Under current law, municipalities may enter into an agreement to establish a
joint municipal court. In such cases, candidates for municipal judge file nomination
papers with the elections board and their elections are certified by the board of state
canvassers.

This bill requires those candidates to file nomination papers with the county
clerk or board of election commissioners of the county having the largest population
in the jurisdiction served by the judge and their elections to be certified by the board
of canvassers of that county.
Consolidated ballots
Under current law, if a municipality utilizes paper ballots at an election, it must
provide separate ballots for certain offices or combinations of offices specified by law
and separate ballots for referenda. The ballots are then distributed only to those
groups of electors who are eligible to vote in the elections to which they pertain.
This bill authorizes a municipality, with the consent of the county clerk or board
of election commissioners of each county in which there is located any portion of the
municipality, to substitute for paper ballots a single consolidated paper ballot or a
ballot that is prepared for utilization with an electronic voting system. With the
consolidated ballot, all of the offices and referenda appear on the same ballot. The
bill provides that a consolidated paper ballot or ballot that is prepared to be used with
an electronic voting system may be distributed only to electors who are eligible to
vote for all of the offices and in all of the referenda appearing on the ballot.
Filing of referendum questions
Generally, under current law, notice of referenda questions that will appear on
an election ballot must be published by the appropriate county or municipal clerk or
other appropriate election official or agency prior to the election at which they will
appear. However, the statutes do not provide a specific time by which the questions
must be provided to the official or agency.
This bill requires that, unless otherwise required by current law, all referenda
questions that will appear on an election ballot, and all petitions seeking to have
questions submitted to a vote of the people, be submitted to the official or agency
responsible for the preparation of the ballots no later than six weeks prior to the
election at which the questions will appear. If, under current law, a referendum may
be held sooner than six weeks after the filing of a petition or the passage of a
resolution calling for that referendum, this bill extends the time period before which
the referendum may be held to not less than six weeks.
Ballot design requirements
Current law sets forth numerous, specific ballot design requirements for use in
elections, including spring primary ballots, spring election ballots, September
primary ballots, general election ballots and special referenda ballots.
This bill deletes these specific requirements. Instead, the bill requires that,
unless otherwise provided by the statutes, all ballots conform with the ballot forms
prescribed by the state elections board.

Appeal of recount determinations to circuit court
Current law permits certain individuals to appeal a recount determination to
circuit court. Under current law, within ten days after an appeal is filed, the
appellant must file a complaint specifying each alleged defect with the recount. All
other parties to the appeal must file an answer within the time ordered by the court.
Currently, whenever an appeal is filed, the court must hold a hearing. However,
there is a conflict in current law concerning the period during which this hearing
must be held. One provision requires the hearing to be held within five days after
the date that the court orders the municipal clerks to transfer the relevant election
materials to the court and another provision requires the hearing to be held within
15 days after the filing of an answer to the appeal.
This bill eliminates this conflict in current law and changes the procedure for
appealing a recount determination. Under the bill, the court must hold a scheduling
conference promptly after an appeal is filed. At the scheduling conference, the court
must adopt procedures that will permit the court to determine the appeal as
expeditiously as possible. The complaint, all answers and any other information
required by the court must be filed within the time ordered by the court. Under the
bill, the hearing on the appeal must be held at the time and place ordered by the
court.
Delivery of recount documents
Under current law, when a petition for recount of an election is filed, the clerk
or body with whom the petition is filed must have copies of the petition delivered to
the candidates affected by the recount. The copies must be delivered by the sheriff
in the manner provided for service of a summons in a civil action.
This bill allows the opportunity for a candidate or an agent designated by the
candidate to accept a copy of the petition personally.
Minutes of recount proceedings
Under current law, a board of canvassers must keep complete minutes of all of
its recount proceedings.
This bill requires a board of canvassers to provide one copy of those minutes to
the state elections board and, in the case of a political party candidate for a state or
national office, to the chief officer of the state committee of that party or, in the case
of a political party candidate for county office, to the chief officer of the county
committee of that party.
Payment of polling place rental charges
Currently, if a municipality establishes a polling place at a location where a fee
is charged, the municipality must pay the charge, except at certain special elections
called by school districts.
This bill provides that the municipality pays the charge at all regular primaries
and elections, but, if another local governmental unit calls a special election that is

not held concurrently with a regular election, that governmental unit pays the
charge for the use of that polling place at that special election.
Dates for publication of certain notices
Currently, each county clerk must publish a notice of all national and state
offices to be voted on at the September primary and general election. Similarly, each
school district clerk must publish a notice of any upcoming school district election.
Under current law, each of these notices may be published after the first day for
circulating nomination papers for the applicable election and office.
This bill requires each of these notices to be published before the first day for
circulating nomination papers.
Appointment of special voting deputies
Under current law, the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners of a
municipality may follow certain procedures to facilitate absentee voting in certain
community-based residential facilities, retirement homes and nursing homes.
Currently, under these procedures, the municipal clerk or the board of election
commissioners must appoint special voting deputies to visit certain of these facilities
and homes to supervise absentee voting by the occupants. In municipalities other
than cities over 500,000 population, current law conflicts as to whether these
appointments are made by the municipal clerk, or by the municipal governing body
from nominations submitted by party committeemen or committeewomen.
This bill provides that in these municipalities, special voting deputies are
appointed solely by the municipal clerk, without nominations.
Composition of county boards of canvassers
Under current law, the county board of canvassers is composed of the county
clerk and two qualified electors of the county appointed by the clerk. If the county
clerk's office is vacant, if the clerk cannot perform his or her duties or if the clerk is
a candidate for an office to be canvassed by the board, the county executive or the
chairperson of the county board of supervisors, if there is no executive, must
designate another qualified elector of the county to perform the clerk's duties. Also
under current law, every county clerk is required to appoint one or more deputies.
This bill provides that, if a county clerk's office is vacant, if the clerk cannot
perform his or her duties or if the clerk is a candidate at an election being canvassed,
the county clerk shall designate a deputy clerk to perform his or her duties. Under
the bill, if the county clerk and the designated deputy clerk are both unable to
perform their duties, the county executive or chairperson of the county board of
supervisors designates another qualified elector to serve, as currently provided.
Temporary vacancies on certain boards of canvassers
Current law requires election results to be canvassed and recounts to be
conducted by a board of canvassers. Depending upon the type and location of a
particular election, the applicable board of canvassers may be a municipal board of

canvassers, school district board of canvassers or county board of canvassers. In
addition, in cities and counties of more than 500,000 population (currently, only the
city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County), the municipal board of election
commissioners and county board of election commissioners, respectively, serve as the
boards of canvassers. With limited exceptions, current law requires the municipal
clerk to appoint a member to fill any temporary vacancy on a municipal board of
canvassers. Similarly, the county clerk must appoint a member to serve if a member
other than the clerk cannot serve on a county board of canvassers. Furthermore, in
cities having a population of more than 500,000, current law requires the executive
director of the municipal board of election commissioners to serve as a member of the
board of canvassers to fill any temporary vacancy. Current law does not specify a
procedure for filling a vacancy on a county board of canvassers in counties of more
than 500,000 or on a school district board of canvassers.
This bill requires the executive director of a county board of election
commissioners to serve as a member of the county board of canvassers to fill any
temporary vacancy. In addition, the bill requires the school district clerk to appoint
a member to fill any temporary vacancy on the school district board of canvassers.
IV. Campaign financing
Enforcement of campaign finance law by Milwaukee County board of
election commissioners
Under current law, the state elections board is authorized to investigate,
subpoena records and commence and settle civil actions requiring the payment of
civil forfeitures for violations of the campaign finance law.
This bill grants the same authority to the county board of election
commissioners, which must be established in any county with a population of more
than 500,000 (currently, only Milwaukee County), with respect to campaign finance
reports and statements for county offices and referenda.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB700-engrossed, s. 1 1Section 1. 5.01 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,12,22 5.01 (4) (a) If 2 or more candidates for the same office receive the greatest, but
3an equal number of votes, the winner shall be chosen by lot in the presence of the
4board of canvassers charged with the responsibility to determine the election, except
5as provided in s. 8.17 (4) (b),
or in the case of an election for state or national office
6or municipal judge, if the judge is elected under s. 755.01 (4), or metropolitan

1sewerage commissioner, if the commissioner is elected under s. 66.23 (11) (am), in the
2presence of the chairperson of the board or the chairperson's designee.
AB700-engrossed, s. 2 3Section 2. 5.05 (1) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,12,124 5.05 (1) (e) Delegate to its executive director the authority to issue a subpoena
5under par. (b), apply for a search warrant under par. (b), commence an action under
6par. (d), intervene in an action or proceeding under sub. (9), issue an order under s.
75.06, exempt a polling place from accessibility requirements under s. 5.25 (4) (a),
8exempt a municipality from the requirement to use voting machines or an electronic
9voting system under s. 5.40 (5m), approve an electronic data recording system for
10maintaining poll lists under s. 6.79,
or authorize nonappointment of an individual
11who is nominated to serve as an election official under s. 7.30 (4) (e), subject to such
12limitations as the board deems appropriate.
AB700-engrossed, s. 3 13Section 3. 5.15 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,13,1114 5.15 (6) (b) No later than 60 days before each September primary and general
15election, and no later than 30 days before each other election the governing body of
16any municipality may by resolution combine 2 or more wards for voting purposes to
17facilitate using a common polling place. Whenever wards are so combined, the
18original ward numbers shall continue to be utilized for all official purposes. Except
19as otherwise authorized under this paragraph, every municipality having a
20population of 50,000 or more, or 35,000 or more after June 1, 1996, shall maintain
21separate returns for each ward so combined. In municipalities having a population
22of less than 50,000, or less than 35,000 after June 1, 1996, the governing body may
23provide in the resolution that returns shall be maintained only for each group of
24combined wards at any election. In municipalities having a population as shown in
25the 1990 federal decennial census of at least 87,000 but not more than 150,000, the

1governing body may provide in a resolution adopted prior to June 1, 1996 that groups
2of not more than 2 wards shall use common ballot boxes and ballots or voting
3machines and that returns shall be maintained only for each group of combined
4wards at any election held prior to June 1, 1996.
Whenever a governing body
5provides for common ballot boxes and ballots or voting machines, separate returns
6shall be maintained for each separate ballot required under ss. 5.62 and 5.64 at the
7September primary and general election. The municipal clerk shall transmit a copy
8of the resolution to the county clerk of each county in which the municipality is
9contained. In municipalities having a population of less than 50,000 , or less than
1035,000 after June 1, 1996
, the resolution shall remain in effect for each election until
11modified or rescinded, or until a new division is made under this section.
AB700-engrossed, s. 4 12Section 4. 5.25 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,13,1813 5.25 (1) All elections under chs. 5 to 12 shall be held at the polling places
14provided in this section. So far as practicable, the The places chosen shall be public
15buildings, unless the use of a public building for this purpose is impracticable or the
16use of a nonpublic building better serves the needs of the electorate, as determined
17by the authority charged with the responsibility for establishing polling places under
18sub. (2)
.
AB700-engrossed, s. 5 19Section 5. 5.25 (4) (b) of the statutes is repealed.
AB700-engrossed, s. 6 20Section 6. 5.25 (4) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
AB700-engrossed,13,2521 5.25 (4) (d) No later than June 30 of each odd-numbered year, the board shall
22submit a report on impediments to voting faced by elderly and handicapped
23individuals to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172
24(3). In preparing its report under this paragraph, the board shall consult with
25appropriate advocacy groups representing the elderly and handicapped populations.
AB700-engrossed, s. 7
1Section 7. 5.35 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,14,82 5.35 (4) Layout; organization. All voting booths and machines shall be placed
3apart from other activities in the polling place, with their exteriors in full view of the
4election officials. Only the proper election officials, observers persons observing the
5proceedings under s. 7.41
, persons assisting voters under s. 6.82 (2) and electors
6receiving, preparing or depositing their ballots or casting their votes on the machines
7are permitted in the voting area. Except where assistance is authorized, only one
8elector at a time is permitted in a voting booth or machine.
AB700-engrossed, s. 8 9Section 8. 5.35 (6) (a) 4. of the statutes is repealed.
AB700-engrossed, s. 9 10Section 9. 5.35 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,14,2211 5.35 (6) (b) At each polling place in the state where a consolidated ballot under
12s. 5.655 is used or
an electronic voting system is utilized at a partisan primary
13election incorporating a ballot upon which electors may mark or punch votes for
14candidates of more than one recognized political party or for candidates of a
15recognized political party and independent candidates, the municipal clerk or board
16of election commissioners shall prominently post a sign in the form prescribed by the
17board warning electors in substance that on any ballot with votes cast for candidates
18of more than one recognized political party or any ballot with votes cast for
19candidates of a recognized political party and independent candidates, no votes cast
20for any candidates for partisan office will be counted unless a preference for a party
21or for the independent candidates is made. If the elector designates a preference,
22only votes cast for candidates of that preference will be counted.
AB700-engrossed, s. 10 23Section 10. 5.37 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,15,224 5.37 (3) For presidential electors one device shall be provided to vote for all of
25one party's electoral candidates at the same time. The device shall be opposite or

