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1. The voter 's printed first name.
2. The voter's printed last name.
3. The voter's house or apartment number.
4. The voter's street name.
5. The voter's municipality.
6. The voter's signature.
7. The witness's printed first name.
8. The witness's printed last name.
9. The witness's house or apartment number.
10. The witness's street name.
11. The witness's municipality.
12. The witness's signature.
Finally, the bill prohibits any person other than the voter, or the witness with
respect to the witness certificate, from correcting a defect in the voter's absentee
ballot certificate. Whoever violates that prohibition is subject to fine not to exceed
$500 or imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, or both.
Appointment of poll workers
The bill prohibits the appointment of any poll worker who is an employee of any
of the following:
1. A candidate committee, legislative campaign committee, political action
committee, independent expenditure committee, political party, recall committee, or
referendum committee, as those terms are defined by law.

2. A political organization required to register with the Federal Elections
Commission.
3. An issue advocacy group.
Municipal board of canvassers
Current law requires that the municipal board of canvassers of each
municipality convene immediately following the close of the polls on election day to
publicly canvass the ballots cast. The board may not adjourn until the canvass is
completed, except that the board may adjourn and reconvene at a central count
location to complete the canvass. Current law also requires the municipal clerk to
appoint an individual to serve as a member of the board of canvassers if there are one
or more temporary vacancies on the board and the number of available members to
canvass the ballots is less than three.
The bill allows a municipal board of canvassers to recess as the result of a
natural disaster, if a board member is ill or otherwise incapacitated, or if the physical
condition of the canvass location is unsuitable for continuing the canvass. However,
the bill requires that the board reconvene as soon as possible. In addition, if the
board recesses because a member is ill or otherwise incapacitated, the bill requires
the municipal clerk to immediately appoint an individual to fill the vacancy on the
board to temporarily replace that member.
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,
the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a
report.
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:
SB935,1 1Section 1 . 6.87 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB935,7,72 6.87 (2) (intro.) Except as authorized under sub. (3) (d), the municipal clerk
3shall place the ballot in an unsealed envelope furnished by the clerk. The envelope
4shall have the name, official title and post-office address of the clerk upon its face.
5The other side of the envelope shall have a printed certificate which shall include a
6space for the municipal clerk or deputy clerk to enter his or her initials indicating
7that if the absentee elector voted in person under s. 6.86 (1) (ar), the elector presented
8proof of identification to the clerk and the clerk verified the proof presented. The

1certificate shall also include a space for the municipal clerk or deputy clerk to enter
2his or her initials indicating that the elector is exempt from providing proof of
3identification because the individual is a military elector or an overseas elector who
4does not qualify as a resident of this state under s. 6.10 or is exempted from providing
5proof of identification under sub. (4) (b) 2. or 3. The certificate shall include a distinct
6field for each item required to be entered under sub. (6d) and shall
be in substantially
7the following form:
SB935,2 8Section 2 . 6.87 (6d) of the statutes is renumbered 6.87 (6d) (intro.) and
9amended to read:
SB935,7,1210 6.87 (6d) (intro.) If a certificate is missing the address of a witness, the ballot
11An absentee ballot with no certificate or with a certificate that does not include all
12of the following
may not be counted.:
SB935,3 13Section 3 . 6.87 (6d) (a) to (L) of the statutes are created to read:
SB935,7,1414 6.87 (6d) (a) The elector's printed first name.
SB935,7,1515 (b) The elector's printed last name.
SB935,7,1616 (c) The elector's house or apartment number.
SB935,7,1717 (d) The elector's street name.
SB935,7,1818 (e) The elector's municipality.
SB935,7,1919 (f) The elector's signature.
SB935,7,2020 (g) The witness's printed first name.
SB935,7,2121 (h) The witness's printed last name.
SB935,7,2222 (i) The witness's house or apartment number.
SB935,7,2323 (j) The witness's street name.
SB935,7,2424 (k) The witness's municipality.
SB935,7,2525 (L) The witness's signature.
