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AB981,50
1Section 50. 5.05 (13) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,27,52 5.05 (13) (b) The commission secretary of state may maintain a free access
3system under which an elector who votes under s. 6.96 or 6.97 may ascertain current
4information concerning whether the elector's vote has been counted, and, if the vote
5will not be counted, the reason that it will not be counted.
AB981,51 6Section 51. 5.05 (13) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,27,107 5.05 (13) (c) The commission secretary of state shall maintain a freely
8accessible system under which a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1), or an
9overseas elector who casts an absentee ballot may ascertain whether the ballot has
10been received by the appropriate municipal clerk.
AB981,52 11Section 52. 5.05 (13) (d) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,27,1412 5.05 (13) (d) (intro.) The commission secretary of state shall designate and
13maintain at least one freely accessible means of electronic communication which
14shall be used for the following purposes:
AB981,53 15Section 53. 5.05 (14) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,27,1916 5.05 (14) Information from county and municipal clerks. (a) The commission
17secretary of state may request information from county and municipal clerks
18relating to election administration, performance of electronic voting systems and
19voting machines, and use of paper ballots in elections.
AB981,27,2220 (b) The commission office of the secretary of state shall establish a subscription
21service whereby a person may electronically access the absentee ballot information
22provided under s. 6.33 (5) (a), including semiweekly updates of such information.
AB981,27,2523 (c) On election night the commission office of the secretary of state shall provide
24a link on its Internet site to the posting of each county's election returns on each
25county's Internet site.
AB981,54
1Section 54. 5.05 (15) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,28,72 5.05 (15) Registration list. The commission office of the secretary of state is
3responsible for the design and maintenance of the official registration list under s.
46.36. The commission secretary of state shall require all municipalities to use the
5list in every election and may require any municipality to adhere to procedures
6established by the commission office of the secretary of state for proper maintenance
7of the list.
AB981,55 8Section 55. 5.05 (16) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,28,139 5.05 (16) Policies and procedures. (a) Annually, the commission office of the
10secretary of state
shall adopt written policies and procedures in order to govern its
11internal operations and management and shall annually report such policies and
12procedures to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172
13(3).
AB981,28,1814 (b) Notwithstanding par. (a), the commission office of the secretary of state may
15reconsider at any time any policy or procedure adopted as provided under par. (a).
16If, upon reconsideration, the commission office revises a previously reported policy
17or procedure, the commission office shall report the revision to the appropriate
18standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3).
AB981,28,2219 (c) The commission secretary of state may reconsider at any time any written
20directives or written guidance provided to the general public or to any person subject
21to the provisions of chs. 5 to 10 and 12 with regard to the enforcement and
22administration of those provisions.
AB981,56 23Section 56. 5.05 (17) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,29,324 5.05 (17) Payments. The commission office of the secretary of state may accept
25payment by credit card, debit card, or other electronic payment mechanism for any

1amounts owed pursuant to the administration of chs. 5 to 10 or 12, and may charge
2a surcharge to the payer to recover charges associated with the acceptance of that
3electronic payment.
AB981,57 4Section 57. 5.05 (18) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,29,85 5.05 (18) Electronic poll lists. The commission secretary of state may
6facilitate the creation and maintenance of electronic poll lists for purposes of s. 6.79
7including entering into contracts with vendors and establishing programs for
8development and testing.
AB981,58 9Section 58. 5.055 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,29,22 105.055 Election assistance commission standards board. The commission
11administrator
secretary of state shall, in consultation with the commission, appoint
12an individual to represent this state as a member of the federal election assistance
13commission standards board. The administrator secretary shall also conduct and
14supervise a process for the selection of an election official by county and municipal
15clerks and boards of election commissioners to represent local election officials of this
16state as a member of the federal election assistance commission standards board.
