AB690: Bill Text

LRB-4150/1

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2013 - 2014 LEGISLATURE

2013 Assembly BILL 690

January 30, 2014 - Introduced by Representatives Thiesfeldt, Bernier, Pridemore and Weininger, cosponsored by Senator Lazich. Referred to Committee on Campaigns and Elections.

AB690,1,2 An Act to amend 6.275 (1) (intro.), 6.275 (2) and 7.15 (1) (g); and to create 6.275 (1) (f) of the statutes; relating to: reporting registration and voting statistics.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, within 30 days after each election at which a state or national office is filled or a statewide referendum is held, the municipal clerk must submit a written statement to the county clerk of each county in which the municipality is located specifying certain election-related statistics, such as the number of electors residing in the county who voted in the municipality, the number of electors who were registered to vote in advance of the election, and the number of electors who registered to vote on the day of the election. The county must provide one copy of the information it receives to the Government Accountability Board (GAB).

Under current law, after the municipal clerk receives a list of all persons who registered to vote on election day, the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners must make an audit of all electors who registered to vote at the polling place, unless the GAB notifies the clerk or board of election commissioners that it will conduct the audit. In order to conduct the audit, postcards are sent to electors to verify that the addresses they provided on election day are correct. If a postcard is returned undelivered; or the clerk, board of election commissioners, or GAB is informed of a different address than the one specified by the elector that was apparently improper on election day; the clerk, board of election commissioners, or GAB must change the elector's status from eligible to ineligible on the registration list and provide the elector's name to the district attorney for the county where the polling place is located.

Under this bill, in addition to the other election-related statistics that the municipal clerk must submit to the county, no later than 90 days after an election, the municipal clerk must provide the total number of postcards sent to electors to verify that the addresses they provided on election day are correct, the total number of such postcards returned as undeliverable, the total number of electors whose status was changed from eligible to ineligible on the registration list as a result of the audit, and the number of individuals referred to the district attorney. The bill also requires the GAB to publish this information on its Internet site.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB690,1 Section 1. 6.275 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB690,2,7 6.275 (1) (intro.) Within Except as provided in par. (f), no later than 30 days after each primary and election at which a state or national office is filled or a statewide referendum is held, including any special election, the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners shall make a written statement in duplicate submit electronically a report to the board and the county clerk or board of election commissioners of each county in which the municipality is located specifying:

AB690,2 Section 2. 6.275 (1) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

AB690,3,5 6.275 (1) (f) The total number of postcards sent by the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners under s. 6.56 (3), the total number of such postcards returned to the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners because the elector did not reside at the address given on the postcard, the total number of electors whose status was changed from eligible to ineligible on the registration list as a result of the audit under s. 6.56 (3), and the number of individuals referred to the district attorney under s. 6.56 (3). The municipal clerk or board of election commissioners shall provide the information described under this paragraph to the board and the county clerk or county board of election commissioners at the earliest practicable time after, but no later than 90 days after, each primary and election at which a state or national office is filled or a statewide referendum is held, including any special election. The municipal clerk or board of election commissioners shall update the information described under this paragraph on a monthly basis and shall submit, on a monthly basis, any such updated information to the board and the county clerk or county board of election commissioners.

AB690,3 Section 3. 6.275 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB690,3,10 6.275 (2) Upon receipt of each report filed under this section, the county clerk or board of election commissioners shall forward one copy to the board shall, within 7 days of receiving the report, publish the information on its Internet site. The board shall update the information published under this subsection on a monthly basis.

AB690,4 Section 4. 7.15 (1) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB690,3,16 7.15 (1) (g) Report In the manner prescribed by the board, report suspected election frauds, irregularities, or violations of which the clerk has knowledge to the district attorney for the county where the suspected activity occurs and to the board. The board shall annually report the information obtained under this paragraph to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2).

AB690,5 Section 5. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB690,3,25 (1) Reporting in 2014. Notwithstanding Section 6 of this act, pursuant to sections 5.05 (14) and 7.15 (13) of the statutes, the government accountability board shall request that municipal clerks and the boards of election commissioners provide to the government accountability board the information described in section 6.275 (1) (f) of the statutes, as created by this act, for the 2014 general election and the municipal clerks and the boards of election commissioners shall provide the information no later than 90 days after completion of that election. The government accountability board shall publish the information on its Internet site.

AB690,6 Section 6 . Effective date.

AB690,4,2 (1) This act takes effect on January 1, 2016.

AB690,4,3 (End)