(d) In an even-numbered year, file a report on the 15th day of the month in the months of January and July, and on the 4th Tuesday in September.
(5) Reports to support or oppose the recall of partisan state or local office holder; general election. A recall committee that makes or accepts contributions, makes disbursements, or incurs obligations to support or oppose the recall of a partisan state or local office holder, or to support or oppose other committees engaging in such activities, shall do all of the following:
(a) File a preelection report no earlier than 14 days and no later than 8 days preceding the recall election.
(b) In an odd-numbered year, file a report on the 15th day of the month in the months of January and July.
(c) In an even-numbered year, file a report on the 15th day of the month in the months of January and July, and on the 4th Tuesday in September.
subchapter X
Other persons
11.1001 Reporting; specific express advocacy. (1) Disbursements. (a) Any person, other than a committee, spending $2,500 or more in the aggregate on express advocacy shall submit statements to the board under par. (b) if the express advocacy is made during the period beginning on the day that is 60 days prior to the day of the primary or election involving the candidate identified under par. (b) 5. and ending on the day of the primary or election involving that candidate.
(b) A person required to report under this section shall submit statements to the board providing all of the following information:
1. The dates on which the person made the disbursements.
2. The name and address of the persons who received the disbursements.
3. The purpose for making the disbursements.
4. The amount spent for each act of express advocacy.
5. The name of any candidate identified in the express advocacy, the office that the candidate seeks, and whether the express advocacy supports or opposes that candidate.
6. An affirmation, made under oath, that the person will comply with the prohibition on coordination under s. 11.1203 with respect to any candidate or agent or candidate committee who is supported or opposed by the express advocacy.
7. The name and mailing and street address of the person's designated agent in this state.
(2) Exception. (a) A person who is required to report under this section is not required to submit the information described under sub. (1) (b) regarding disbursements made before reaching the $2,500 threshold under sub. (1) (a). For purposes of this section, a disbursement for express advocacy is the amount spent directly on developing, producing, and disseminating the express advocacy.
(b) This section does not apply to any of the following:
1. A communication, other than an advertisement, appearing in a news story, commentary, or editorial distributed through the facilities of any news organization, unless the facilities are controlled by any committee or candidate.
2. A communication made exclusively between an organization and its members. In this subdivision, a member of an organization means a shareholder, employee, or officer of the organization, or an individual who has affirmatively manifested an interest in joining, supporting, or aiding the organization.
(3) Timing. A person who is required to report under this section shall submit the report to the board no later than 72 hours after making the disbursements.
subchapter XI
contributions
11.1101 Contribution limits. (1) Individual limits. An individual may contribute to a candidate committee no more than the following amounts specified for the candidate whose nomination or election the individual supports [See Figure 11.1101 following]:
(a) Candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, state superintendent, or justice, $20,000.
(b) Candidates for state senator, $2,000.
(c) Candidates for representative to the assembly, $1,000.
(d) Candidates for court of appeals judge in districts which contain a county having a population of more than 500,000, $6,000.
(e) Candidates for court of appeals judge in other districts, $5,000.
(f) Candidates for circuit judge in circuits having a population of more than 300,000, or candidates for district attorney in prosecutorial units having a population of more than 300,000, $6,000.
(g) Candidates for circuit judge in other circuits or candidates for district attorney in other prosecutorial units, $2,000.
(h) Candidates for local offices, an amount equal to the greater of the following:
1. Five hundred dollars.
2. Two cents times the number of inhabitants of the jurisdiction or district, according to the latest federal census or the census information on which the district is based, as certified by the appropriate filing officer, but not more than $6,000.
(2) Candidate committees. A candidate committee may contribute to another candidate committee no more than the following amounts specified for the candidate whose nomination or election the committee supports [See Figure 11.1101 following]:
(a) Candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, state superintendent, or justice, $20,000.
(b) Candidates for state senator, $2,000.
(c) Candidates for representative to the assembly, $1,000.
(d) Candidates for court of appeals judge in districts which contain a county having a population of more than 500,000, $6,000.
(e) Candidates for court of appeals judge in other districts, $5,000.
(f) Candidates for circuit judge in circuits having a population of more than 300,000, or candidates for district attorney in prosecutorial units having a population of more than 300,000, $6,000.
(g) Candidates for circuit judge in other circuits or candidates for district attorney in other prosecutorial units, $2,000.
(h) Candidates for local offices, an amount equal to the greater of the following:
1. Five hundred dollars.
2. Two cents times the number of inhabitants of the jurisdiction or district, according to the latest federal census or the census information on which the district is based, as certified by the appropriate filing officer, but not more than $6,000.
(3) Political action committees. A political action committee may contribute to a candidate committee no more than the following amounts specified for the candidate whose nomination or election the committee supports [See Figure 11.1101 following]:
(a) Candidates for governor, $86,000.
(b) Candidates for lieutenant governor, $26,000.
(c) Candidates for attorney general, $44,000.