17The administrator secretary shall ensure that the members of the federal election
18assistance commission standards board representing this state shall at no time be
19members of the same political party. Upon appointment or election of any new
20member of the federal election assistance commission standards board representing
21this state, the administrator secretary shall transmit a notice of that member's
22appointment or election to the officer or agency designated by federal law.
AB981,59 23Section 59. 5.056 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,30,5 245.056 Matching program with secretary of transportation. The
25commission administrator secretary of state shall enter into the agreement with the

1secretary of transportation specified under s. 85.61 (1) to match personally
2identifiable information on the official registration list maintained by the
3commission secretary of state under s. 6.36 (1) and the information specified in s. 6.34
4(2m) with personally identifiable information maintained by the department of
5transportation.
AB981,60 6Section 60. 5.06 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,30,227 5.06 (1) Whenever any elector of a jurisdiction or district served by an election
8official believes that a decision or action of the official or the failure of the official to
9act with respect to any matter concerning nominations, qualifications of candidates,
10voting qualifications, including residence, ward division and numbering, recall,
11ballot preparation, election administration or conduct of elections is contrary to law,
12or the official has abused the discretion vested in him or her by law with respect to
13any such matter, the elector may file a written sworn complaint with the commission
14secretary of state requesting that the official be required to conform his or her
15conduct to the law, be restrained from taking any action inconsistent with the law
16or be required to correct any action or decision inconsistent with the law or any abuse
17of the discretion vested in him or her by law. The complaint shall set forth such facts
18as are within the knowledge of the complainant to show probable cause to believe
19that a violation of law or abuse of discretion has occurred or will occur. The complaint
20may be accompanied by relevant supporting documents. The commission secretary
21may conduct a hearing on the matter in the manner prescribed for treatment of
22contested cases under ch. 227 if it he or she believes such action to be appropriate.
AB981,61 23Section 61. 5.06 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,31,724 5.06 (2) No person who is authorized to file a complaint under sub. (1), other
25than the attorney general or a district attorney, may commence an action or

1proceeding to test the validity of any decision, action , or failure to act on the part of
2any election official with respect to any matter specified in sub. (1) without first filing
3a complaint under sub. (1), nor prior to disposition of the complaint by the
4commission secretary of state. A complaint is deemed disposed of if the commission
5secretary fails to transmit an acknowledgment of receipt of the complaint within 5
6business days from the date of its receipt or if the commission secretary concludes
7its an investigation without a formal decision.
AB981,62 8Section 62. 5.06 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,31,159 5.06 (4) The commission secretary of state may, on its own motion at his or her
10discretion
, investigate and determine whether any election official, with respect to
11any matter concerning nominations, qualifications of candidates, voting
12qualifications, including residence, ward division and numbering, recall, ballot
13preparation, election administration or conduct of elections, has failed to comply
14with the law or abused the discretion vested in him or her by law or proposes to do
15so.
AB981,63 16Section 63. 5.06 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,31,2317 5.06 (5) Upon receipt of a complaint under sub. (1), or upon its own motion at
18his or her discretion
, the commission secretary of state may order any election official
19to immediately transfer to its his or her possession any original documents in the
20custody of the official which the commission secretary finds to be necessary and
21relevant to permit review of compliance with the laws concerning nominations,
22qualifications of candidates, ward division and numbering, recall or ballot
23preparation or the proper administration of such laws.
AB981,64 24Section 64. 5.06 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,32,8
15.06 (6) The commission secretary of state may, after such investigation as it
2the secretary deems appropriate, summarily decide the matter before it the secretary
3and, by order, require any election official to conform his or her conduct to the law,
4restrain an official from taking any action inconsistent with the law or require an
5official to correct any action or decision inconsistent with the law. The commission
6secretary shall immediately transmit a copy of the order to the official. An order
7issued under this subsection is effective immediately or at such later time as may be
8specified in the order.
AB981,65 9Section 65. 5.06 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,32,1210 5.06 (7) The commission secretary of state may withdraw, modify, or correct an
11order issued under sub. (6) within a timely period if it the secretary finds such action
12to be appropriate.
