11.0101(32)(32) “Spring election” means the election held on the first Tuesday in April to elect judicial, educational, and municipal officers, nonpartisan county officers and sewerage commissioners, and to express preferences for the person to be the presidential candidate for each political party in a year in which electors for president and vice president are to be elected. 11.0101(33)(33) “Spring primary” means the nonpartisan primary held on the 3rd Tuesday in February to nominate nonpartisan candidates to be voted for at the spring election. 11.0101(34)(34) “Treasurer” means the individual who registers a committee with the commission and who makes reports on behalf of the committee. Effective date noteNOTE: Sub. (34) is shown as amended eff. 7-1-25 by 2023 Wis. Act 126. Prior to 7-1-25 it reads: Effective date text(34) “Treasurer” means the individual who registers a committee with a filing officer and who makes reports on behalf of the committee.
11.0102(1)(1) Each committee and conduit required to register and report under this chapter shall have and shall file each registration statement and report required under this chapter with the commission, except that a candidate committee for a candidate for school board member shall file a registration statement with the commission and a copy of the registration statement with the school district clerk. No candidate may appear on a ballot for any elective office unless the candidate committee files a registration statement for each election at which the candidate runs for office. Effective date noteNOTE: Section 11.0102 (title) and (1) are shown as affected eff. 7-1-25 by 2023 Wis. Act 126. Prior to 7-1-25 they read: 11.0102 Note11.0102 Determination of filing officer and duty to file; fees. (1) Each committee and conduit required to register and report under this chapter shall have and shall file each registration statement and report required under this chapter with one filing officer as follows:
Effective date text(a) The following shall file with the commission:
Effective date text1. A candidate committee of a candidate for state office, as defined in s. 5.02 (23).
Effective date text2. A conduit.
Effective date text3. A legislative campaign committee.
Effective date text4. A political action committee.
Effective date text4m. An independent expenditure committee.
Effective date text5. A political party.
Effective date text6. A recall committee as defined in s. 11.0101 (27) (a).
Effective date text7. Except as provided in pars. (f) and (g), a referendum committee.
Effective date text(b) Subject to pars. (c) and (d), a candidate committee for a candidate seeking local office shall file with the clerk of the most populous jurisdiction for which the candidate seeks office.
Effective date text(c) A candidate committee for a candidate for municipal judge elected under s. 755.01 (4) shall file with the county clerk or board of election commissioners of the county having the largest portion of the population in the jurisdiction served by the judge.
Effective date text(d) A candidate committee for a candidate for school board member shall file with the school district clerk.
Effective date text(e) A recall committee as defined in s. 11.0101 (27) (b) shall file with the filing officer for candidates for that office.
Effective date text(f) A referendum committee acting to support or oppose any local referendum, other than a school district referendum, shall file with the clerk of the most populous jurisdiction in which the referendum will be conducted.
Effective date text(g) A referendum committee acting to support or oppose a school district referendum shall file with the school district clerk.
11.0102(2)(a)(a) Except as provided in pars. (c) and (d), each conduit or committee that is required to register and file with the commission shall annually pay a filing fee of $100 to the commission. The commission may accept payment under this subsection by credit card, debit card, or other electronic payment mechanism, and may charge a surcharge to that conduit or committee to recover the actual costs associated with the acceptance of that electronic payment. Effective date noteNOTE: Par. (a) is shown as amended eff. 7-1-25 by 2023 Wis. Act 126. Prior to 7-1-25 it reads: Effective date text(a) Except as provided in pars. (c) and (d), each conduit or committee that is required to register and file with the commission under sub. (1) (a) shall annually pay a filing fee of $100 to the commission. The commission may accept payment under this subsection by credit card, debit card, or other electronic payment mechanism, and may charge a surcharge to that conduit or committee to recover the actual costs associated with the acceptance of that electronic payment.
11.0102(2)(b)(b) A conduit or committee shall pay the fee specified in par. (a) together with the report filed by that conduit or committee on the 15th day of the month of January in each year. If a conduit or committee that is subject to par. (a) registers under this chapter or changes status so that par. (a) becomes applicable to the conduit or committee during a calendar year, the conduit or committee shall pay the fee for that year with the filing of the conduit’s or committee’s registration statement or at any time before the change in status becomes effective. Effective date noteNOTE: Par. (b) is shown as amended eff. 7-1-25 by 2023 Wis. Act 126. Prior to 7-1-25 it reads: Effective date text(b) A conduit or committee that is subject to par. (a) shall pay the fee specified in par. (a) together with the report filed by that conduit or committee on the 15th day of the month of January in each year. If a conduit or committee that is subject to par. (a) registers under this chapter or changes status so that par. (a) becomes applicable to the conduit or committee during a calendar year, the conduit or committee shall pay the fee for that year with the filing of the conduit’s or committee’s registration statement or at any time before the change in status becomes effective.
