SB893: Bill Text

SB893,17 Section 17. 7.60 (4) (c) 4. of the statutes is created to read:

SB893,10,15 7.60 (4) (c) 4. For each rejected vote, the board of canvassers' explanation for rejecting the vote.

SB893,18 Section 18 . 7.62 of the statutes is created to read:

SB893,10,19 7.62 Canvass procedure for ranked-choice voting. (1) Definition. In this section, “continuing candidate” means a candidate that has not been eliminated or elected.

SB893,10,23 (1m) Tally sheets. The commission shall prescribe a tally sheet form for canvassing of elections in which ranked-choice voting is used. The inspectors shall use the form in preparing the returns and shall retain the form as a part of the official returns.

SB893,11,6 (2) Single-seat election. (a) For determining the winning candidate for a single-seat election using ranked-choice voting, the candidate that receives the majority of the highest-ranked preferences for an office or seat shall be elected. If no candidate for an office or seat receives a majority of the highest-ranked preferences, the candidate who receives the least number of highest-ranked preferences shall be eliminated and the next-ranked preferences, if any, indicated by the electors who voted for that candidate shall be added to the highest-ranked preferences received by the other continuing candidates.

SB893,11,16 (b) If more than one continuing candidate receives the least number of highest-ranked preferences, the tie shall be resolved as provided under sub. (6). If after the reapportionment of preferences a continuing candidate has a majority of highest-ranked preferences and reapportioned next-ranked preferences, that candidate shall be declared elected. If after the reapportionment of preferences no continuing candidate has a majority of highest-ranked preferences and reapportioned next-ranked preferences, the apportionment begins again with additional choice preferences tallied in the same manner so that the continuing candidate with the least number of choice preferences is eliminated and his or her choice preferences reapportioned to the remaining continuing candidates.

SB893,11,23 (c) Any time during tabulation when the continuing candidate with the least number of highest-ranked preferences would be defeated, if there are 2 or more candidates for whom it is mathematically impossible to be elected, then all continuing candidates for whom it is mathematically impossible to be elected shall be eliminated simultaneously. For purposes of this paragraph, continuing candidates for whom it is mathematically impossible to be elected include the following:

SB893,12,3 1. Continuing candidates whose vote total plus the sum of current votes for continuing candidates with fewer votes would not be enough to equal or surpass the continuing candidate with the next highest current vote total.

SB893,12,6 2. Any continuing candidate that has a lower current vote total than a continuing candidate for whom it is mathematically impossible to be elected under subd. 1.

SB893,12,14 (d) Reapportionment of preferences continues under this subsection until a continuing candidate has the majority of highest-ranked and reapportioned preferences and until the results of the reapportionment and tabulation indicate which 2 continuing candidates received the most highest-ranked and reapportioned preferences. The continuing candidate with the majority of highest-ranked and reapportioned preferences shall be declared elected. If the 2 continuing candidates with the most highest-ranked preferences are tied, the tie shall be resolved as provided under sub. (6) and the winner declared elected.

SB893,12,20 (3) Multiple-seat election. (a) For determining the winning candidates for a multiple-seat election using ranked-choice voting, each candidate that receives no less than the number of threshold votes for the open office or seat shall be elected. The threshold shall be determined by dividing the total number of votes cast for the open offices or seats by the number of such offices or seats, plus one, and adding one to the quotient, disregarding any fractions.

SB893,13,3 (b) For purposes of this subsection, a first ranked-choice tabulation shall be done under this paragraph before a tabulation under par. (c). If the number of candidates, other than any undeclared or declared write-in candidate, whose vote total is equal to or greater than the threshold determined under par. (a) is equal to the number of seats to be filled, those candidates are declared elected. If the number of candidates, other than any undeclared or declared write-in candidate, whose vote total is equal to or greater than the threshold is less than the number of seats to be filled, the canvassers shall perform a tabulation under par. (c).

SB893,13,6 (c) After the tabulation under par. (b), the tabulation of votes shall proceed in rounds for each office to be counted and the tabulation for each round shall proceed sequentially as follows:

SB893,13,17 1. The number of votes cast for each continuing candidate for the current round shall be counted. If the number of continuing candidates, other than any undeclared write-in candidate, whose vote total is equal to or greater than the threshold determined under par. (a) is equal to the number of seats to be filled, those continuing candidates are elected and the tabulation is complete. Then, if the number of continuing candidates, including any undeclared write-in candidates, whose vote total is equal to or greater than the threshold determined under par. (a) is equal to the number of seats to be filled, those continuing candidates are elected and the tabulation is complete. If the number of continuing candidates whose vote total is equal to or greater than the threshold is not equal to the number of seats to be filled, a new round begins and the tabulation continues as described in subds. 2. and 3.

SB893,13,19 2. Surplus votes for any continuing candidates whose vote total is equal to or greater than the threshold determined under par. (a) shall be calculated.