AB981,66 13Section 66. 5.06 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,32,1814 5.06 (8) Any election official or complainant who is aggrieved by an order issued
15under sub. (6) may appeal the decision of the commission secretary of state to circuit
16court for the county where the official conducts business or the complainant resides
17no later than 30 days after issuance of the order. Pendency of an appeal does not stay
18the effect of an order unless the court so orders.
AB981,67 19Section 67. 5.06 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,33,320 5.06 (9) The court may not conduct a de novo proceeding with respect to any
21findings of fact or factual matters upon which the commission secretary of state has
22made a determination, or could have made a determination if the parties had
23properly presented the disputed matters to the commission secretary for its his or her
24consideration. The court shall summarily hear and determine all contested issues
25of law and shall affirm, reverse or modify the determination of the commission

1secretary, according due weight to the experience, technical competence, and
2specialized knowledge of the commission secretary, pursuant to the applicable
3standards for review of agency decisions under s. 227.57.
AB981,68 4Section 68. 5.061 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,33,85 5.061 (1) Whenever any person believes that a violation of Title III of P.L.
6107-252 has occurred, is occurring, or is proposed to occur with respect to an election
7for national office in this state, that person may file a written, verified complaint with
8the commission secretary of state.
AB981,69 9Section 69. 5.061 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,33,1210 5.061 (2) If the commission secretary of state receives more than one complaint
11under sub. (1) relating to the same subject matter, the commission secretary may
12consolidate the complaints for purposes of this section.
AB981,70 13Section 70. 5.061 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,33,2114 5.061 (3) A complainant under sub. (1) or any of the complainants in a
15consolidated complaint under sub. (2) may request a hearing and the matter shall
16then be treated as a contested case under ch. 227, except that the commission
17secretary of state shall make a final determination with respect to the merits of the
18complaint and issue a decision within 89 days of the time that the complaint or the
19earliest of any complaints was filed, unless the complainant, or each of any
20complainants whose complaints are consolidated, consents to a specified longer
21period.
AB981,71 22Section 71. 5.061 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,34,423 5.061 (4) If the commission secretary of state finds the complaint to be without
24merit, it the secretary shall issue a decision dismissing the complaint. If the
25commission secretary finds that the violation alleged in the complaint has occurred,

1is occurring, or is proposed to occur, the commission secretary shall order appropriate
2relief, except that the commission secretary shall not issue any order under this
3subsection affecting the right of any person to hold an elective office or affecting the
4canvass of an election on or after the date of that election.
AB981,72 5Section 72. 5.25 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,34,116 5.25 (4) (a) Each polling place shall be accessible to all individuals with
7disabilities. The commission secretary of state shall ensure that the voting system
8used at each polling place will permit all individuals with disabilities to vote without
9the need for assistance and with the same degree of privacy that is accorded to
10nondisabled electors voting at the same polling place. This paragraph does not apply
11to any individual who is disqualified from voting under s. 6.03 (1) (a).
AB981,34,1512(b) In any jurisdiction that is subject to the requirement under 42 USC
131973aa-1a
to provide voting materials in any language other than English, the
14commission secretary of state shall ensure that the voting system used at each
15polling place in that jurisdiction is in compliance with 42 USC 1973aa-1a.
AB981,34,2116 (d) No later than June 30 of each odd-numbered year, the commission office of
17the secretary of state
shall submit a report on impediments to voting faced by elderly
18and handicapped individuals to the appropriate standing committees of the
19legislature under s. 13.172 (3). In preparing its report under this paragraph, the
20commission office shall consult with appropriate advocacy groups representing the
21elderly and handicapped populations.
AB981,73 22Section 73. 5.35 (6) (a) 2m. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,34,2523 5.35 (6) (a) 2m. General information prescribed by the commission secretary
24of state
on federal laws relating to election fraud and misrepresentation in federal
25elections.