1adjacent to the ballot containing the names of the party's candidates for president
2and vice president.
AB700-engrossed, s. 11 3Section 11. 5.51 (8) of the statutes is created to read:
AB700-engrossed,15,54 5.51 (8) Unless otherwise specifically provided, the form of all ballots shall
5conform to the ballot forms prescribed by the board under s. 7.08 (1) (a).
AB700-engrossed, s. 12 6Section 12. 5.53 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,15,107 5.53 (2) Where the provisions require separate ballots are provided for, the
8names or questions shall be placed in separate columns or rows upon the machines
9so they are voted on separately, except as otherwise provided for referenda under s.
105.64 (2) (c).
AB700-engrossed, s. 13 11Section 13. 5.55 (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 5.55 and amended to
12read:
AB700-engrossed,15,24 135.55 Ballot identification. On every ballot, except a ballot label or voting
14machine ballot, shall be printed "Official .... Ballot" or "Official .... Ballot for ...."
15followed by the designation of the polling place for which the ballot has been
16prepared, the date of the election, and the official endorsement and blank
17certificates. The number of the ward or wards or aldermanic district, if any, and the
18name of the municipality may be omitted in printing and stamped or written on the
19ballots at any location which is clearly visible at the option of the county clerk.
20Printed information and initials shall appear on the back and outside of the ballot.
21When a ballot card is employed with an electronic voting system, the date of the
22election may be printed or stamped on the back of the ballot card in such a manner
23that the card is not reusable, at the option of the county clerk. Each ballot shall be
24prepared in substantially the following form:
AB700-engrossed, s. 14 25Section 14. 5.55 (form) of the statutes is repealed.
AB700-engrossed, s. 15
1Section 15. 5.58 (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,16,7 25.58 Spring primary ballots. (intro.) At spring primary elections the
3following ballots, when necessary, shall be provided for each ward , except as
4authorized in s. 5.655
. Only nonpartisan candidates nominated for office by
5nomination papers shall have their names placed on the official spring primary
6ballot under the proper office designation, but the ballots shall allow room for
7write-in candidates.
AB700-engrossed, s. 16 8Section 16. 5.58 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,16,109 5.58 (1) Municipal; county supervisor ballots. (intro.) There shall be
10separate ballots for municipal and county primaries, except as authorized in s. 5.655.
AB700-engrossed, s. 17 11Section 17. 5.58 (1c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,16,1712 5.58 (1c) Municipal judge. There shall be a separate ballot for municipal
13judges if they are elected under s. 755.01 (4), except as authorized in s. 5.655.
14Arrangement of the names on the ballot shall be determined by the board. The ballot
15shall be entitled "Official Primary Ballot for Municipal Judge"
county clerk or the
16executive director of the county board of election commissioners of the county having
17the largest portion of the population in the jurisdiction served by the judge
.
AB700-engrossed, s. 18 18Section 18. 5.58 (1g) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,16,2019 5.58 (1g) (a) There shall be a separate ballot for school district officers when
20so required, except as authorized in s. 5.655.
AB700-engrossed, s. 19 21Section 19. 5.58 (1g) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB700-engrossed,17,222 5.58 (1g) (b) In 1st class cities, the names of the candidates for the seat of the
23member elected at-large to the board of school directors shall be placed on the official
24city primary ballot and, except as authorized in s. 5.655, there shall be a separate
25ballot giving the names of the candidates for any seat to be filled on the board of

1school directors from any election district. All names of candidates for the at-large
2seat shall be placed in one or more separate columns or rows on the ballot.
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