11.31
11.31
Disbursement levels and limitations; calculation. 11.31(1)(1)
Schedule. The following levels of disbursements are established with reference to the candidates listed below. Except as provided in
sub. (2), such levels do not operate to restrict the total amount of disbursements which are made or authorized to be made by any candidate in any primary or other election.
11.31(1)(b)
(b) Candidates for lieutenant governor, $323,475.
11.31(1)(c)
(c) Candidates for attorney general, $539,000.
11.31(1)(d)
(d) Candidates for secretary of state, state treasurer, or state superintendent, $215,625.
11.31(1)(dm)
(dm) Candidates for court of appeals judge, $86,250.
11.31(1)(e)
(e) Candidates for state senator, $34,500 total in the primary and election, with disbursements not exceeding $21,575 for either the primary or the election.
11.31(1)(f)
(f) Candidates for representative to the assembly, $17,250 total in the primary and election, with disbursements not exceeding $10,775 for either the primary or the election.
11.31(1)(fs)
(fs) Candidates for district attorney in any prosecutorial unit with a population of 500,000 or less, $86,250.
11.31(1)(g)
(g) In any jurisdiction or district, other than a judicial district or circuit, with a population of 500,000 or more according to the most recent federal census covering the entire jurisdiction or district:
11.31(1)(g)2.
2. Candidates for any countywide elective office not specified in
par. (dm) or
(fm) or
subd. 1., $107,825.
11.31(1)(g)3.
3. For the following offices in cities of the 1st class:
11.31(1)(h)
(h) Candidates for any local office, who are elected from a jurisdiction or district with less than 500,000 inhabitants according to the latest federal census or census information on which the district is based, as certified by the appropriate filing officer, an amount equal to the greater of the following:
11.31(1)(h)2.
2. 53.91% of the annual salary for the office sought, rounded to the nearest multiple of $25.
11.31(1)(h)3.
3. 32.35 cents per inhabitant of the jurisdiction or district, but in no event more than $43,125.
11.31(2)
(2) Limitation imposed. No candidate for state office at a spring or general election who files a sworn statement and application to receive a grant from the Wisconsin election campaign fund may make or authorize total disbursements from the campaign treasury in any campaign to the extent of more than the amount prescribed in
sub. (1), unless the board determines that the candidate is not eligible to receive a grant, the candidate withdraws his or her application under
s. 11.50 (2) (h), or
s. 11.50 (2) (i) applies. No candidate for state office at a special election who files a sworn statement and application to receive a grant from the Wisconsin election campaign fund may make or authorize total disbursements from the campaign treasury in any campaign to the extent of more than the amount prescribed under
sub. (1) for the preceding spring or general election for the same office, unless the board determines that the candidate is not eligible to receive a grant, the candidate withdraws his or her application under
s. 11.50 (2) (h), or
s. 11.50 (2) (i) applies.
11.31(2m)
(2m) Voluntary limitation. Any candidate to whom
sub. (2) and
s. 11.26 (10) do not apply may file an affidavit with his or her filing officer affirming that he or she has adhered and will adhere to the limitations imposed under
sub. (2) and
s. 11.26 during the entire campaign. These limitations apply unless the candidate withdraws the affidavit by notifying his or her filing officer in writing no later than the 7th day after the date of the primary in which the person filing the affidavit is a candidate, or the 7th day after the date that the primary would be held, if no primary is required.
11.31(3)
(3) Gubernatorial campaigns. For purposes of compliance with the limitations imposed under
sub. (2), candidates for governor and lieutenant governor of the same political party who both accept grants from the Wisconsin election campaign fund may agree to combine disbursement levels under
sub. (1) (a) and
(b) and reallocate the total level between them. The candidates shall each inform the board of any such agreement.
11.31(3m)
(3m) Unopposed candidates; exception. Notwithstanding
subs. (1) and
(2), if all candidates for state senator or representative to the assembly in a legislative district who are certified under
s. 7.08 (2) (a) to appear on the September primary ballot of all parties recognized under
s. 5.62 (1) (b) or
(2) have no opponent who is certified to appear on the same primary ballot, or if no primary is required for all candidates of parties recognized under
s. 5.62 (1) (b) or
(2) for state senator or representative to the assembly in a legislative district who are certified under
s. 8.50 (1) (d) to appear on a special partisan election ballot, then the separate limitation specified in
sub. (1) for disbursements during the primary and election period does not apply to candidates for that office in that primary and election, and the candidates are bound only by the total limitations specified for the primary and election.