11.0102(2)(d)(d) Paragraph (a) does not apply to any committee for any year during which the committee does not make disbursements exceeding a total of $2,500. 11.0102(2)(e)(e) Paragraph (a) does not apply to a conduit for any year during which the conduit does not release contributions totaling more than $2,500. 11.0102(3)(3) A filing officer, as defined under s. 5.02 (4v) (b) to (d), shall notify the commission, in writing, of any facts within the filing officer’s knowledge or evidence in the officer’s possession that may be grounds for civil action or criminal prosecution. The commission may transmit a copy of the notification submitted under this subsection to the district attorney. Effective date noteNOTE: Sub. (3) is shown as repealed and recreated eff. 7-1-25 by 2023 Wis. Act 126. Prior to 7-1-25 it reads: Effective date text(3) Each filing officer, other than the commission, shall do all of the following:
Effective date text(a) Obtain the forms and manuals prescribed by the commission under s. 11.1304 (1) and (3) and election laws provided by the commission under s. 7.08 (4).
Effective date text(b) Develop a filing, coding, and cross-indexing system consonant with the purposes of this chapter.
Effective date text(c) Make all of the following available, without charge, to any committee required to file reports or statements with the officer:
Effective date text1. Forms prescribed by the commission for the making of reports and statements. The filing officer shall notify the committee that all forms are available on the commission’s Internet site. Whenever a filing officer sends a form or notice of the filing requirements under this chapter to the treasurer of a candidate committee, the filing officer shall also send a notice to the candidate.
Effective date text2. Upon request, copies of manuals under par. (a).
Effective date text(d) The filing officer shall provide copies of manuals and election laws to persons other than a committee under par. (c) at cost.
Effective date text(e) Notify the commission, in writing, of any facts within the filing officer’s knowledge or evidence in the officer’s possession, including errors or discrepancies in reports or statements and delinquencies in filing which may be grounds for civil action or criminal prosecution. The commission may transmit a copy of the notification submitted under this paragraph to the district attorney.
Effective date text(f) Make available a list of delinquents for public inspection.
Effective date text(g) Compile and maintain on an electronic system a current list of all reports and statements received by or required of and pertaining to each committee registered under this chapter.
Effective date text(h) Make the reports and statements filed with the officer available for public inspection and copying, commencing as soon as practicable but not later than the end of the 2nd day following the day during which they are received.
Effective date text(i) Upon the request of any person, permit copying of any report or statement described under par. (g) at cost.
Effective date text(j) Determine whether each report or statement required to be filed under this chapter has been filed in the form and by the time prescribed by law, and whether it conforms on its face to the requirements of this chapter. The officer shall immediately send to any committee that is delinquent in filing, or that has filed otherwise than in the proper form, a notice that the committee has failed to comply with this chapter. Whenever a candidate committee has appointed an individual other than the candidate as campaign treasurer, the officer shall send the notice to both the candidate and the treasurer of the candidate committee.
11.0103(1)(a)(a) Each committee and conduit required to register under this chapter shall be subject to the reporting requirements applicable to that committee or conduit. Each committee and conduit required to file a report under this chapter shall make a good faith effort to obtain all required information. 11.0103(1)(b)(b) Failure to receive a form or notice from the commission does not exempt a committee or conduit from a reporting requirement under this chapter. Effective date noteNOTE: Par. (b) is shown as amended eff. 7-1-25 by 2023 Wis. Act 126. Prior to 7-1-25 it reads: Effective date text(b) Failure to receive a form or notice from a filing officer does not exempt a committee or conduit from a reporting requirement under this chapter.
