Chapter 8

8.15(6)(d) (d) For representatives to the assembly, not less than 200 nor more than 400 electors.

8.15(6)(dm) (dm) For district attorneys, not less than 500 nor more than 1,000 electors in prosecutorial units over 100,000 population and not less than 200 nor more than 400 electors in prosecutorial units of 100,000 population or less.

8.15(6)(e) (e) For county offices, not less than 500 nor more than 1,000 electors in counties over 100,000 population and not less than 200 nor more than 400 electors in counties of 100,000 population or less.

8.15(7) (7) A candidate may not run in more than one party primary at the same time. No filing official may accept nomination papers for the same person in the same election for more than one party. A person who files nomination papers as the candidate of a recognized political party may not file nomination papers as an independent candidate for the same office at the same election.

8.15(8) (8) Nomination papers shall be filed:

8.15(8)(a) (a) For state offices and the offices of U.S. senator and representative in congress, in the office of the commission.

8.15(8)(b) (b) For county offices, in the office of the county clerk or board of election commissioners.

8.15(9) (9) If a candidate submits nomination papers with more than the maximum number of required signatures prescribed under sub. (6), but the filing official determines that the maximum number of required signatures does not result in a sufficient number of valid signatures, the filing official shall review the additional signatures to the extent necessary to determine whether the candidate has collected a sufficient number of valid signatures.

8.15 History History: 1971 c. 304 ss. 13, 29 (1), (2); 1973 c. 334 s. 57; 1977 c. 107, 427; 1979 c. 249, 260, 311; 1983 a. 29, 484; 1985 a. 304; 1989 a. 31; 1993 a. 140, 213, 266; 1999 a. 182; 2001 a. 109; 2005 a. 451; 2007 a. 1; 2011 a. 32, 75; 2013 a. 160; 2015 a. 117; 2015 a. 118 ss. 99, 266 (10); 2017 a. 365 s. 111; 2017 a. 366; 2021 a. 33; 2023 a. 125.

8.15 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ss. EL 2.09, 2.11, and 6.04, Wis. adm. code.

8.15 Annotation The ban on multiple party nominations under sub. (7) does not burden the associational rights of political parties and is justified by compelling state interests. Swamp v. Kennedy, 950 F.2d 383 (1991).

8.16 8.16 Partisan nominations.

8.16(1) (1) Except as provided in sub. (2), the person who receives the greatest number of votes for an office on a party ballot at any partisan primary, regardless of whether the person’s name appears on the ballot, shall be the party’s candidate for the office, and the person’s name shall so appear on the official ballot at the next election.

8.16(2) (2) A person who receives only write-in votes shall not appear on the ballot as the candidate of a recognized political party for an office whenever no candidate’s name appears on the ballot for that office unless the person receives at least 5 percent of the vote cast in the jurisdiction or district for the party’s gubernatorial candidate at the last general election or the number of votes equivalent to the minimum number of signatures required on nomination papers for that office under s. 8.15 (6), whichever is greater, and unless:

8.16(2)(a) (a) The person files a declaration of candidacy under s. 8.21 no later than 5 p.m. on the 3rd day after notification of nomination is mailed or personally delivered to the person by the filing officer or agency for the office sought;

8.16(2)(b) (b) If the person is a candidate for state office, the person files a statement of economic interests under s. 19.43 (4), no later than 4:30 p.m. on the 3rd day after notification of nomination is mailed or personally delivered to the person by the commission; and

8.16(2)(c) (c) If the person is a candidate for state or local office, the person files a registration statement under s. 11.0202 (1) (a).

8.16(2m) (2m) Independent candidates may not be nominated by write-in votes but shall file nomination papers under s. 8.20.

8.16(3) (3) Where the boundaries of a district in which the candidate of a political party seeks office have been changed since the most recent gubernatorial election such that it is not possible to calculate the exact percentage of write-in votes, under sub. (2), which are needed by that candidate to become the nominee of the party, the number of votes cast for a political party’s nominee for governor at the last general election in each ward or aldermanic district, or each municipality where there are no wards, which is wholly contained within the boundaries of the newly formed district shall be calculated. If a candidate of a political party in a newly formed district does not obtain 5 percent of the number of votes calculated or the number of votes equivalent to the minimum number of signatures required under s. 8.15 (6), whichever is greater, the candidate shall not appear on the ballot as the candidate of that party for the office sought.

8.16(4) (4) A recognized political party which participated in the most recent gubernatorial election but loses its ballot position and subsequently regains such position under s. 5.62 (2) does not cease to be a political party for purposes of qualification under subs. (2) and (3).