SB935,4
1Section 4. 6.87 (9) of the statutes is renumbered 6.87 (9) (a) and amended to
2read:
SB935,8,103 6.87 (9) (a) If a municipal clerk receives an absentee ballot with an improperly
4completed certificate or with no certificate, the clerk may return the ballot to the
5elector, inside the sealed envelope when an envelope is received, together with a new
6envelope if necessary, whenever time permits the elector to correct the defect and
7return the ballot within the period authorized under sub. (6), and the clerk shall post
8a notification of the defect on the elector's voter information page on the Internet site
9that is used by electors for original registration under s. 6.30 (5). The clerk may also
10attempt to notify the elector of the defect by other means
.
SB935,5 11Section 5 . 6.87 (9) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
SB935,8,1512 6.87 (9) (b) No person other than the elector, or the witness with respect to the
13witness certificate, may correct a defect in the elector's absentee ballot certificate.
14Whoever violates this paragraph is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not
15to exceed $500 or imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, or both.
SB935,6 16Section 6 . 6.875 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB935,9,1617 6.875 (4) (a) For the purpose of absentee voting in qualified retirement homes
18and residential care facilities, the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners
19of each municipality in which one or more qualified retirement homes or residential
20care facilities are located shall appoint at least 2 special voting deputies for the
21municipality. Except as provided in par. (am), upon application under s. 6.86 (1), (2),
22or (2m) by one or more qualified electors who are occupants of a home or facility, the
23municipal clerk or board of election commissioners of the municipality in which the
24home or facility is located shall dispatch 2 special voting deputies to visit the home
25or facility for the purpose of supervising absentee voting procedure by occupants of

1the home or facility. The clerk or board of election commissioners shall maintain a
2list, available to the public upon request, of each home or facility where special voting
3deputies are dispatched. The list shall include the date and time the deputies intend
4to visit each home or facility. The 2 deputies designated to visit each qualified
5retirement home and residential care facility shall be affiliated with different
6political parties whenever deputies representing different parties are available. No
7qualified retirement home or residential care facility may deny entry to a special
8voting deputy appointed under this paragraph except if the home or facility is closed
9to the public during a public health emergency and except if the home or facility is
10closed to the public during an incident of infectious disease, if the administrator of
11the home or facility has signed a verifiable statement documenting the incident and
12filed the statement with the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners.
13During a public health emergency or an incident of infectious disease, if a qualified
14retirement home or residential care facility is closed to the public, the home or facility
15shall allow a personal care voting assistant appointed under sub. (8) to supervise the
16absentee voting procedure used by occupants of the home or facility.
SB935,7 17Section 7 . 6.875 (4) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 6.875 (4) (b) 1.
SB935,8 18Section 8 . 6.875 (4) (b) 2. of the statutes is created to read:
SB935,9,2419 6.875 (4) (b) 2. No individual who is employed or retained at a qualified
20retirement home or residential care facility in the municipality who is not a personal
21care voting assistant appointed under sub. (8) (a) 1. may assist an occupant of the
22home or facility in completing the occupant's absentee ballot, but may assist only in
23distributing the absentee ballots in their unopened envelopes to the occupants who
24requested the ballots.
SB935,9 25Section 9 . 6.875 (6) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB935,10,17
16.875 (6) (a) Special voting deputies in each municipality shall, not later than
25 p.m. on the 6th 11th working day preceding an election, arrange one or more
3convenient times with the administrator of each qualified retirement home and
4residential care facility in the municipality that the deputies are scheduled to visit.
5The time may be no earlier than the 4th Monday preceding the election and no later
6than 5 p.m. on the Monday 6th working day preceding the election. The municipal
7clerk shall give notice of each visit by special voting deputies to a qualified retirement
8home or residential care facility in the same manner that notices of public meetings
9are provided by presiding officers under s. 19.84 (1) (b) at least 5 working days in
10advance of each visit, indicating the date and time of the visit. The municipal clerk
11also shall post a notice at the home or facility and on the Internet indicating the date
12and time that absentee voting will take place at that home or facility. The notice shall
13be posted as soon as practicable after arranging the visit but in no case less than 5
14working days before the visit. A municipal clerk whose municipality does not
15maintain an Internet site need not comply with the Internet posting requirement.
16At the designated time, 2 deputies appointed under sub. (4) shall visit the home or
17facility.