(d) Candidates for secretary of state, state treasurer, state superintendent, or justice, $18,000.
(e) Candidates for state senator, $2,000.
(f) Candidates for representative to the assembly, $1,000.
(g) Candidates for court of appeals judge in districts which contain a county having a population of more than 500,000, $6,000.
(h) Candidates for court of appeals judge in other districts, $5,000.
(i) Candidates for circuit judge in circuits having a population of more than 300,000, or candidates for district attorney in prosecutorial units having a population of more than 300,000, $6,000.
(j) Candidates for circuit judge in other circuits or candidates for district attorney in other prosecutorial units, $2,000.
(k) Candidates for local offices, an amount equal to the greater of the following:
1. Four hundred dollars.
2. Two cents times the number of inhabitants of the jurisdiction or district, according to the latest federal census or the census information on which the district is based, as certified by the appropriate filing officer, but not more than $5,000.
Figure 11.1101:
- See PDF for table ![PDF](http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/assets/image/file_acrobat.gif)
11.1103 Applicable periods. (1) For an individual who is a candidate for an office that the individual holds, the limits under s. 11.1101 (1) to (3) apply during the term of that office.
(2) For an individual who is a candidate for an office that the individual does not hold, the limits under s. 11.1101 (1) to (3) apply during the period beginning on the date on which the individual becomes a candidate under s. 11.0101 (1) (a) and ending on the day before the term of office begins for the office sought by the candidate.
11.1104 Exceptions. Except as provided in subs. (3) (b) and (4) (b) and s. 11.1112, the following contributions may be made in unlimited amounts:
(1) Contributions to a political action committee.
(2) Contributions transferred between political action committees.
(3) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), contributions to a legislative campaign committee.
(b) A political action committee may contribute no more than $12,000 in any calendar year to a legislative campaign committee.
(4) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), contributions to a political party.
(b) A political action committee may contribute no more than $12,000 in any calendar year to a political party.
(5) Contributions made by a political party or legislative campaign committee to a candidate committee.
(6) Contributions paid to a segregated fund established and administered by a political party or legislative campaign committee for purposes other than making contributions to a candidate committee or making disbursements for express advocacy.
(7) Contributions that a candidate makes to his or her candidate committee from the candidate's personal funds or property or the personal funds or property that are owned jointly or as marital property with the candidate's spouse.
(8) Contributions transferred between the candidates for governor and lieutenant governor of the same political party.
(9) Contributions used to pay legal fees and other expenses incurred as a result of a recount under s. 9.01.
(10) Contributions used to pay legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with or in response to circulating, offering to file, or filing a petition to recall an office holder prior to the time that a recall primary or election is ordered, or after that time if incurred to contest or defend the order.
(11) Contributions to a recall committee.
(12) Contributions to a referendum committee.
(13) Contributions to an independent expenditure committee.
11.1105 Valuation. (1) Except as provided in s. 11.1111, for purposes of complying with a contribution limit under this section, the value of a contribution of any tangible or intangible item, other than money, is the item's fair market value at the time that the individual or committee made the contribution.
(2) Except as provided in s. 11.1111, for purposes of complying with a contribution limit under this section, the value of a contribution of a service is the fair market value of the service at the time that the individual or committee made the contribution.
11.1106 Conduit contributions. (1) For purposes of this chapter, a contribution released by a conduit to a committee is to be reported by the committee as a contribution from the individual who made the contribution and not as a contribution from the conduit.
(2) A contribution of money received from a conduit, accompanied by the information required under s. 11.0704 (1), is considered to be a contribution from the original contributor.
(3) Each filing officer shall place a copy of any report received under s. 11.0704 in the file of the conduit and the file of the recipient.
11.1107 Limitation on cash contributions. Every contribution of money exceeding $100 shall be made by negotiable instrument or evidenced by an itemized credit card receipt bearing on the face the name of the remitter. No committee required to report under this chapter may accept a contribution made in violation of this section. The committee shall promptly return the contribution, or donate it to the common school fund or to a charitable organization in the event that the donor cannot be identified.
11.1108 Anonymous contributions. No committee may accept an anonymous contribution exceeding $10. If an anonymous contribution exceeds $10, the committee shall donate the contribution to the common school fund or to a charitable organization and report the donation as required under this chapter.
11.1109 In-kind contributions. Before making a contribution, as defined under s. 11.0101 (8) (a) 2., to a committee, the prospective contributor shall notify the candidate or candidate's agent or the administrator or treasurer of the committee and obtain that individuals oral or written consent to the contribution.
11.1110 Return of contributions.
(1) A committee required to report under this chapter may return a contribution at any time before or after it has been deposited.
(2) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the subsequent return of a contribution deposited contrary to law does not constitute a defense to a violation.
(b) A committee that accepts a contribution contrary to law, reports that contribution, and returns that contribution within 15 days after the filing date for the reporting period in which the contribution is received does not violate the contribution or source limits under this subchapter.