AB126: Bill Text

AB126,7,21 (11) Aids to counties and municipalities. From the appropriations under s. 20.510 (1) 20.575 (2) (t) and (x), the board division may provide financial assistance to eligible counties and municipalities for election administration costs in accordance with the plan adopted under sub. (10). As a condition precedent to receipt of assistance under this subsection, the board division shall enter into an agreement with the county or municipality receiving the assistance specifying the intended use of the assistance and shall ensure compliance with the terms of the agreement. Each agreement shall provide that if the federal government objects to the use of any assistance moneys provided to the county or municipality under the agreement, the county or municipality shall repay the amount of the assistance provided to the board division.

AB126,8,2 (12) Voter education. The board division may conduct or prescribe requirements for educational programs to inform electors about voting procedures, voting rights, and voting technology. The board division shall conduct an educational program for the purpose of educating electors who cast paper ballots, ballots that are counted at a central counting location, and absentee ballots of the effect of casting excess votes for a single office.

AB126,8,7 (13) Toll-free election information exchange. (a) The board division shall maintain one or more toll-free telephone lines for electors to report possible voting fraud and voting rights violations, to obtain general election information, and to access information concerning their registration status, current polling place locations, and other information relevant to voting in elections.

AB126,8,11 (b) The board division may maintain a free access system under which an elector who votes under s. 6.96 or 6.97 may ascertain current information concerning whether the elector's vote has been counted, and, if the vote will not be counted, the reason that it will not be counted.

AB126,8,15 (14) Information from county and municipal clerks. The board division may request information from county and municipal clerks relating to election administration, performance of electronic voting systems and voting machines, and use of paper ballots in elections.

AB126,8,20 (15) Registration list. The board division is responsible for the design and maintenance of the official registration list under s. 6.36. The board division shall require all municipalities to use the list in every election and may require any municipality to adhere to procedures established by the board division for proper maintenance of the list.

AB126, s. 5 Section 5. 5.055 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,9,10 5.055 Election assistance commission standards board. The executive director of the board administrator shall, in consultation with the board, appoint an individual to represent this state as a member of the federal election assistance commission standards board. The executive director administrator shall also conduct and supervise a process for the selection of an election official by county and municipal clerks and boards of election commissioners to represent local election officials of this state as a member of the federal election assistance commission standards board. The executive director administrator shall ensure that the members of the federal election assistance commission standards board representing this state shall at no time be members of the same political party. Upon appointment or election of any new member of the federal election assistance commission standards board representing this state, the executive director administrator shall transmit a notice of that member's appointment or election to the officer or agency designated by federal law.

AB126, s. 6 Section 6. 5.056 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,9,17 5.056 Matching program with secretary of transportation. The executive director of the board administrator shall enter into the agreement with the secretary of transportation specified under s. 85.61 (1) to match personally identifiable information on the official registration list maintained by the board division under s. 6.36 (1) with personally identifiable information maintained by the department of transportation.

AB126, s. 7 Section 7. 5.06 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,9,25 5.06 (1) Whenever any elector of a jurisdiction or district served by an election official believes that a decision or action of the official or the failure of the official to act with respect to any matter concerning nominations, qualifications of candidates, voting qualifications, including residence, ward division and numbering, recall, ballot preparation, election administration or conduct of elections is contrary to law, or the official has abused the discretion vested in him or her by law with respect to any such matter, the elector may file a written sworn complaint with the board division requesting that the official be required to conform his or her conduct to the law, be restrained from taking any action inconsistent with the law or be required to correct any action or decision inconsistent with the law or any abuse of the discretion vested in him or her by law. The complaint shall set forth such facts as are within the knowledge of the complainant to show probable cause to believe that a violation of law or abuse of discretion has occurred or will occur. The complaint may be accompanied by relevant supporting documents. The board division may conduct a hearing on the matter in the manner prescribed for treatment of contested cases under ch. 227 if it believes such action to be appropriate.

AB126, s. 8 Section 8. 5.06 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,10,19 5.06 (2) No person who is authorized to file a complaint under sub. (1), other than the attorney general or a district attorney, may commence an action or proceeding to test the validity of any decision, action or failure to act on the part of any election official with respect to any matter specified in sub. (1) without first filing a complaint under sub. (1), nor prior to disposition of the complaint by the board division. A complaint is deemed disposed of if the board division fails to transmit an acknowledgment of receipt of the complaint within 5 business days from the date of its receipt or if the board division concludes its investigation without a formal decision.