SB893,13,21 3. The surplus of the elected candidate with the largest surplus is transferred using the Weighted Inclusive Gregory Method as follows:

SB893,13,24 a. The number of surplus votes of the elected candidate shall be divided by the number of votes received by the candidate and the resulting fraction shall be the surplus fraction.

SB893,14,5 b. In relation to any particular ballots for surplus votes of the elected candidate, the surplus fraction shall be multiplied by the transfer value at which those ballots were transferred to the elected candidate, or by one if they expressed first preferences for the elected candidate, and the product shall be the continued transfer value of those particular ballots.

SB893,14,15 c. The total number of ballots for surplus votes of the elected candidate that express the next available preference and have a particular current value shall be multiplied by that transfer value. The number so obtained, disregarding any fraction, shall be added to the number of votes of the continuing candidate and all those ballots shall be transferred to the continuing candidate. If on the completion of the transfer of the surplus votes of the elected candidate to a particular continuing candidate that continuing candidate has received a number of votes equal to or greater than the threshold, that continuing candidate shall be elected. If no continuing candidate has a surplus, the tabulation continues as described in subd. 4. Otherwise, the tabulation continues as described in subd. 1.

SB893,14,24 4. All continuing candidates for whom it is mathematically impossible to be elected shall be eliminated simultaneously. Votes for the eliminated candidates shall be transferred to each ballot's next-ranked continuing candidate, except votes for candidates eliminated in the final round are not transferred if, by their elimination, the number of continuing candidates is reduced to the number of seats yet to be filled. If no continuing candidate can be eliminated under this subdivision, the tabulation continues as described in subd. 5. Otherwise, the tabulation continues as described in subd. 1. For purposes of this subdivision, continuing candidates for whom it is mathematically impossible to be elected include the following:

SB893,15,3 a. Continuing candidates whose vote total plus the sum of current votes for continuing candidates with fewer votes would not be enough to equal or surpass the continuing candidate with the next highest current vote total.

SB893,15,6 b. Any continuing candidate that has a lower current vote total than a continuing candidate for whom it is mathematically impossible to be elected under subd. 4. a.

SB893,15,12 5. If there are no transferable surplus votes and no continuing candidate is eliminated under subd. 4., the continuing candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. Votes for an eliminated candidate are transferred at their transfer value to each ballot's next-ranked continuing candidate, except votes for candidates eliminated in the final round are not transferred if, by their elimination, the number of continuing candidates is reduced to the number of seats yet to be filled.

SB893,15,20 6. The procedures in subds. 1. to 5. shall be repeated until the number of continuing candidates whose vote total is equal to or greater than the threshold is equal to the number of seats to be filled, or until the number of continuing candidates is equal to the number of seats yet to be filled. If the number of continuing candidates is equal to the number of seats yet to be filled, any remaining continuing candidates shall be declared elected. Continuing candidates eliminated under this subdivision in the final round retain their votes. Any ties between continuing candidates in subds. 1. to 5. shall be resolved as provided in sub. (6).

SB893,16,7 (4) Ascertainment of intent. If a ballot does not clearly show which candidate the voter prefers to all others, or if it contains any word, mark, or other sign apparently intended to identify the voter, it shall be set aside as invalid. Every ballot not held invalid under this subsection shall be counted according to the intent of the voter, so far as that can be clearly ascertained, whether marked according to the directions printed on it or not. No ballot shall be held invalid because the names of candidates on the ballot for whom the voter did not mark a choice have been stricken out, unless such striking out constitutes an identifying mark. A single mark on a ballot on which no first choice figure appears shall be considered equivalent to a first choice preference. If a ballot contains both figures and marks, the order of the choice shown by the figures shall be taken as the voter's intention in so far as the order is clearly indicated.

SB893,16,11 (5) Skipped rankings, overvotes, and undervotes. (a) Ballots skipping one ranking shall be counted for that voter's next clearly indicated choice. Ballots with 2 or more rankings skipped consecutively shall be declared exhausted after all candidates ranked prior to the consecutively skipped rankings have been eliminated.

SB893,16,14 (b) Ballots with 2 or more of the same number shall be declared exhausted when such duplicate rankings are reached unless only one of the candidates with the duplicate ranking is a continuing candidate.

SB893,16,16 (c) Ballots that indicate no further rankings after the elector's initial preferences have been eliminated shall be declared exhausted.

SB893,16,17 (d) Ballots that indicate no rankings shall be declared exhausted.

SB893,16,25 (6) Ties. In the event of a tie that affects the outcome of the election, the tie shall be broken by comparing the votes of the tied candidates in the previous rounds of counting, starting with the count immediately preceding the round in which the tie occurs. If one of the tied candidates had more votes than the remaining tied candidates in the preceding round or an earlier round of counting, then that candidate shall advance and the others shall be eliminated. If the candidates were tied in each preceding round, or if there were no preceding rounds, then the tie shall be resolved by lot.

