SB645: Bill Text

SB645, s. 10 Section 10. 6.34 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

SB645,7,24 6.34 (4) The board shall maintain a system that electronically verifies, on an instant basis, the validity of the information specified in sub. (2m) submitted by an elector who registers electronically with the information maintained by the department of transportation pursuant to the board's agreement with the secretary of transportation under s. 5.056.

SB645, s. 11 Section 11. 6.35 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB645,8,3 6.35 (1) (intro.) Under the direction of the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners, the original registration forms shall be filed in one of the following ways, except as provided in sub. subs. (1m) and (2):

SB645, s. 12 Section 12. 6.35 (2) of the statutes is created to read:

SB645,8,7 6.35 (2) The board shall prescribe, by rule, the procedure and methods by which municipal clerks and boards of election commissioners shall maintain records of registrations that are entered electronically under s. 6.30 (5).

SB645, s. 13 Section 13. 6.36 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB645,8,14 6.36 (2) (c) The list shall contain, next to the name of each elector, an indication of whether proof of residence under s. 6.34 is required for the elector to be permitted to vote. Proof Except as authorized in s. 6.34 (2m), proof of residence is required if the elector is not a military elector or an overseas elector and the elector registers by mail or by electronic application and has not previously voted in an election in this state.

SB645, s. 14 Section 14. 6.40 (1) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB645,9,2 6.40 (1) (a) 1. Any registered elector shall transfer registration after a change of residence within the state by filing in person with the municipal clerk or by mailing to the municipal clerk a signed request stating his or her present address, affirming that this will be his or her residence for 10 days prior to the election and providing the address where he or she was last registered. Alternatively, the elector may transfer his or her registration at the proper polling place or other registration location under s. 6.02 (2) in accordance with s. 6.55 (2) (a), or, if the elector has a current and valid operator's license issued to the elector under ch. 343 or a current and valid identification card issued under s. 343.50, the elector may transfer his or her registration electronically under s. 6.30 (5). If an elector is voting in the ward or election district where the elector formerly resided, the change shall be effective for the next election.

SB645, s. 15 Section 15. 6.40 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB645,9,12 6.40 (1) (c) Name change. Whenever an elector's name is legally changed, including a change by marriage or divorce, the elector shall transfer his or her registration to his or her legal name by appearing in person or mailing to the municipal clerk a signed request for a transfer of registration to such name. Alternatively, a registered elector may make notification of a name change at his or her polling place under s. 6.55 (2) (d), or, if the elector has a current and valid operator's license issued to the elector under ch. 343 or a current and valid identification card issued under s. 343.50, the elector may make notification of a name change electronically under s. 6.30 (5).

SB645, s. 16 Section 16. 6.50 (10) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB645,9,18 6.50 (10) Any qualified elector whose registration is changed from eligible to ineligible status under this section may reregister as provided under s. 6.28 (1), 6.29 (2), or 6.55 (2), or, if the elector has a current and valid operator's license issued to the elector under ch. 343 or a current and valid identification card issued under s. 343.50, may reregister under s. 6.30 (5).

SB645, s. 17 Section 17. 6.86 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB645,9,25 6.86 (3) (c) An application under par. (a) 1. may be made and a registration form under par. (a) 2. may be filed in person at the office of the municipal clerk not earlier than 7 days before an election and not later than 5 p.m. on the day of the election. A list of hospitalized electors applying for ballots under par. (a) 1. shall be made by the municipal clerk and used to check that the electors vote only once, and by absentee ballot. If Except as provided in s. 6.34 (2m), if the elector is registering for the election after the close of registration or if the elector registered by mail or by electronic application and has not voted in an election in this state, the municipal clerk shall inform the agent that proof of residence under s. 6.34 is required and the elector shall enclose proof of residence under s. 6.34 in the envelope with the ballot. The ballot shall be sealed by the elector and returned to the municipal clerk either by mail or by personal delivery of the agent; but if the ballot is returned on the day of the election, the agent shall make personal delivery to the polling place serving the hospitalized elector's residence before the closing hour or, in municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, to the municipal clerk no later than 8 p.m. on election day.