11.31(4)
(4) Allocation. Except as provided in
sub. (3m), whenever a separate disbursement level is specified for a primary and election under
sub. (1), a candidate who disburses less than the authorized level in the primary may not reallocate the balance to increase the level in the election. Whenever a separate disbursement level is not specified for a primary and election under
sub. (1), a candidate may allocate disbursements between the primary and election campaign within the total level of disbursements specified in
sub. (1) in any proportion desired, and may carry over unexpended contributions from a primary campaign to an election campaign.
11.31(5)
(5) Separation of periods. A disbursement is made for the purposes of the election under this section when a person or committee contracts for goods to be delivered or services to be performed after the date of the primary, regardless of the time at which the contract is entered into by the contracting person or committee.
11.31(6)(a)(a) In computing the limitations under this section an individual or campaign treasurer may exclude any of the following:
11.31(6)(a)6.
6. Reimbursement made to a candidate for the candidate's travel expenses.
11.31(6)(a)7.
7. The gross receipts from the sale at an auction of any materials contributed to a candidate and reported by the candidate as a disbursement at the time the contribution is made.
11.31(6)(a)9.
9. The cost of services and materials purchased from a service provider for the purpose of compliance with the electronic filing requirement under
s. 11.21 (16).
11.31(6)(a)10.
10. The cost of facilities rental, entertainment expense, food and beverages, including the preparation and service thereof if contracted to an outside agency, if utilized for a meal, sale, rally or similar fund raising effort or program that is intended for political purposes.
11.31(6)(b)
(b) Any exclusion claimed under
par. (a) shall be reported to the appropriate filing officer in the form that the board requires.
11.31(7)(a)(a) For purposes of this section, the "campaign" of a candidate extends from July 1 preceding the date on which the spring primary or election occurs or January 1 preceding the date on which the September primary or general election occurs for the office which the candidate seeks, or from the date of the candidate's public announcement, whichever is earlier, through the last day of the month following the month in which the election or primary is held.
11.31(7)(b)
(b) Disbursements which are made before a campaign period for goods to be delivered or services to be rendered in connection with the campaign are charged against the disbursement limitation for that campaign.
11.31(7)(c)
(c) Disbursements which are made after a campaign to retire a debt incurred in relation to a campaign are charged against the disbursement limitation for that campaign.
11.31(7)(d)
(d) Disbursements which are made outside a campaign period and to which
par. (b) or
(c) does not apply are not subject to any disbursement limitation. Such disbursements are subject to
s. 11.25 (2).
11.31(8)
(8) Certain contributions excluded. The limitations imposed under this section do not apply to a gift of anything of value constituting a contribution made directly to a registrant by another, but the limitations shall apply to such gift when it is received and accepted by the recipient or if received in the form of money, when disbursed.
11.31(10)
(10) Surplus materials excluded. Disbursements constituting surplus materials acquired in connection with a previous campaign of a candidate are not subject to limitation by this section, if the materials were previously reported as a disbursement by that candidate.
11.31 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also s.
GAB 6.04, Wis. adm. code.
11.32
11.32
Compensation for political advertisements. 11.32(1)(1) No owner, agent or employee of any communications medium may solicit, receive or accept any payment, promise or compensation, nor may any person pay, promise to pay or compensate such person, for the purpose of influencing voting at any election through any broadcast or printed matter unless designated as a paid advertisement under
s. 11.30.
11.32(2)
(2) No person publishing a newspaper or periodical or operating a radio or television station may receive rates for publishing or broadcasting advertising for political purposes in excess of the rate regularly charged for commercial advertising of a similar character and classification. No person, committee or group placing such advertising may pay any rate or charge in excess of the regularly charged rate.
11.32 History
History: 1973 c. 334.
11.33
11.33
Use of government materials by candidates. 11.33(1)(a)(a) No person elected to state or local office who becomes a candidate for national, state or local office may use public funds for the cost of materials or distribution for 50 or more pieces of substantially identical material distributed after:
11.33(1)(a)1.
1. In the case of a candidate who is nominated by nomination papers, the first day authorized by law for circulation of nomination papers as a candidate.
11.33(1)(a)2.
2. In the case of a candidate who is nominated at a primary election by write-in votes, the day the board of canvassers issues its determination that the person is nominated.
11.33(1)(a)3.
3. In the case of a candidate who is nominated at a caucus, the date of the caucus.
11.33(1)(a)4.
4. In the case of any other candidate who is nominated solely by filing a declaration of candidacy, the first day of the month preceding the month which includes the last day for filing the declaration.