SB893,19 Section 19. 8.05 (1) (L) of the statutes is created to read:

SB893,17,3 8.05 (1) (L) A town or village may not use ranked-choice voting under s. 5.20 to nominate candidates for town or village offices at a caucus.

SB893,20 Section 20 . 8.17 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB893,17,23 8.17 (1) (a) Political parties qualifying for a separate ballot under s. 5.62 (1) (b) or (2) shall elect their party committeemen and committeewomen committee members as provided under sub. (5) (b). The function of committeemen and committeewomen the committee members is to represent their neighborhoods in the structure of a political party. Committeemen and committeewomen Committee members shall act as liaison representatives between their parties and the residents of the election districts in which they serve. Activities of committeemen and committeewomen committee members shall include , but not be limited to, identifying voters; assistance assisting in voter registration drives; increasing voter participation in political parties; polling and other methods of passing information from residents to political parties and elected public officials; and dissemination of disseminating information from public officials to residents. For assistance in those and other activities of interest to a political party, each committeeman and committeewoman committee member may appoint a captain to engage in these activities in each ward, if the election district served by the committeeman or committeewoman committee member includes more than one ward. In an election district which that includes more than one ward, the committeeman or committeewoman committee member shall coordinate the activities of the ward captains in promoting the interests of his or her party.

SB893,21 Section 21 . 8.17 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB893,18,3 8.17 (4) The term of office of each committeeman or committeewoman committee member shall end on the date of the meeting held under sub. (5) (b) following each partisan primary.

SB893,22 Section 22 . 8.17 (5) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB893,18,21 8.17 (5) (b) A combined meeting of the county committee and members in good standing of the party in the county shall be held no sooner than 15 days after the partisan primary and no later than April 1 of the following year. At this meeting, the party committeemen or committeewomen committee members and the county committee offices of chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, and treasurer shall be filled by election by the incumbent committeemen, committeewomen committee members and other party members present and voting, each of whom is entitled to one vote. At this meeting, the county committee shall elect the members of the congressional district committee as provided in sub. (6) (b), (c) , and (d). The secretary of the county committee shall give at least 7 days' written notice of the meeting to party and committee members. Individuals elected as county committee officers or as congressional district committee members may be, but are not required to be, committeemen or committeewomen party committee members. They are required to be party members in good standing. The terms of committeemen and committeewomen party committee members, county committee officers, and congressional district committee members begin during the meeting immediately upon completion and verification of the voting for each office.

SB893,23 Section 23. 10.02 (3) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB893,18,23 10.02 (3) (intro.) The notice shall contain the following:

SB893,18,24 FACSIMILE BALLOT NOTICE

SB893,18,25 OF .... ELECTION

SB893,19,1 Office of .... [County] [Municipal] Clerk.

SB893,19,2 To the Electors of .... [County] [Municipality]:

SB893,19,9 Notice is hereby given of a .... election to be held in the several wards in the [county] [municipality] of ...., on the .... day of ...., .... (year), at which the officers named below shall be chosen. The names of the candidates for each office to be voted for, whose nominations have been certified to or filed in this office, are given under the title of the office and under the appropriate party or other designation, each in its proper column, together with the questions submitted to a vote, in the sample ballot below.

SB893,19,10 INFORMATION TO ELECTORS

SB893,19,14 Except as provided in sub. (4) and except where a different statement is prescribed by the commission for use in whole or in part by municipalities using electronic voting systems under s. 5.95, the voting instructions shall be given substantially as follows:

SB893,24 Section 24. 10.02 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

SB893,19,17 10.02 (4) The commission shall prescribe by rule the content of type B notices to be used at elections at which ranked-choice voting under s. 5.20 is used.

SB893,25 Section 25 . 20.510 (1) (ed) of the statutes is created to read:

SB893,19,23 20.510 (1) (ed) Elections administration; ranked-choice voting. A sum sufficient to implement and administer ranked-choice voting, as provided under ss. 5.20 and 7.62, including updating equipment and software and implementing secure technologies, and to provide grants to local governmental units under s. 5.05 (1) (g) for the same purpose.

SB893,26 Section 26 . 120.06 (7) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB893,20,12 120.06 (7) (b) The Except as provided under s. 5.20, the school board shall require a primary election if there are more than 2 candidates for any seat on a 3-member board or more than twice as many candidates as there are members to be elected to an unnumbered school board of more than 3 members. In school districts in which a plan of apportionment of school board members under s. 120.02 (2), an apportionment plan that apportions the territory of the school district into election districts under s. 120.42 (1m), or a plan for election of school board members to numbered seats has been adopted, the school board shall require a primary election for particular apportioned areas for which there are more than twice as many candidates as there are members to be elected and for any numbered seat for which there are more than 2 candidates. When there is a primary election it shall be held in conjunction with the spring primary.

SB893,27 Section 27 . Initial applicability.

SB893,20,15 (1) Ranked-choice voting. This act first applies to the 2022 spring primary and spring election.

SB893,20,16 (End)