SB645, s. 18 Section 18. 6.87 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB645,11,12 6.87 (4) Except as otherwise provided in s. 6.875, the elector voting absentee shall make and subscribe to the certification before one witness who is an adult U.S. citizen. The absent elector, in the presence of the witness, shall mark the ballot in a manner that will not disclose how the elector's vote is cast. The elector shall then, still in the presence of the witness, fold the ballots so each is separate and so that the elector conceals the markings thereon and deposit them in the proper envelope. If a consolidated ballot under s. 5.655 is used, the elector shall fold the ballot so that the elector conceals the markings thereon and deposit the ballot in the proper envelope. If proof of residence is required, the elector shall enclose proof of residence under s. 6.34 in the envelope. Proof Except as authorized in s. 6.34 (2m), proof of residence is required if the elector is not a military elector or an overseas elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1), and the elector registered by mail or by electronic application and has not voted in an election in this state. If the elector requested a ballot by means of facsimile transmission or electronic mail under s. 6.86 (1) (ac), the elector shall enclose in the envelope a copy of the request which bears an original signature of the elector. The elector may receive assistance under sub. (5). The return envelope shall then be sealed. The witness may not be a candidate. The envelope shall be mailed by the elector, or delivered in person, to the municipal clerk issuing the ballot or ballots. If the envelope is mailed from a location outside the United States, the elector shall affix sufficient postage unless the ballot qualifies for delivery free of postage under federal law. Failure to return an unused ballot in a primary does not invalidate the ballot on which the elector's votes are cast. Return of more than one marked ballot in a primary or return of a ballot prepared under s. 5.655 or a ballot used with an electronic voting system in a primary which is marked for candidates of more than one party invalidates all votes cast by the elector for candidates in the primary.

SB645, s. 19 Section 19. 7.08 (1) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:

SB645,11,16 7.08 (1) (cm) Prescribe the form required by s. 6.30 (5). The form shall contain a statement of the penalty applicable to false or fraudulent registration or voting through use of the form.

SB645, s. 20 Section 20. 85.61 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB645,12,2 85.61 (1) The secretary of transportation and the administrator of the elections division of the government accountability board shall enter into an agreement to match personally identifiable information on the official registration list maintained by the government accountability board under s. 6.36 (1) and the information specified in s. 6.34 (2m) with personally identifiable information in the operating record file database under ch. 343 and vehicle registration records under ch. 341 to the extent required to enable the secretary of transportation and the administrator of the elections division of the government accountability board to verify the accuracy of the information provided for the purpose of voter registration.

SB645, s. 21 Section 21. Nonstatutory provisions.

SB645,12,10 (1) No later than the 20th day following the end of each calendar quarter, the government accountability board and the department of transportation shall each report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature in the manner provided in section 13.172 (3) of the statutes concerning its progress in implementing an electronic voter registration system. The board and department shall continue to file reports under this subsection until the board determines that implementation is complete and the performance of the system is satisfactory.

SB645, s. 22 Section 22. Fiscal changes.

SB645,12,20 (1) In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the government accountability board under section 20.511 (1) (a) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 2009, the dollar amount is increased by $-0- for the first fiscal year of the fiscal biennium in which this subsection takes effect to implement the provisions of this act. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the government accountability board under section 20.511 (1) (a) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 2009, the dollar amount is increased by $-0- for the second fiscal year of the fiscal biennium in which this subsection takes effect to implement the provisions of this act.

SB645,13,4 (2) In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the department of transportation under section 20.395 (4) (aq) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 2009, the dollar amount is increased by $-0- for the first fiscal year of the fiscal biennium in which this subsection takes effect to implement the provisions of this act. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the department of transportation under section 20.395 (4) (aq) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 2009, the dollar amount is increased by $-0- for the second fiscal year of the fiscal biennium in which this subsection takes effect to implement the provisions of this act.

SB645, s. 23 Section 23. Initial applicability.

SB645,13,7 (1) This act first applies with respect to registration for voting at the 2012 spring primary election.

SB645,13,8 (End)