AB981,74
1Section 74. 5.35 (6) (a) 4a. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,35,42 5.35 (6) (a) 4a. Instructions prescribed by the commission secretary of state for
3electors for whom proof of identification is required under s. 6.79 (2) or for whom
4proof of residence under s. 6.34 is required under s. 6.55 (2).
AB981,75 5Section 75. 5.35 (6) (a) 4b. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,35,86 5.35 (6) (a) 4b. General information prescribed by the commission secretary of
7state
concerning voting rights under applicable state and federal laws, including the
8method of redress for any alleged violations of those rights.
AB981,76 9Section 76. 5.35 (6) (a) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,35,1110 5.35 (6) (a) 5. Any other voting information directed to be posted by the
11commission secretary of state.
AB981,77 12Section 77. 5.35 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,35,2213 5.35 (6) (b) At each polling place in the state where a consolidated ballot under
14s. 5.655 is used or an electronic voting system is utilized at a partisan primary
15election incorporating a ballot upon which electors may mark votes for candidates
16of more than one recognized political party, the municipal clerk or board of election
17commissioners shall prominently post a sign in the form prescribed by the
18commission secretary of state warning electors in substance that on any ballot with
19votes cast for candidates of more than one recognized political party, no votes cast for
20any candidates for partisan office will be counted unless a preference for a party is
21made. If the elector designates a preference, only votes cast for candidates of that
22preference will be counted.
AB981,78 23Section 78. 5.40 (5m) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,36,224 5.40 (5m) Notwithstanding sub. (1), the governing body of a municipality
25which uses voting machines or an electronic voting system may petition the

1commission secretary of state for permission to use paper ballots and voting booths
2for a specific election, and the commission secretary may grant such a request.
AB981,79 3Section 79. 5.40 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,36,104 5.40 (7) Whenever a municipality adopts and purchases voting machines or an
5electronic voting system, or adopts and purchases a different type of voting machine
6or electronic voting system from the type it was previously using, the municipal clerk
7or executive director of the municipal board of election commissioners shall promptly
8notify the county clerk or executive director of the county board of election
9commissioners and the administrator of the elections commission secretary of state
10in writing.
AB981,80 11Section 80. 5.51 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,36,1512 5.51 (6) All candidates' names for the same office shall be placed, projected or
13composed on the ballot in the same size, style and color of type. The style and size
14of type shall conform substantially to the official ballot forms prescribed by the
15commission secretary of state under s. 7.08 (1) (a).
AB981,81 16Section 81. 5.51 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,36,1917 5.51 (8) Unless otherwise specifically provided, the form of all ballots shall
18conform to the ballot forms prescribed by the commission secretary of state under s.
197.08 (1) (a).
AB981,82 20Section 82. 5.58 (1b) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,36,2321 5.58 (1b) (bm) For all cities the official spring primary ballot shall be arranged
22by the municipal clerk, using the same method as that used by the commission
23secretary of state under s. 5.60 (1) (b).
AB981,83 24Section 83. 5.58 (1b) (cm) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,37,4
15.58 (1b) (cm) Towns and villages holding a primary under s. 8.05 shall arrange
2the ballot in accordance with the form prescribed by the commission secretary of
3state
under s. 7.08 (1) (a), which shall be the same form as provided in s. 5.60 (5) and
4(6), insofar as possible.
AB981,84 5Section 84. 5.58 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,37,176 5.58 (2) State superintendent of public instruction; judiciary; county
7executive; county comptroller; and county supervisors.
There shall be one
8separate ballot for state superintendent, judicial officers, county executive under s.
959.17, and county supervisor, except as authorized in s. 5.655. In counties having a
10population of 750,000 or more, the ballot shall also include the office of comptroller
11and those offices under s. 8.11 (2) (b) and (2m). The arrangement of names of
12candidates for state superintendent, justice, court of appeals judge, and circuit court
13judge shall be determined by the commission secretary of state in the manner
14specified in s. 5.60 (1) (b). Arrangement of the names of candidates for county
15executive, county comptroller, and county supervisor shall be determined by the
16county clerk or by the executive director of the county board of election
17commissioners in the manner specified in s. 5.60 (1) (b).
