March 16, 2021 - Introduced by Representatives Neylon, Duchow, Magnafici,
Edming, Steffen, Spiros, Krug, Knodl, Brooks, Sortwell, Gundrum,
Murphy, Jagler, Wichgers and VanderMeer, cosponsored by Senators
Stroebel, Roth, Darling, Marklein, Jacque, Wanggaard, Bradley, Nass,
Ballweg and Felzkowski. Referred to Committee on Campaigns and
Elections.
AB173,1,3 1An Act to amend 7.30 (3) (a) and 12.60 (1) (a); and to create 7.30 (7), 12.085 and
212.13 (3) (zp) of the statutes; relating to: private resources used for election
3administration, appointment of election officials, and providing a penalty.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under this bill, no official or agent of a county, city, village, or town may apply
for or accept any donation or grant of moneys, equipment, materials, or personnel
from an individual or nongovernmental entity for purposes of election
administration, except as expressly authorized under the statutes relating to
elections. If the Elections Commission accepts a donation or grant of moneys from
an individual or nongovernmental entity for purposes of election administration, the
commission may not expend those moneys, except as follows:
1. The commission must distribute the moneys to each municipality in
Wisconsin on a per capita basis, subject to an exception for distributions that would
result in any municipality receiving less than $25.
2. The commission may expend the moneys only as approved by the Joint
Committee on Finance.
Under the bill, whoever violates one of the prohibitions described above is guilty
of a Class I felony, the penalty for which is a fine not to exceed $10,000 or
imprisonment not to exceed three years and six months, or both.
The bill also makes it a Class I felony for any person to assist in counting or
tabulating votes at an election unless the person is a resident of this state, is a
tabulator or election official who is trained to the extent provided by law, and has

signed the official oath and returned it to the municipal clerk with respect to that
election.
Finally, the bill prohibits the appointment of any poll worker who is an
employee of any of the following:
1. A candidate committee, legislative campaign committee, political action
committee, independent expenditure committee, political party, recall committee, or
referendum committee, as those terms are defined by law.
2. A political organization required to register with the federal elections
commission.
3. An issue advocacy group.
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,
the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a
report.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB173,1 1Section 1. 7.30 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB173,2,82 7.30 (3) (a) Not less than 30 days before any election the governing body or
3board of election commissioners of any municipality, by resolution, may authorize
4the municipal clerk or executive director of the board of election commissioners to
5select and employ tabulators for any election. Such authorization applies to the
6elections specified in the resolution, and if not specified, applies until the
7authorization is modified or revoked. Each tabulator shall sign the official oath and
8return it to the municipal clerk before the election.
AB173,2 9Section 2. 7.30 (7) of the statutes is created to read:
AB173,2,1010 7.30 (7) Prohibited employment. (a) In this subsection:
AB173,2,1111 1. “Committee" has the meaning given in s. 11.0101 (6).
AB173,2,1312 2. “Issue advocacy” means communication that provides information about
13political or social issues and is made to influence the outcome of an election.
AB173,3,2
13. “Issue advocacy group” means any organization whose sole or primary
2purpose is to engage in issue advocacy.
AB173,3,43 (b) No person who is an employee of any of the following may be appointed as
4an election official:
AB173,3,55 1. A committee.
AB173,3,76 2. A political organization required to register with the federal elections
7commission.
AB173,3,88 3. An issue advocacy group.
AB173,3 9Section 3. 12.085 of the statutes is created to read:
AB173,3,11 1012.085 Private resources for election administration. (1) Definitions.
11In this section:
AB173,3,1312 (a) “Election administration” means preparing for, facilitating, conducting, or
13administering an election.
AB173,3,1614 (b) “Private resources” means moneys, equipment, materials, or personnel
15provided by any individual or nongovernmental entity, but does not include
16employees receiving paid leave to act as tabulators or election officials.
AB173,3,20 17(2) Ban on private resources for election administration. No official or agent
18of a county or municipality may apply for or accept any donation or grant of private
19resources for purposes of election administration, except as expressly authorized
20under chs. 5 to 12.
AB173,3,24 21(3) Commission acceptance of private moneys for election administration.
22If the commission accepts a donation or grant of moneys from an individual or
23nongovernmental entity for purposes of election administration, the commission
24may not expend those moneys except as follows:
AB173,4,7
1(a) Subject to par. (b), the commission shall distribute the moneys to each
2municipality in this state on a per capita basis, except that if a distribution under this
3subdivision would result in any municipality receiving a sum of less than $25, the
4commission may retain the donation or grant and may apply the donation or grant
5to offset the commission's own expenses related to the administration of elections
6until such time as the commission accepts additional moneys under this subsection
7that, in total, would result in a minimum distribution amount of $25 or more.
AB173,4,118 (b) The commission may expend a donation or grant of moneys accepted under
9this subsection only as approved by the joint committee on finance. The joint
10committee on finance may authorize expenditures other than those provided under
11par. (a).
AB173,4 12Section 4. 12.13 (3) (zp) of the statutes is created to read:
AB173,4,1613 12.13 (3) (zp) Assist in counting or tabulating votes at an election unless the
14person is a resident of this state, is a tabulator or election official who is trained to
15the extent provided by law, and has signed the official oath and returned it to the
16municipal clerk with respect to that election.
AB173,5 17Section 5. 12.60 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB173,4,1918 12.60 (1) (a) Whoever violates s. 12.085, 12.09, 12.11 or 12.13 (1), (2) (b) 1. to
197. or (3) (a), (e), (f), (j), (k), (L), (m), (y) or , (z), or (zp) is guilty of a Class I felony.
AB173,4,2020 (End)
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