponsored by Representatives Brostoff, Cabrera, Hebl, C. Taylor, Stubbs, Anderson, Emerson, Bowen, Spreitzer, Zamarripa, Shankland, Neubauer and Considine. Referred to Committee on Elections, Ethics and Rural Issues.

SB859,1,1 An Act to create 6.271 of the statutes; relating to: special registration deputies.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires a municipal clerk or board of election commissioners to appoint special registration deputies for the purpose of registering electors of the municipality prior to the close of voter registration. The bill requires that special registration deputies receive the same training as other election officials, not including chief inspectors. Municipal clerks and boards of election commissioners had the authority to appoint special registration deputies prior to the enactment of 2015 Wisconsin Act 261, which eliminated that authority and allowed electors to register to vote electronically.

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:

SB859,1 Section 1. 6.271 of the statutes is created to read:

SB859,2,3 6.271 Special registration deputies. (1) The municipal clerk or the board of election commissioners of each municipality shall appoint special registration deputies. In appointing the special registration deputies, and in administering elector registration within the municipality, the municipal clerk or the board of election commissioners shall follow the procedures described in sub. (2) and prescribed under sub. (3).

SB859,2,8 (2) (a) A qualified elector of the state may apply to any municipal clerk or board of election commissioners to be appointed as a special registration deputy for the purpose of registering electors of the municipality prior to the close of registration. An applicant may be appointed by more than one municipal clerk or board of election commissioners to serve more than one municipality.

SB859,2,13 (b) The municipal clerk or board of election commissioners may appoint any applicant who qualifies under this subsection, unless the applicant's appointment has been revoked by a municipality for cause. The municipal clerk or board of election commissioners may revoke an appointment made by the clerk or board of election commissioners for cause at any time.

SB859,2,17 (c) No individual may serve as a special registration deputy in a municipality unless the individual is appointed by the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners of the municipality and the individual completes training required under s. 7.315.

SB859,2,21 (d) Each municipal clerk shall maintain a record of the names and addresses of each individual who is appointed by the clerk to serve as a special registration deputy under this section and who has complied with the training requirements under s. 7.315

SB859,3,4 (3) The commission shall, by rule, prescribe procedures for appointment of special registration deputies, for revocation of appointments of special registration deputies, and for training of special registration deputies by municipal clerks and boards of election commissioners. The procedures shall be coordinated with training programs for special registration deputies conducted by municipal clerks under s. 7.315 and shall be formulated to promote increased registration of electors consistent with the needs of municipal clerks and boards of election commissioners to efficiently administer the registration process.

SB859,3,7 (4) Each special registration deputy under this section who obtains a registration form from an elector shall print his or her name on and sign the form, affirming that the deputy has accepted the form.

SB859,3,8 (End)