AB981,85 18Section 85. 5.58 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,37,2419 5.58 (2m) Metropolitan sewerage commission. Except as authorized in s.
205.655, there shall be a separate ballot for members of the metropolitan sewerage
21commission if commissioners are elected under s. 200.09 (11) (am), with candidates
22for different seats listed in separate columns or rows if more than one seat is
23contested at any election. Arrangement of the names on the ballot shall be
24determined by the elections commission secretary of state.
AB981,86 25Section 86. 5.60 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,38,12
15.60 (1) (b) The elections commission secretary of state shall certify the
2candidates' names and designate the official ballot arrangement for candidates for
3state superintendent, justice, court of appeals judge, and for circuit judge and for
4metropolitan sewerage commission commissioners elected under s. 200.09 (11) (am).
5The arrangement of names of all candidates on the ballot whose nomination papers
6are filed with the elections commission secretary of state shall be determined by the
7elections commission secretary by the drawing of lots not later than the 2nd Tuesday
8in January, or the next day if the first Tuesday is a holiday. Whenever a primary is
9held for an office, a 2nd drawing of all candidates for that office shall be held by or
10under the supervision of the elections commission secretary of state not later than
11the 3rd day following the completion of the primary canvass to determine the
12arrangement of candidates on the election ballot.
AB981,87 13Section 87. 5.60 (3) (ag) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,38,1714 5.60 (3) (ag) Except as authorized in s. 5.655, there shall be a separate ballot
15giving the names of all candidates for city offices, printed in the same form as
16prescribed by the commission secretary of state under s. 7.08 (1) (a). City election
17ballots may vary in form to conform to the law under which an election is held.
AB981,88 18Section 88. 5.60 (5) (ar) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,38,2319 5.60 (5) (ar) The offices to be filled shall be arranged on the official ballot in the
20order they are named in the statutes creating them. The names of the candidates
21shall be arranged by using the same method as that used by the commission
22secretary of state under sub. (1) (b). Sufficient space shall be left under each office
23for write-in candidates.
AB981,89 24Section 89. 5.60 (6) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,39,13
15.60 (6) (a) Except as authorized in s. 5.655, there shall be a separate ballot
2giving the names of all candidates for elective town offices in the form prescribed by
3the commission secretary of state under s. 7.08 (1) (a). There shall be 2 ballot forms.
4One ballot form shall be used for the election of supervisors to numbered seats and
5one ballot form shall be used for the election of supervisors to unnumbered seats. On
6the ballot used for the election of supervisors to unnumbered seats, all supervisor
7candidates shall be listed together and the voting instructions shall state “Vote for
8not more than.... [insert number of supervisors to be elected] candidates". All towns
9shall elect their supervisors to unnumbered seats unless the annual town meeting
10adopts a plan to elect supervisors to numbered seats. The names of candidates for
11town office shall be arranged by using the same method as that used by the
12commission secretary of state under sub. (1) (b). A space shall be provided under each
13office on the ballot for a write-in candidate.
AB981,90 14Section 90. 5.60 (8) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB981,39,2315 5.60 (8) (am) Except as authorized in s. 5.655, there shall be a separate ballot
16for each recognized political party filing a certification under s. 8.12 (1), listing the
17names of all potential candidates of that party determined under s. 8.12 and
18affording, in addition, an opportunity to the voter to nominate another potential
19candidate by write-in vote or to vote for an uninstructed delegation to the party
20convention. The order of presidential candidates on the ballot shall be determined
21by lot by or under the supervision of the commission secretary of state. Each voter
22shall be given the ballots of all the parties participating in the presidential
23preference vote, but may vote on one ballot only.
AB981,91 24Section 91. 5.62 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
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