AB126, s. 9 Section 9. 5.06 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,11,2 5.06 (4) The board division may, on its own motion, investigate and determine whether any election official, with respect to any matter concerning nominations, qualifications of candidates, voting qualifications, including residence, ward division and numbering, recall, ballot preparation, election administration or conduct of elections, has failed to comply with the law or abused the discretion vested in him or her by law or proposes to do so.

AB126, s. 10 Section 10. 5.06 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,11,9 5.06 (5) Upon receipt of a complaint under sub. (1), or upon its own motion, the board division may order any election official to immediately transfer to its possession any original documents in the custody of the official which the board division finds to be necessary and relevant to permit review of compliance with the laws concerning nominations, qualifications of candidates, ward division and numbering, recall or ballot preparation or the proper administration of such laws.

AB126, s. 11 Section 11. 5.06 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,11,17 5.06 (6) The board division may, after such investigation as it deems appropriate, summarily decide the matter before it and, by order, require any election official to conform his or her conduct to the law, restrain an official from taking any action inconsistent with the law or require an official to correct any action or decision inconsistent with the law. The board division shall immediately transmit a copy of the order to the official. An order issued under this subsection is effective immediately or at such later time as may be specified in the order.

AB126, s. 12 Section 12. 5.06 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,11,20 5.06 (7) The board division may withdraw, modify or correct an order issued under sub. (6) within a timely period if it finds such action to be appropriate.

AB126, s. 13 Section 13. 5.06 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,12,2 5.06 (8) Any election official or complainant who is aggrieved by an order issued under sub. (6) may appeal the decision of the board division to circuit court for the county where the official conducts business or the complainant resides no later than 30 days after issuance of the order. Pendency of an appeal does not stay the effect of an order unless the court so orders.

AB126, s. 14 Section 14. 5.06 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,12,12 5.06 (9) The court may not conduct a de novo proceeding with respect to any findings of fact or factual matters upon which the board division has made a determination, or could have made a determination if the parties had properly presented the disputed matters to the board division for its consideration. The court shall summarily hear and determine all contested issues of law and shall affirm, reverse or modify the determination of the board division, according due weight to the experience, technical competence and specialized knowledge of the board division, pursuant to the applicable standards for review of agency decisions under s. 227.57.

AB126, s. 15 Section 15. 5.061 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,12,17 5.061 Compliance with federal Help America Vote Act. (1) Whenever any person believes that a violation of Title III of P.L. 107-252 has occurred, is occurring, or is proposed to occur with respect to an election for national office in this state, that person may file a written, verified complaint with the board division.

AB126,12,20 (2) If the board division receives more than one complaint under sub. (1) relating to the same subject matter, the board division may consolidate the complaints for purposes of this section.

AB126,13,2 (3) A complainant under sub. (1) or any of the complainants in a consolidated complaint under sub. (2) may request a hearing and the matter shall then be treated as a contested case under ch. 227, except that the board division shall make a final determination with respect to the merits of the complaint and issue a decision within 89 days of the time that the complaint or the earliest of any complaints was filed, unless the complainant, or each of any complainants whose complaints are consolidated, consents to a specified longer period.

AB126,13,8 (4) If the board division finds the complaint to be without merit, it shall issue a decision dismissing the complaint. If the board division finds that the violation alleged in the complaint has occurred, is occurring, or is proposed to occur, the board division shall order appropriate relief, except that the board division shall not issue any order under this subsection affecting the right of any person to hold an elective office or affecting the canvass of an election on or after the date of that election.

AB126, s. 16 Section 16. 5.09 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,13,16 5.09 Certification of documents. Whenever the board division is authorized or required to make a certification of any document in the its custody of the board, and the authority to make the certification is lawfully delegated to the executive director, the executive director administrator may, personally or through an employee authorized by the director administrator, affix his or her signature by means of a stamp, machine impression, reproduction print or similar process. This section does not apply to certificates of election.

AB126, s. 17 Section 17. 5.25 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,13,23 5.25 (4) (a) Each polling place shall be accessible to all individuals with disabilities. The board division shall ensure that the voting system used at each polling place will permit all individuals with disabilities to vote without the need for assistance and with the same degree of privacy that is accorded to nondisabled electors voting at the same polling place. This paragraph does not apply to any individual who is disqualified from voting under s. 6.03 (1) (a).

AB126,14,2 (b) In any jurisdiction that is subject to the requirement under 42 USC 1973aa-1a to provide voting materials in any language other than English, the board division shall ensure that the voting system used at each polling place in that jurisdiction is in compliance with 42 USC 1973aa-1a.