11.33(1)(b)
(b) This subsection applies until after the date of the election or after the date of the primary election if the person appears as a candidate on a primary election ballot and is not nominated at the primary election.
11.33(2)
(2) This section does not apply to use of public funds for the costs of the following, when not done for a political purpose:
11.33(2)(a)
(a) Answers to communications of constituents.
11.33(2)(c)
(c) Actions taken by a state or local government administrative officer pursuant to a specific law, ordinance or resolution which authorizes or directs the actions to be taken.
11.33(2)(d)
(d) Communications not exceeding 500 pieces by members of the legislature relating solely to the subject matter of a special session or extraordinary session, made during the period between the date that the session is called or scheduled and 14 days after adjournment of the session.
11.33(3)
(3) Except as provided in
sub. (2), it is not a defense to a violation of
sub. (1) that a person was not acting with a political purpose. This subsection applies irrespective of the distributor's intentions as to political office, the content of the materials, the manner of distribution, the pattern and frequency of distribution and the value of the distributed materials.
11.33 Annotation
This section applies to persons elected to state office who are seeking reelection or election to a different office and to the use of public funds for political purposes. 69 Atty. Gen. 259.
11.34
11.34
Solicitation of contributions from candidates restricted. 11.34(1)(1) No person may demand, solicit, take, invite or receive from a candidate any gift of anything of value for a religious, charitable or fraternal cause or for any organization other than a political committee or group. No candidate may make, intimate or promise such a gift.
11.34(2)
(2) This section does not apply to payment of a regular subscription or contribution by a person to an organization of which the person is a member or to which the person may have been a regular contributor prior to the person's candidacy or to ordinary contributions at a regular church service.
11.36
11.36
Political solicitation involving public officials and employees restricted. 11.36(1)
(1) No person may solicit or receive from any state officer or employee or from any officer or employee of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority any contribution or service for any political purpose while the officer or employee is engaged in his or her official duties, except that an elected state official may solicit and receive services not constituting a contribution from a state officer or employee or an officer or employee of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority with respect to a referendum only. Agreement to perform services authorized under this subsection may not be a condition of employment for any such officer or employee.
11.36(2)
(2) No person may solicit or receive from any officer or employee of a political subdivision of this state any contribution or service for any political purpose during established hours of employment or while the officer or employee is engaged in his or her official duties.
11.36(3)
(3) Every person who has charge or control in a building, office or room occupied for any purpose by this state, by any political subdivision thereof or by the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority shall prohibit the entry of any person into that building, office or room for the purpose of making or receiving a contribution.
11.36(4)
(4) No person may enter or remain in any building, office or room occupied for any purpose by the state, by any political subdivision thereof or by the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority or send or direct a letter or other notice thereto for the purpose of requesting or collecting a contribution.
11.36(5)
(5) In this section, "political purpose" includes an act done for the purpose of influencing the election or nomination for election of a person to national office, and "contribution" includes an act done for that purpose.
11.36(6)
(6) This section does not apply to response by a legal custodian or subordinate of the custodian to a request to locate, reproduce or inspect a record under
s. 19.35, if the request is processed in the same manner as the custodian or subordinate responds to other requests to locate, reproduce or inspect a record under
s. 19.35.
11.37
11.37
Travel by public officers. 11.37(1)
(1) No person may use any vehicle or aircraft owned by the state or by any local governmental unit for any trip which is exclusively for the purposes of campaigning in support of or in opposition to any candidate for national, state or local office, unless use of the vehicle or aircraft is required for purposes of security protection provided by the state or local governmental unit.
11.37(2)
(2) No person may use any vehicle or aircraft owned by the state or by any local governmental unit for purposes which include campaigning in support of or in opposition to any candidate for national, state or local office, unless the person pays to the state or local governmental unit a fee which is comparable to the commercial market rate for the use of a similar vehicle or aircraft and for any services provided by the state or local governmental unit to operate the vehicle or aircraft. If a trip is made in part for a public purpose and in part for the purpose of campaigning, the person shall pay for the portion of the trip attributable to campaigning, but in no case less than 50% of the cost of the trip. The portion of the trip attributable to campaigning shall be determined by dividing the number of appearances made for campaign purposes by the total number of appearances. Fees payable to the state shall be prescribed by the secretary of administration and shall be deposited in the account under
s. 20.855 (6) (h). Fees payable to a local governmental unit shall be prescribed by the governing body of the governmental unit.