SB935,10 18Section 10 . 6.875 (6) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB935,11,219 6.875 (6) (c) 2. Upon the request of a relative of an occupant of a qualified
20retirement home or residential care facility, the administrator of the home or facility
21may notify the relative of the time or times at which special voting deputies will
22conduct absentee voting at the home or facility and permit the
The administrator of
23a qualified retirement home or residential care facility shall provide notice of the
24dates and times when the deputies or absentee voting assistants appointed under
25sub. (8) will be facilitating absentee voting at the home or facility to each relative of

1an occupant for whom the home or facility has contact information. The
relative to
2may be present in the room where the voting is conducted.
SB935,11 3Section 11 . 6.875 (6) (e) of the statutes is renumbered 6.875 (6) (e) 1.
SB935,12 4Section 12 . 6.875 (6) (e) 2. of the statutes is created to read:
SB935,11,105 6.875 (6) (e) 2. If a qualified elector is not able to cast his or her ballot on 2
6separate visits by the deputies to the home or facility because access to the home or
7facility is restricted due to a public health emergency or an incident of infectious
8disease, the deputies shall so inform the municipal clerk or executive director of the
9board of election commissioners, who may then send the ballot to the elector no later
10than 5 p.m. on the Friday preceding the election.
SB935,13 11Section 13 . 6.875 (8) of the statutes is created to read:
SB935,11,1812 6.875 (8) (a) 1. For an election held during a public health emergency or an
13incident of infectious disease that results in restricting access to a qualified
14retirement home or residential care facility, the municipal clerk or board of election
15commissioners of each municipality in which one or more qualified retirement homes
16or residential care facilities are located may appoint any individual who is employed
17or retained at a qualified retirement home or residential care facility in the
18municipality to serve as a personal care voting assistant.
SB935,11,2519 2. Personal care voting assistants appointed under subd. 1. shall comply with
20the duties for special voting deputies and complete a 2-hour online training, as
21prescribed by the commission under s. 7.315 (1) (a). A personal care voting assistant
22appointed under subd. 1. need not be a qualified elector of the county where the
23municipality is located, but shall be a qualified elector in this state. No personal care
24voting assistant appointed under subd. 1. may assist with or facilitate the
25registration of any resident of a qualified retirement home or residential care facility.
SB935,12,13
13. Prior to entering upon his or her duties, each individual appointed to serve
2as a personal care voting assistant under subd. 1. shall file the oath required by s.
37.30 (5). In the oath, the individual shall swear that he or she is qualified to act as
4a personal care voting assistant under this subsection, that he or she has read the
5statutes governing absentee voting, that he or she understands the proper absentee
6voting procedure, that he or she understands the penalties under s. 12.13 for
7noncompliance with the procedure, and that his or her sacred obligation will be to
8fully and fairly implement the absentee voting law and seek to have the intent of the
9electors ascertained. In addition, the oath shall state that the individual realizes
10that any error in conducting the voting procedure may result in invalidation of an
11elector's vote under s. 7.51 (2) (e) and that the individual realizes that absentee
12voting is a privilege and not a constitutional right. The form of the oath shall be
13prescribed by the commission.
SB935,12,1914 4. The municipal clerk or board of election commissioners shall appoint at least
152 individuals employed or retained by the qualified retirement home or residential
16care facility to serve as personal care voting assistants under subd. 1. The 2 personal
17care voting assistants for each home or facility shall be affiliated with different
18political parties whenever personal care voting assistants representing different
19parties are available.
SB935,12,2520 (b) A personal care voting assistant appointed under par. (a) 1. shall complete
21documentation, on a form prescribed by the commission, that provides the assistant's
22name, the name of each elector in the qualified retirement home or residential care
23facility for whom the personal care voting assistant provides assistance, and the type
24of assistance provided to the elector. The personal care voting assistant shall also
25include the information contained on the form on the return envelope.
SB935,13,9
1(c) The form prescribed under par. (b) shall be a document separate from the
2absentee ballot certificate and shall be delivered by the administrator of the home
3or facility to the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners. Absentee ballots
4completed with the assistance of personal care voting assistants shall be mailed to
5the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners, except that the municipal
6clerk or board of election commissioners may make arrangements with the
7administrator of the home or facility to have an election official, other than a personal
8care voting assistant, collect the ballots at the home or facility and return them to
9the clerk or board.
SB935,14 10Section 14 . 7.03 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB935,13,1511 7.03 (1) (d) Except as otherwise provided in par. (a), special voting deputies
12appointed under s. 6.875 (4), personal care voting assistants appointed under s. 6.875
13(8),
and other officials and trainees who attend training sessions under s. 6.875 (8)
14(a) 2.,
7.15 (1) (e), or 7.25 (5) may also be compensated by the municipality where they
15serve at the option of the municipality.