AB126,14,8 (d) No later than June 30 of each odd-numbered year, the board division shall submit a report on impediments to voting faced by elderly and handicapped individuals to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3). In preparing its report under this paragraph, the board division shall consult with appropriate advocacy groups representing the elderly and handicapped populations.

AB126, s. 18 Section 18. 5.35 (6) (a) 2m. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,14,11 5.35 (6) (a) 2m. General information prescribed by the board division on federal laws relating to election fraud and misrepresentation in federal elections.

AB126, s. 19 Section 19. 5.35 (6) (a) 4a. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,14,14 5.35 (6) (a) 4a. Instructions prescribed by the board division for electors for whom proof of residence under s. 6.34 is required under s. 6.55 (2).

AB126, s. 20 Section 20. 5.35 (6) (a) 4b. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,14,18 5.35 (6) (a) 4b. General information prescribed by the board division concerning voting rights under applicable state and federal laws, including the method of redress for any alleged violations of those rights.

AB126, s. 21 Section 21. 5.35 (6) (a) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,14,21 5.35 (6) (a) 5. Any other voting information directed to be posted by the board division.

AB126, s. 22 Section 22. 5.35 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,15,9 5.35 (6) (b) At each polling place in the state where a consolidated ballot under s. 5.655 is used or an electronic voting system is utilized at a partisan primary election incorporating a ballot upon which electors may mark votes for candidates of more than one recognized political party or for candidates of a recognized political party and independent candidates, the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners shall prominently post a sign in the form prescribed by the board division warning electors in substance that on any ballot with votes cast for candidates of more than one recognized political party or any ballot with votes cast for candidates of a recognized political party and independent candidates, no votes cast for any candidates for partisan office will be counted unless a preference for a party or for the independent candidates is made. If the elector designates a preference, only votes cast for candidates of that preference will be counted.

AB126, s. 23 Section 23. 5.40 (5m) and (7) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB126,15,14 5.40 (5m) Notwithstanding sub. (1), the governing body of a municipality which uses voting machines or an electronic voting system may petition the board division for permission to use paper ballots and voting booths for a specific election, and the board division may grant such a request.

AB126,15,20 (7) Whenever a municipality adopts and purchases voting machines or an electronic voting system, or adopts and purchases a different type of voting machine or electronic voting system from the type it was previously using, the municipal clerk or executive director of the municipal board of election commissioners shall promptly notify the county clerk or executive director of the county board of election commissioners and the executive director of the elections board division in writing.

AB126, s. 24 Section 24. 5.51 (6) and (8) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB126,15,25 5.51 (6) All candidates' names for the same office shall be placed, projected or composed on the ballot in the same size, style and color of type. The style and size of type shall conform substantially to the official ballot forms prescribed by the board division under s. 7.08 (1) (a).

AB126,16,2 (8) Unless otherwise specifically provided, the form of all ballots shall conform to the ballot forms prescribed by the board division under s. 7.08 (1) (a).

AB126, s. 25 Section 25. 5.58 (1b) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,16,6 5.58 (1b) (bm) For all cities the official spring primary ballot shall be arranged by the municipal clerk, using the same method as that used by the board division under s. 5.60 (1) (b).

AB126, s. 26 Section 26. 5.58 (1b) (cm) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,16,11 5.58 (1b) (cm) Towns and villages holding a primary under s. 8.05 shall arrange the ballot in accordance with the form prescribed by the board division under s. 7.08 (1) (a), which shall be the same form as provided in s. 5.60 (5) and (6), insofar as possible.

AB126, s. 27 Section 27. 5.58 (2), (2m) and (2r) (am) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB126,16,23 5.58 (2) State superintendent of public instruction; judiciary; county executive; and county supervisors. There shall be one separate ballot for state superintendent, judicial officers, county executive under s. 59.17 and county supervisor, except as authorized in s. 5.655. In counties having a population of 500,000 or more, the ballot also shall include those offices under s. 8.11 (2) and (2m). The arrangement of names of candidates for state superintendent, justice, court of appeals judge and circuit court judge shall be determined by the board division in the manner specified in s. 5.60 (1) (b). Arrangement of the names of candidates for county executive and county supervisor shall be determined by the county clerk or by the executive director of the county board of election commissioners in the manner specified in s. 5.60 (1) (b).