8.16(6) (6) The persons who receive the greatest number of votes respectively for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor on any party ballot at a primary shall be the party’s joint candidates for the offices, and their names shall so appear on the official ballot at the next election.

8.16(7) (7) Nominees chosen at a national convention and under s. 8.18 (2) by each party entitled to a partisan primary ballot shall be the party’s candidates for president, vice president and presidential electors. The state or national chairperson of each such party shall certify the names of the party’s nominees for president and vice president to the commission no later than 5 p.m. on the first Tuesday in September preceding a presidential election. Each name shall be in one of the formats authorized in s. 7.08 (2) (a).

8.16 History History: 1975 c. 41, 93, 199; 1977 c. 107, 383, 427, 447; 1983 a. 484; 1985 a. 304; 1987 a. 391; 1989 a. 31; 2011 a. 32, 75; 2015 a. 117; 2015 a. 118 s. 266 (10).

8.16 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also s. EL 6.04, Wis. adm. code.

8.16 Annotation The vote percentage requirement set forth in sub. (2) applies to special partisan primary elections. 61 Atty. Gen. 172.

8.16 Annotation The five percent requirement of sub. (2) does not violate equal protection nor burden the right to associate and cast votes effectively. Blair v. Hebl, 498 F. Supp. 756 (1980).

8.17 8.17 Political party committees.

8.17(1) (1) 

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

8.17(1)(b) (b) Each political party shall elect one committeeman or committeewoman from each election district. In this section, each village, each town and each city is an “election district”; except that in cities having a population of more than 7,500 which are divided into aldermanic districts, each aldermanic district is an “election district”; and in cities having a population of more than 7,500 which are not divided into aldermanic districts and villages or towns having a population of more than 7,500, each ward or group of combined wards under s. 5.15 (6) (b) constituting a polling place on April 15 of the year in which committeemen or committeewomen are elected is an “election district”. To be eligible to serve as its committeeman or committeewoman, an individual shall be, at the time of filing nomination papers or at the time of appointment under this section, a resident of the election district which he or she is chosen to represent and shall be at least 18 years of age.

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

8.17(5) (5) 

8.17(5)(a) (a) The county committee of each political party shall consist of the duly elected committeemen and committeewomen and appointed committeemen and committeewomen residing in the county.

8.17(5)(b) (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 and the county committee offices of chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary and treasurer shall be filled by election by the incumbent committeemen, committeewomen 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. They are required to be party members in good standing. The terms of committeemen and committeewomen, county committee officers and congressional district committee members begin during the meeting immediately upon completion and verification of the voting for each office.

8.17(5)(bm) (bm) A county committee may require that candidates for party committeemen and committeewomen file nomination papers with the county committee prior to the combined meeting under par. (b). The form, content and circulation and filing deadlines of the nomination papers shall be established by the county committee.

8.17(5)(c) (c) The secretary of the county committee shall notify the county clerk in writing of the name and address of the elected county committee chairperson within 10 days of his or her election.

8.17(5)(d) (d) The chairperson of the county committee shall notify the chairperson of the state committee of the names and addresses of the individuals elected as congressional district committee members within 10 days of their election.

8.17(5)(e) (e) Except as authorized in this paragraph, all county committee meetings shall be called by the chairperson of the county committee. The secretary of the county committee shall give at least 7 days’ written notice of each meeting to the committee members. A majority of committee members may, upon petition to the chairperson signed by all of them, demand that the chairperson call a meeting. If after 3 days the chairperson has failed to do so, the demanding members may designate one of them to call and preside at a meeting, also upon at least 7 days’ written notice to all committee members. The member so designated shall provide the notice. Meetings called in either manner have equal standing.

8.17(5)(f) (f) Any of the county committee officers named in par. (b) may be removed from office at any meeting of the committee if at least two-thirds of the committeemen or committeewomen are present; at least 7 days’ written notice of the meeting is given to members of the party in the county; the notice discloses that discussion of the removal of one or more officers is on the agenda; and the notice includes and identifies this paragraph. Any such removal, and subsequent filling of a vacancy, shall be by vote of the committeemen, committeewomen and party members present and voting, each of whom is entitled to one vote.

8.17(5)(g) (g) Any vacancy in any county committee office, except the offices named in par. (b) shall be filled by the county committee, except that the county committee chairperson may temporarily fill any vacancy.

