SB445: Bill Text

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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Senate BILL 445

July 7, 2021 - Introduced by Senators Smith, Agard, Carpenter, Larson and Roys, cosponsored by Representatives Shelton, Snodgrass, Hintz, Anderson, Baldeh, Brostoff, Conley, Considine, Emerson, Hebl, Neubauer, Ohnstad, Pope, Sinicki, Spreitzer, Stubbs and Vruwink. Referred to Committee on Elections, Election Process Reform and Ethics.

SB445,1,2 An Act to amend 6.20 and 6.36 (2) (a); and to create 6.31 and 6.36 (2) (d) of the statutes; relating to: voter preregistration of 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, only qualified electors may register to vote and vote in an election. A qualified elector is a U.S. citizen age 18 or older who has resided in an election district or ward for 28 consecutive days.

Under this bill, an individual who is age 16 or 17 but who is otherwise eligible to vote in Wisconsin may preregister to vote. An individual who preregisters under the bill may not vote in an election unless he or she is at least 18 years of age on election day.

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:

SB445,1 Section 1. 6.20 of the statutes is amended to read:

SB445,1,6 6.20 Absent electors. Any qualified elector of this state who registers, and any individual who preregisters under s. 6.31 and will be at least 18 years of age on election day, may vote by absentee ballot under ss. 6.84 to 6.89.

SB445,2 Section 2. 6.31 of the statutes is created to read:

SB445,2,4 6.31 Preregistration. An individual who is an eligible elector under s. 6.02 except that he or she is age 16 or 17 may preregister to vote by any registration method provided in s. 6.30.

SB445,3 Section 3. 6.36 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB445,2,22 6.36 (2) (a) Except as provided in par. pars. (b) and (d), each registration list prepared for use as a poll list at a polling place or for purposes of canvassing absentee ballots at an election shall contain the full name and address of each registered elector; a blank column for the entry of the serial number of the electors when they vote or the poll list number used by the municipal board of absentee ballot canvassers in canvassing absentee ballots; an indication next to the name of each elector for whom proof of residence under s. 6.34 is required; a space for entry of the type of and the name of the entity or institution that issued the identifying document submitted by the elector as proof of residence when proof of residence under s. 6.34 is required; a space for entry of the elector's signature, or if another person signed the elector's registration form for the elector by reason of the elector's physical disability, the word “exempt"; and a form of certificate bearing the certification of the commission administrator stating that the list is a true and complete registration list of the municipality or the ward or wards for which the list is prepared. The commission shall, by rule, prescribe the space and location for entry of each elector's signature on the poll list which shall provide for entry of the signature without changing the orientation of the poll list from the orientation used by the election officials.

SB445,4 Section 4. 6.36 (2) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

SB445,3,3 6.36 (2) (d) The list under this subsection may not contain the name of an individual who preregistered under s. 6.31 unless he or she will be at least 18 years of age on election day.

SB445,3,4 (End)