AB126,17,4 (2m) Metropolitan sewerage commission. Except as authorized in s. 5.655, there shall be a separate ballot for members of the metropolitan sewerage commission if commissioners are elected under s. 200.09 (11) (am), with candidates for different seats listed in separate columns or rows if more than one seat is contested at any election. Arrangement of the names on the ballot shall be determined by the board division.

AB126,17,13 (2r) (am) Except as authorized in s. 5.655, there shall be a separate ballot for each recognized political party filing a certification under s. 8.12 (1), listing the names of all potential candidates of that party determined under s. 8.12 and affording, in addition, an opportunity to the voter to nominate another potential candidate by write-in vote or to vote for an uninstructed delegation to the party convention. The order of presidential candidates on the ballot shall be determined by lot by or under the supervision of the board division. Each voter shall be given the ballots of all the parties participating in the presidential preference vote, but may vote on one ballot only.

AB126, s. 28 Section 28. 5.60 (1) (b), (3) (ag), (5) (ar) and (6) (a) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB126,18,2 5.60 (1) (b) The board division shall certify the candidates' names and designate the official ballot arrangement for candidates for state superintendent, justice, court of appeals judge, circuit judge and, if commissioners are elected under s. 200.09 (11) (am), the metropolitan sewerage commission. The arrangement of names of all candidates on the ballot whose nomination papers are filed with the board division shall be determined by the board division by the drawing of lots not later than the 2nd Tuesday in January, or the next day if the first Tuesday is a holiday. Whenever a primary is held for an office, a 2nd drawing of all candidates for that office shall be held by or under the supervision of the board division not later than the 3rd day following the completion of the primary canvass to determine the arrangement of candidates on the election ballot.

AB126,18,6 (3) (ag) Except as authorized in s. 5.655, there shall be a separate ballot giving the names of all candidates for city offices, printed in the same form as prescribed by the board division under s. 7.08 (1) (a). City election ballots may vary in form to conform to the law under which an election is held.

AB126,18,10 (5) (ar) The offices to be filled shall be arranged on the official ballot in the order they are named in the statutes creating them. The names of the candidates shall be arranged by using the same method as that used by the board division under sub. (1) (b). Sufficient space shall be left under each office for write-in candidates.

AB126,18,23 (6) (a) Except as authorized in s. 5.655, there shall be a separate ballot giving the names of all candidates for elective town offices in the form prescribed by the board division under s. 7.08 (1) (a). There shall be 2 ballot forms. One ballot form shall be used for the election of supervisors to numbered seats and one ballot form shall be used for the election of supervisors to unnumbered seats. On the ballot used for the election of supervisors to unnumbered seats, all supervisor candidates shall be listed together and the voting instructions shall state "Vote for not more than.... [insert number of supervisors to be elected] candidates". All towns shall elect their supervisors to unnumbered seats unless the annual town meeting adopts a plan to elect supervisors to numbered seats. The names of candidates for town office shall be arranged by using the same method as that used by the board division under sub. (1) (b). A space shall be provided under each office on the ballot for a write-in candidate.

AB126, s. 29 Section 29. 5.62 (1) (a) and (b) 1., (2) (a), (3) and (4) (ar) and (b) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB126,19,21 5.62 (1) (a) At September primaries, the following ballot shall be provided for the nomination of candidates of recognized political parties for national, state and county offices and independent candidates for state office in each ward, in the same form as prescribed by the board division under s. 7.08 (1) (a), except as authorized in s. 5.655. The ballots shall be made up of the several party tickets with each party entitled to participate in the primary under par. (b) or sub. (2) having its own ballot, except as authorized in s. 5.655. The independent candidates for state office other than district attorney shall have a separate ballot for all such candidates as under s. 5.64 (1) (e), except as authorized in s. 5.655. The ballots shall be secured together at the bottom. The party ballot of the party receiving the most votes for president or governor at the last general election shall be on top with the other parties arranged in descending order based on their vote for president or governor at the last general election. The ballots of parties qualifying under sub. (2) shall be placed after the parties qualifying under par. (b), in the same order in which the parties filed petitions with the board division. Any ballot required under par. (b) 2. shall be placed next in order. The ballot listing the independent candidates shall be placed at the bottom. At polling places where voting machines are used, each party and the independent candidates shall be represented in one or more separate columns or rows on the ballot. At polling places where an electronic voting system is used other than an electronic voting machine, each party and the independent candidates may be represented in separate columns or rows on the ballot.