8.17(5)(h) (h) The county committee may appoint a committeeman or committeewoman for any election district in which no one was elected. An appointed committeeman or committeewoman has the same responsibilities and may engage in the same activities as an elected committeeman or committeewoman.

8.17(5)(i) (i) Each committee and its officers shall have the powers usually exercised by committees and their officers.

8.17(6) (6) 

8.17(6)(a) (a) The congressional district committee shall consist of members elected by the county committee or committees under pars. (b) and (c).

8.17(6)(b) (b) For each assembly district lying wholly within one county, the county committee shall elect 2 persons from each assembly district as members of the congressional district committee.

8.17(6)(c) (c) For each assembly district lying partially within one county, the county committee shall elect one person as a member of the congressional district committee, except that the county committee may elect additional members so that the county has at least 2 members on the committee of each congressional district in which it lies.

8.17(6)(d) (d) County committees may elect alternate members to congressional district committees on the same basis and in the same numbers as they are entitled to elect under pars. (b) and (c).

8.17(6)(e) (e) At least once every year, the chairperson of the congressional district committee shall call, with at least 30 days’ notice in writing to the chairperson of the county committee, or committees lying within the district, for a caucus of members of the party in the district. Committee offices of chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, and treasurer shall be filled by a caucus in the time and manner prescribed by the constitution of either the district committee or the state committee. Individuals elected to these offices may be, but are not required to be, members of the congressional district committee. The secretary shall provide notice of all meetings of the congressional district committee.

8.17(7) (7) 

8.17(7)(a) (a) Duly elected or appointed committeemen and committeewomen residing in any political subdivision or assembly district may organize a committee for their area upon presenting a petition therefor to the congressional district committee, which petition shall be signed by at least 25 percent of the committeemen and committeewomen who reside in that same area. Upon filing such a petition:

8.17(7)(a)1. 1. The chairperson of the congressional district committee shall call the first meeting within 10 days of delivery of the petition.

8.17(7)(a)2. 2. The secretary of the congressional district committee shall give at least 5 days’ advance written notice of the meeting to all committeemen, committeewomen and party members residing in the area of the new committee.

8.17(7)(a)3. 3. Committee offices of chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary and treasurer shall be filled by election in the same manner as that provided for the county committee, and may be filled by individuals who are not committeemen or committeewomen.

8.17(7)(a)4. 4. Additional meetings may be called in the same manner as that provided for the county committee under sub. (5) (e).

8.17(7)(a)5. 5. Holders of committee offices may be removed and subsequent vacancies filled in the same manner as that provided for the county committee under sub. (5) (f).

8.17(7)(a)6. 6. Committeemen and committeewomen who are members of committees organized in any political subdivision or assembly district retain their status as members of the county committee.

8.17(7)(b) (b) Assembly district committees shall also include as members those individuals elected by the county committee under sub. (6) as members of the congressional district committee.

8.17(8) (8) 

8.17(8)(a) (a) The congressional district committee shall elect at least 2 individuals to become members of the state committee. Those elected may be, but are not required to be, members of the district committee.

8.17(8)(b) (b) The state committee may consist solely of members elected under par. (a) or may consist of those members and as many other members called for and chosen in the manner prescribed in the constitution of the state committee.

8.17(9) (9) 

8.17(9)(a) (a) If a county has no committee as provided by sub. (5) (a), residents of that county may voluntarily form a committee, which, upon approval of the state committee and certification by the secretary of the state committee to the commission and the county clerk or board of election commissioners, shall then become the county committee with equal standing as if it had been organized under sub. (5) (a). This standing shall remain unless and until a committee is organized under sub. (5) (a).

8.17(9)(b) (b) Members of a committee organized under par. (a) are not, and shall not be known as, committeemen and committeewomen.

8.17(10) (10) Committeemen and committeewomen who are members in good standing of their county parties, by virtue of their offices, shall be granted credentials for participation in any caucus or convention called by their congressional district committees or the state committee, and those credentials shall be distributed at least 21 days in advance of the meeting by the secretary of the committee calling the caucus or convention.

8.17(11) (11) The names of the committees shall be that of the identifying name followed by Party of ...., the blank to be filled with the name of the county, congressional district, or other geographic areas.

8.17(12) (12) The secretary of the state committee of each recognized political party under s. 5.62 (1) (b) or (2) shall notify the commission in writing of the name and address of the elected state committee chairperson within 10 days of his or her election.

8.17 History History: 1971 c. 304 s. 29 (1), (2); 1971 c. 336; 1973 c. 334; 1979 c. 260, 311, 355; 1981 c. 116; 1983 a. 484, 549; 1985 a. 131, 304; 1987 a. 391; 1991 a. 316; 1993 a. 184; 1999 a. 182; 2003 a. 265; 2011 a. 75; 2015 a. 118 ss. 100, 266 (10).

8.18 8.18 Nomination of presidential electors.

8.18(1) (1) Candidates for the senate and assembly nominated by each political party at the primary, the state officers and the holdover state senators of each political party shall meet in the state capitol at 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday in October of each year in which there is a presidential election.

8.18(2) (2) The purpose of the convention is to nominate one presidential elector from each congressional district and 2 electors from the state at large. The names of the nominees shall be certified immediately by the chairperson of the state committee of each party to the chairperson of the commission.

8.18 History History: 1973 c. 334; 1975 c. 93; 1977 c. 427; 1993 a. 184; 2007 a. 1; 2015 a. 118 s. 266 (10).

8.185 8.185 Write-in candidates for president and vice president.

8.185(1) (1) The names of candidates for president and vice president may be written in, in the place provided, on the general ballot at the general election for choosing the president and vice president of the United States. Write-in votes shall be listed as scattering unless the person whose name is written in has a list of presidential electors on file with the commission in accordance with this section or unless the person whose name is written in has received more than 10 percent of the total vote cast in the ward, or in the municipality if not divided into wards.

8.185(2) (2) Any candidates for the office of president and vice president of the United States as write-in candidates shall file a list of presidential electors and a declaration of candidacy in the manner prescribed in s. 8.21 with the commission no later than 4:30 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday preceding the day of the general election to choose the president and vice president of the United States. The list shall contain one presidential elector from each congressional district and 2 electors from the state at large and the names of the candidates for president and vice president for whom they intend to vote, if elected. Compliance with this subsection may be waived by the commission but only if the results of the general election indicate that a write-in candidate for the office of president is eligible to receive the electoral votes of this state except for noncompliance with this subsection. In such event, the write-in candidate shall have until 4:30 p.m. on the Friday following the general election to comply with the filing requirements of this subsection.

8.185(3) (3) If more than one list of presidential electors is filed with the commission by any write-in candidates for the offices of president and vice president of the United States, the first list filed shall be considered the valid list, provided that this list meets the additional requirements of this section.

8.185(4) (4) Write-in votes for president and vice president shall be counted as provided in s. 7.50 (2) (i).

8.185 History History: 1971 c. 304 s. 29 (2); 1973 c. 334 s. 57; 1977 c. 427; 1981 c. 377 ss. 21 to 23; 1983 a. 484; 2015 a. 118 s. 266 (10); 2017 a. 366.

8.185 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also s. EL 6.04, Wis. adm. code.

8.19 8.19 Party name.

8.19(1) (1) The state committee of any party polling less than 75,000 presidential votes in this state in the last election may change the name of the party. The new name may not duplicate that of an existing national party. A certificate of approval by the party’s national committee which has been certified by the national committee secretary, the state committee chairperson and the state committee secretary shall be filed with the commission.

8.19(2) (2) The new name shall take effect upon certification.

8.19(3) (3) Every political party entitled, under s. 5.62, to have its candidates on the partisan primary and general election ballots has exclusive right to the use of the name designating it at any election involving political parties. The commission shall not certify nor the county clerk print the name of any person whose nomination papers indicate a party name comprising a combination of existing party names, qualifying words, phrases, prefixes or suffixes in connection with any existing party name.

8.19 History History: 1973 c. 334 s. 57; 1975 c. 93; 1993 a. 184; 2011 a. 75; 2015 a. 118 s. 266 (10).

8.19 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also s. EL 6.04, Wis. adm. code.

8.20 8.20 Nomination of independent candidates.

8.20(1) (1) Independent nominations may be made for any office to be voted for at any general or partisan special election.

8.20(2) (2) 

8.20(2)(a) (a) Nomination is by nomination papers. Each nomination paper shall have substantially the following words printed at the top:

I, the undersigned, request that the name of (insert candidate’s last name plus first name, nickname or initial, and middle name, former legal surname, nickname or middle initial or initials if desired, but no other abbreviations or titles), residing at (insert candidate’s street address) be placed on the ballot at the (general or special) election to be held on (date of election) as a candidate [(representing the (name of party)) or (representing the principle(s) of (statement of principles))] so that voters will have the opportunity to vote for (him or her) for the office of (name of office). I am eligible to vote in the (name of jurisdiction or district in which candidate seeks office). I have not signed the nomination paper of any other candidate for the same office at this election.