SB935,15 16Section 15 . 7.30 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB935,13,2317 7.30 (3) (a) Not less than 30 days before any election the governing body or
18board of election commissioners of any municipality, by resolution, may authorize
19the municipal clerk or executive director of the board of election commissioners to
20select and employ tabulators for any election. Such authorization applies to the
21elections specified in the resolution, and if not specified, applies until the
22authorization is modified or revoked. Each tabulator shall sign the official oath and
23return it to the municipal clerk before the election.
SB935,16 24Section 16 . 7.30 (7) of the statutes is created to read:
SB935,13,2525 7.30 (7) Prohibited employment. (a) In this subsection:
SB935,14,1
11. “Committee" has the meaning given in s. 11.0101 (6).
SB935,14,32 2. “Issue advocacy” means communication that provides information about
3political or social issues and is made to influence the outcome of an election.
SB935,14,54 3. “Issue advocacy group” means any organization whose sole or primary
5purpose is to engage in issue advocacy.
SB935,14,76 (b) No person who is an employee of any of the following may be appointed as
7an election official:
SB935,14,88 1. A committee.
SB935,14,109 2. A political organization required to register with the federal elections
10commission.
SB935,14,1111 3. An issue advocacy group.
SB935,17 12Section 17 . 7.315 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB935,14,1613 7.315 (1) (a) The commission shall, by rule, prescribe the contents of the
14training that municipal clerks must provide to inspectors, other than chief
15inspectors, and to special voting deputies appointed under s. 6.875 (4), and to
16personal care voting assistants appointed under s. 6.875 (8)
.
SB935,18 17Section 18 . 7.51 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 7.51 (1) (a) and amended to
18read:
SB935,15,1019 7.51 (1) (a) Canvass procedure. Immediately after the polls close the inspectors
20except any inspector appointed under s. 7.30 (1) (b) shall proceed to canvass publicly
21all votes received at the polling place. In any municipality where an electronic voting
22system is used, the municipal governing body or board of election commissioners may
23provide or authorize the municipal clerk or executive director of the board of election
24commissioners to provide for the adjournment of the canvass to one or more central
25counting locations for specified polling places in the manner prescribed in subch. III

1of ch. 5. No central counting location may be used to count votes at a polling place
2where an electronic voting system is not employed. The Except as provided in par.
3(b), the
canvass, whether conducted at the polling place or at a central counting
4location, shall continue without adjournment until the canvass of all ballots cast and
5received on or before election day is completed and the return statement is made or,
6in municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, until the
7canvass of all absentee ballots cast and received on or before election day is completed
8and the return statement for those ballots is made. The inspectors shall not permit
9access to the name of any elector who has obtained a confidential listing under s. 6.47
10(2) during the canvass, except as authorized in s. 6.47 (8).
SB935,19 11Section 19 . 7.51 (1) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
SB935,15,1712 7.51 (1) (b) The municipal board of canvassers may recess the canvass under
13par. (a) as the result of a natural disaster, if an inspector is ill or otherwise
14incapacitated, or if the physical condition of the canvass location is unsuitable for
15continuing the canvass. The board shall reconvene as soon as possible to complete
16the canvass of all ballots cast and received on or before election day and make the
17return statement.
SB935,20 18Section 20 . 7.53 (2) (cm) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB935,16,319 7.53 (2) (cm) If one or more temporary vacancies on the municipal board of
20canvassers reduces the number of members to less than 3, the municipal clerk shall
21appoint a member to fill each vacancy, except in cities of more than 500,000
22population. In cities of more than 500,000 population, the executive director of the
23board of election commissioners shall serve as a member of the board of canvassers
24to fill a temporary vacancy on that board. If the municipal board of canvassers
25recesses as provided under s. 7.51 (1) (b) because an inspector is ill or otherwise

1incapacitated, the municipal clerk or the executive director of the board of election
2commissioners shall immediately appoint an individual to temporarily serve as a
3member of the municipal board of canvassers.
SB935,21 4Section 21 . 12.085 of the statutes is created to read:
SB935,16,6 512.085 Private resources for election administration. (1) Definitions.
6In this section:
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