AB126,20,11 (b) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2. and s. 5.64 (1) (e) 2., every recognized political party listed on the official ballot at the last gubernatorial election whose candidate for any statewide office received at least 1% of the total votes cast for that office and, if the last general election was also a presidential election, every recognized political party listed on the ballot at that election whose candidate for president received at least 1% of the total vote cast for that office shall have a separate primary ballot or one or more separate columns or rows on the primary ballot as prescribed in par. (a) and a separate column on the general election ballot in every ward and election district. An organization which was listed as "independent" at the last general election and whose candidate meets the same qualification shall receive the same ballot status upon petition of the chairperson and secretary of the organization to the board division requesting such status and specifying their party name, which may not duplicate the name of an existing party. A petition under this subdivision may be filed no later than 5 p.m. on June 1 in the year of each general election.

AB126,20,25 (2) (a) Except as provided in par. (b) and s. 5.64 (1) (e) 2., any political organization may be represented on a separate primary ballot or in one or more separate columns or rows on the primary ballot as prescribed in sub. (1) (a) and in a separate column on the general election ballot in every ward and election district. To qualify for a separate ballot under this paragraph, the political organization shall, not later than 5 p.m. on June 1 in the year of the September primary, file with the board division a petition requesting separate ballot status. The petition shall be signed by at least 10,000 electors, including at least 1,000 electors residing in each of at least 3 separate congressional districts. The petition shall conform to the requirements of s. 8.40. No signature obtained before January 1 in the year of filing is valid. When the candidates of a political organization filing a valid petition fulfill the requirements prescribed by law, they shall appear on a separate ballot or one or more separate columns or rows on the ballot for the period ending with the following general election.

AB126,21,10 (3) The board division shall designate the official primary ballot arrangement for statewide offices and district attorney within each prosecutorial district by using the same procedure as provided in s. 5.60 (1) (b). On each ballot and on each separate column or row on the ballot, the candidates for office shall be listed together with the offices which they seek in the following order whenever these offices appear on the September primary ballot: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, U.S. senator, U.S. representative in congress, state senator, representative to the assembly, district attorney and the county offices. Below the names of the independent candidates shall appear the party or principle of the candidates, if any, in 5 words or less, as shown on their nomination papers.

AB126,21,13 (4) (ar) Within a county the county clerk shall arrange the names of all candidates filing nomination papers with the clerk's office using the same method as that used by the board division under s. 5.60 (1) (b).

AB126,21,18 (b) The county board of election commissioners in counties having a population of more than 500,000 shall prepare the official primary ballot. The commissioners shall arrange the names of all candidates for each office whose nomination papers are filed at the county level, using the same method as that used by the elections board division under s. 5.60 (1) (b).

AB126, s. 30 Section 30. 5.64 (1) (ag), (b), (e) 1. and (es) and (2) (am) and (c) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB126,21,24 5.64 (1) (ag) Except as authorized in s. 5.655, there shall be a separate ballot giving the names of all candidates for president and vice president and for statewide, congressional, legislative, and county offices in the same form as prescribed by the board division under s. 7.08 (1) (a).

AB126,22,12 (b) The names of the candidates on the regular party tickets nominated at the primary or replacements appointed under s. 8.35 (2) shall appear in a separate column under the party designation. The columns shall be arranged from left to right according to rank, based on the number of votes received by each party's candidate for president or governor at the last general election beginning with the party that received the most votes. To the right of the columns for parties qualifying under s. 5.62 (1) (b) shall be placed the columns for parties qualifying under s. 5.62 (2) in the same order in which the parties filed petitions with the board division. Any column required under par. (e) 2. shall be placed next in order. To the right of the party columns shall be a column for the names of independent candidates for each office, or more than one column if the first column does not provide sufficient space for the names of all such candidates.

AB126,23,2 (e) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., each candidate's name shall be placed in the column of the party by which nominated or if independent, in a column designated independent and all candidates for the same office shall appear within the same rows on the ballot. If a separate column is provided to write in the names of any party candidates under subd. 2., the column shall appear before the column designated independent with the spaces provided to write in the names of the candidates for each such party appearing in the same order in which the columns of their parties would appear under par. (b). Along with the names of the independent candidates shall appear the party or principle of the candidates, if any, in 5 words or less, as shown on their nomination papers. Independent candidates for the same county office shall be listed in the same manner in an order drawn by lot by or under supervision of the county clerk or board of election commissioners. The board division shall conduct a redrawing for purposes of determining the arrangement of independent candidates for state office who appeared on the primary ballot in the manner provided in s. 5.60 (1) (b).

