LRB-2247/1
JTK:wlj:rs
2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE
March 20, 2003 - Introduced by Senators Wirch and Kedzie, cosponsored by
Representatives Kerkman, Bies, Coggs, Huber, Ladwig, J. Lehman, M.
Lehman, Miller, Musser, Olsen, Seratti, Staskunas, Stone, Travis
and
Vrakas. Referred to Committee on Education, Ethics and Elections.
SB81,1,2 1An Act to amend 7.30 (2) (a) and (b) of the statutes; relating to: residency of
2certain election officials.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Currently, election officials must be electors of the municipality in which the
officials serve. In addition, election officials who serve at a polling place are generally
required to be a qualified elector of the ward for which the polling place is
established, whenever a municipality is divided into wards. However, special voter
registration deputies who register electors at a polling place on election day, election
officials who are appointed to work at a polling place that serves more than one ward,
election officials who are reassigned by a municipal clerk or board of election
commissioners to correct staffing deficiencies, or election officials who are appointed
to fill a temporary or permanent vacancy need not be electors of any particular ward
but they must be electors of the municipality in which the election officials serve.
Officials who are appointed to work at a polling place that serves more than one ward
must be electors at one of the wards served by the polling place.
This bill provides that if a municipal clerk or executive director of a municipal
board of election commissioners, or a deputy appointed by a municipal clerk or
executive director, serves as a special voter registration deputy to register electors
at a polling place on election day or is appointed to fill a temporary or permanent
vacancy in an inspector (poll worker) position, the clerk, director or deputy need not

be an elector of the municipality in which he or she serves, but must be a qualified
elector of this state.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB81, s. 1 1Section 1. 7.30 (2) (a) and (b) of the statutes are amended to read:
SB81,3,32 7.30 (2) (a) Only election officials appointed under this section may conduct an
3election. Except as authorized in otherwise provided in this paragraph and in s. 7.15
4(1) (k), each inspector election official shall be a qualified elector of the ward or wards,
5or the election district, for which the polling place is established. Special A special
6registration deputies deputy who is appointed under s. 6.55 (6) and or an election
7officials who are official who is appointed to fill a vacancy under par. (b) need not be
8a resident of the ward or wards, or the election district, but shall be a resident of the
9municipality, except that if a municipal clerk or deputy clerk serves as a registration
10deputy or is appointed to fill a vacancy under par. (b), the clerk or deputy clerk need
11not be a resident of the municipality, but shall be a resident of the state
. Special
12registration deputies may be appointed to serve more than one polling place. All
13officials shall be able to read and write the English language, be capable, and be of
14good understanding, and may not be a candidate for any office to be voted for at an
15election at which they serve. In 1st class cities, they may hold no public office other
16than notary public. Except as authorized under sub. (4) (c), all inspectors shall be
17affiliated with one of the 2 recognized political parties which received the largest
18number of votes for president, or governor in nonpresidential general election years,
19in the ward or combination of wards served by the polling place at the last election.
20The party which received the largest number of votes is entitled to one more inspector
21than the party receiving the next largest number of votes at each polling place. The

1same election officials may serve the electors of more than one ward where wards are
2combined under s. 5.15 (6) (b). If a municipality is not divided into wards, the ward
3requirements in this paragraph apply to the municipality at large.
SB81,3,164 (b) When a vacancy occurs, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the
5municipal clerk. The vacancy shall be filled from the remaining names on the lists
6submitted under sub. (4) or from additional names submitted by the chairperson of
7the county party committee of the appropriate party under sub. (4) whenever names
8are submitted under sub. (4) (d). If the vacancy is due to candidacy, sickness or any
9other temporary cause, the appointment shall be a temporary appointment and
10effective only for the election at which the temporary vacancy occurs. The same
11qualifications that applied to original appointees shall be required of persons who fill
12vacancies. Vacancies, except that a vacancy may be filled in cases of emergency or
13because of time limitations by a person from who resides in another aldermanic
14district or ward within the municipality, and if a municipal clerk or deputy clerk fills
15the vacancy, the clerk or deputy may serve without regard to the clerk's or deputy's
16municipality of residence, if the clerk or deputy meets the other qualifications
.
SB81,3,1717 (End)
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