11.0103(2)(2) Contributions; when received; when reported. 11.0103(2)(a)1.1. A contribution is received by a candidate committee for purposes of this chapter when it is under the control of the candidate or the treasurer or agent of the candidate. 11.0103(2)(a)2.2. A contribution is received by a committee for purposes of this chapter when it is under the control of the treasurer or agent of the committee. 11.0103(2)(b)(b) Unless it is returned or donated within 15 days of receipt under par. (a), a contribution must be reported as received on the date received. 11.0103(3)(3) Contents of report; filing dates; certification; short form; contents. 11.0103(3)(a)(a) A committee shall begin each report filed under this chapter with the first contribution received, disbursement made, or obligation incurred during the reporting period, and shall include all contributions received, disbursements made, and obligations incurred as of the end of: 11.0103(3)(a)1.1. The 15th day preceding the primary or election in the case of the preprimary and preelection report. 11.0103(3)(a)2.2. The last day of the immediately preceding month in the case of a continuing report required under this chapter. 11.0103(3)(a)3.3. The 22nd day following the special election in the case of a postelection report required under this chapter. 11.0103(3)(a)4.4. September 23 in the case of a September report required under this chapter. 11.0103(3)(b)(b) Each committee shall ensure that each report is filed with the commission on the dates designated in this chapter. In the event that any report is required to be filed under this chapter on a nonbusiness day, a committee may file the report on the next business day thereafter. Effective date noteNOTE: Par. (b) is shown as amended eff. 7-1-25 by 2023 Wis. Act 126. Prior to 7-1-25 it reads: Effective date text(b) Each committee shall ensure that each report is filed with the appropriate filing officer on the dates designated in this chapter. In the event that any report is required to be filed under this chapter on a nonbusiness day, a committee may file the report on the next business day thereafter.
11.0103(3)(c)1.1. Except as provided in subd. 2., the committee’s treasurer shall certify to the correctness of each report filed under this chapter. 11.0103(3)(c)2.2. Either the candidate or the treasurer of the candidate’s committee shall certify to the correctness of each report filed under this chapter. 11.0103(3)(d)(d) The commission shall prescribe a simplified, short form for compliance with this section by a committee treasurer who has not engaged in any financial transaction since the last date included on the treasurer’s preceding report. 11.0103(4)(4) Preprimary and preelection reports; inactivity. 11.0103(4)(a)(a) A contribution made or accepted, a disbursement made, or an obligation incurred to support or oppose a candidate at a primary that is made, accepted, or incurred during the period covered by the preprimary report is considered to be made, accepted, or incurred to support or oppose that candidate at the primary, regardless of whether the candidate is opposed at the primary. 11.0103(4)(b)(b) A contribution made or accepted, disbursement made, or obligation incurred to support or oppose a candidate at an election that is made, accepted, or incurred during the period covered by the preelection report is considered to be made, accepted, or incurred to support or oppose that candidate at the election, regardless of whether the candidate is opposed at the election. 11.0103(4)(c)1.a.a. Except as provided in subd. 2., a committee that makes or accepts a contribution, makes a disbursement, or incurs an obligation to support or oppose a candidate at a primary during the period covered by the preelection report, but does not engage in such activity during the period covered by the preprimary report, is not required to file a preprimary report. 11.0103(4)(c)1.b.b. Except as provided in subd. 2., a committee that makes or accepts a contribution, makes a disbursement, or incurs an obligation to support or oppose a candidate at an election during the period covered by the report that follows the preelection report, but does not engage in such activity during the period covered by the preelection report, is not required to file a preelection report. 11.0103(4)(c)2.2. A candidate committee that makes or accepts a contribution, makes a disbursement, or incurs an obligation to support or oppose a candidate at a primary during the period covered by the preprimary report shall file both the preprimary and preelection reports, regardless of whether the candidate committee engages in such activity during the period covered by the preelection report. 11.0103(5)(5) Nonresident reporting. Notwithstanding the reporting requirements that would otherwise apply under this chapter, but subject to the applicable thresholds for submitting reports, a committee that does not maintain an office or a street address in this state shall submit reports on a form prescribed by the commission of all disbursements made and obligations incurred with respect to an election for a state or local office in this state and contributions from sources in this state. 11.0103 AnnotationA minor political party that historically has been the object of harassment by government officials and private parties cannot be required to disclose the identities of contributors and recipients of campaign disbursements. Brown v. Socialist Workers ’74 Campaign Committee, 459 U.S. 87, 103 S. Ct. 416, 74 L. Ed. 2d 250 (1982). See also Wisconsin Socialist Workers 1976 Campaign Committee v. McCann, 433 F. Supp. 540 (1977). 11.010411.0104 Reporting exemptions: limited activity. 11.0104(1)(a)(a) Except as provided in par. (bm), any committee which does not anticipate accepting or making contributions, making disbursements, or incurring obligations, and any conduit which does not anticipate accepting or releasing contributions, in an aggregate amount exceeding $2,500 in a calendar year may claim an exemption from filing campaign finance reports by filing a registration statement or an amended registration statement with the commission indicating the necessary facts, as described in this paragraph, to claim the exemption. The committee or conduit shall certify the registration statement or amended registration statement in the manner required under s. 11.0103 (3) (c).