AB126,23,11 (es) The party candidates shall be arranged consecutively from top to bottom based on the number of votes received by their party's candidate for governor at the last election beginning with the party that received the most votes. The independent president-vice president candidates shall be listed together in an order drawn by lot by or under supervision of the board division, following under the party candidates. Along with the names of the independent candidates shall appear the party or principle of the candidates, if any, in 5 words or less, as shown on their nomination papers. Following under the independent candidates, a space shall be left for writing in the names of a candidate for president and vice president.

AB126,23,20 (2) (am) There shall be a separate ballot when any proposed constitutional amendment or any other measure or question is submitted to a vote of the people, except as authorized in s. 5.655. The ballot shall give a concise statement of each question in accordance with the act or resolution directing submission in the same form as prescribed by the board division under s. 7.08 (1) (a). The question may not be worded in such a manner as to require a negative vote to approve a proposition or an affirmative vote to disapprove a proposition. Unless otherwise expressly provided, this ballot form shall be used at all elections when questions are submitted to a vote of the people.

AB126,24,9 (c) The official referendum ballot prescribed under this subsection shall be utilized at every election, except that the format shall be altered to the extent provided or required by other laws establishing or authorizing referenda to be conducted. Except as authorized in s. 5.655, all referenda shall appear on a separate ballot, but more than one referendum question may appear on the same referendum ballot whenever the questions are numbered and all electors voting the ballot are entitled to vote upon all questions appearing thereon. When more than one state referendum is placed on the same ballot, the board division shall number the questions in chronological sequence. If the legislature submits questions on different dates, the board division shall number the questions sequentially based on the date on which the questions are submitted by the legislature. Except as authorized in s. 5.655, state and county referenda shall appear on a separate ballot from municipal or special district referenda. The form of all referendum ballots shall be substantially the same as that prescribed by the board division under s. 7.08 (1) (a).

AB126, s. 31 Section 31. 5.655 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,24,14 5.655 (3) The board division shall prescribe notices and instructions to be given to electors who use a ballot that is authorized under sub. (2) in lieu of any notices and instructions that are applicable only to municipalities employing separate paper ballots.

AB126, s. 32 Section 32. 5.68 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,25,2 5.68 (7) Any municipality that maintained polling hours beginning later than 7 a.m. prior to April 29, 2006, and that incurs additional costs to adjust its polling hours to begin at 7 a.m. at any election held after April 29, 2006, may file a claim with the board division for reimbursement of those costs. The claim shall be accompanied by appropriate substantiation of all costs incurred. The board division shall audit the claim and, if the board division finds that the costs have been incurred by the municipality, and the costs would not have been incurred but for the requirement to open polling places at 7 a.m., the board division shall reimburse the municipality for those costs. No claim is payable under this subsection unless the claim is filed with the board division, together with appropriate substantiation, within 60 days following the date on which the costs are incurred.

AB126, s. 33 Section 33. 5.72 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB126,25,16 5.72 Correcting ballot errors. (1) As soon as possible after ballots are delivered to the county clerk or to the municipal clerk if the municipality is preparing ballots under s. 7.15 (2), but not later than 3 weeks before any election relating to a state or national office or statewide referendum, the county or municipal clerk preparing the ballots shall submit one copy of each ballot to the board division for review of possible errors. If the contractor preparing the ballots supplies proofs in advance of ballot preparation, the clerk shall submit one copy of the proofs in lieu of actual ballots. If a voting machine ballot or other ballot combining local candidates or referenda with state or national candidates or referenda is used, the entire ballot shall be submitted, but if ballots intended for distribution to electors are used, only those ballots relating to state or national offices and statewide referenda need be submitted. This subsection does not require delay of ballot distribution or mailing of absentee ballots.

AB126,25,21 (2) The board division shall review ballots and proof copies submitted under sub. (1) and shall notify the county and municipal clerk of any error as soon as possible but in no event later than 7 days after submission. The clerk is not required to correct a ballot error upon receipt of notice of the error, unless ordered to do so under sub. (3) or s. 5.06 (6).

AB126,26,2 (3) Whenever an affidavit is filed by the board division or any elector alleging an error or omission in the preparation of a ballot, the circuit court for the county where the ballot is proposed to be used or its presiding judge, by order, may summarily require a county or municipal clerk to correct the error, or show cause why it should not be corrected and, by order, after the hearing, have the correction made.

AB126, s. 34 Section 34. 5.83 of the statutes is amended to read: