7.52 (3) (b) When the board of absentee ballot canvassers finds that a certification is insufficient, that the applicant is not a qualified elector in the ward or election district, that the ballot envelope is open or has been opened and resealed, that the ballot envelope contains more than one ballot of any one kind, or that the certificate of an a military or overseas elector who received an absentee ballot by facsimile transmission or electronic mail is missing, or if proof is submitted to the board of absentee ballot canvassers that an elector voting an absentee ballot has since died, the board of absentee ballot canvassers shall not count the ballot. Each member of the board of absentee ballot canvassers shall endorse every ballot not counted on the back as "rejected (giving the reason)." The board of absentee ballot canvassers shall reinsert each rejected ballot into the certificate envelope in which it was delivered and enclose the certificate envelopes and ballots, and securely seal the ballots and envelopes in an envelope marked for rejected absentee ballots. The board of absentee ballot canvassers shall endorse the envelope as "rejected ballots," with a statement of the ward or election district and date of the election, and each member of the board of absentee ballot canvassers shall sign the statement. The board of absentee ballot canvassers shall then return the envelope containing the ballots to the municipal clerk.
75,62
Section
62. 7.60 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
7.60 (5) (a) Immediately following the canvass, the county clerk shall deliver or send to the government accountability board, by 1st class mail, a certified copy of each statement of the county board of canvassers for president and vice president, state officials, senators and representatives in congress, state legislators, justice, court of appeals judge, circuit judge, district attorney, and metropolitan sewerage commissioners, if the commissioners are elected under s. 200.09 (11) (am). The statement shall record the returns for each office or referendum by ward, unless combined returns are authorized under s. 5.15 (6) (b) in which case the statement shall record the returns for each group of combined wards. Following primaries the county clerk shall enclose on forms prescribed by the government accountability board the names, party or principle designation, if any, and number of votes received by each candidate recorded in the same manner. The county clerk shall deliver or transmit the certified statement to the government accountability board no later than 7 days after each primary except the September partisan primary, no later than 10 days after the September partisan primary and any other election except the general election, and no later than 14 days after the general election. The board of canvassers shall deliver or transmit a certified copy of each statement for any technical college district referendum to the secretary of the technical college district board.
75,63
Section
63. 7.70 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
7.70 (3) (a) The chairperson of the board or a designee of the chairperson appointed by the chairperson to canvass a specific election shall publicly canvass the returns and make his or her certifications and determinations on or before the 2nd Tuesday following a spring primary, the 15th day of May following a spring election, the 3rd Wednesday following a September partisan primary, the first day of December following a general election, the 2nd Thursday following a special primary, or within 18 days after any special election.
75,64
Section
64. 8.10 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.10 (1) Candidates for office to be filled at the spring election shall be nominated by nomination papers, or by nomination papers and selection at the primary if a primary is held, except as provided for towns and villages under s. 8.05. Unless designated in this section or s. 8.05, the general provisions pertaining to nomination at the September partisan primary apply.
75,65
Section
65. 8.15 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.15 (title) Nominations for September partisan primary.
75,66
Section
66. 8.15 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.15 (1) Nomination papers may be circulated no sooner than June 1 April 15 preceding the general election and may be filed no later than 5 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday of July June 1 preceding the September partisan primary, except as authorized in this subsection. If an incumbent fails to file nomination papers and a declaration of candidacy by 5 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday of July June 1 preceding the September partisan primary, all candidates for the office held by the incumbent, other than the incumbent, may file nomination papers no later than 72 hours after the latest time prescribed in this subsection. No extension of the time for filing nomination papers applies if the incumbent files written notification with the filing officer or agency with whom nomination papers are filed for the office which the incumbent holds, no later than 5 p.m. on the 2nd Friday preceding the latest time prescribed in this subsection for filing nomination papers, that the incumbent is not a candidate for reelection to his or her office, and the incumbent does not file nomination papers for that office within the time prescribed in this subsection. Only those candidates for whom nomination papers containing the necessary signatures acquired within the allotted time and filed before the deadline may have their names appear on the official September partisan primary ballot.
75,67
Section
67. 8.16 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.16 (7) Nominees chosen at a national convention and under s. 8.18 (2) by each party entitled to a September partisan primary ballot shall be the party's candidates for president, vice president and presidential electors. The state or national chairperson of each such party shall certify the names of the party's nominees for president and vice president to the board no later than 5 p.m. on the first Tuesday in September preceding a presidential election. Each name shall be in one of the formats authorized in s. 7.08 (2) (a).
75,68
Section
68. 8.17 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.17 (1) (b) Each political party shall elect one committeeman or committeewoman from each election district. In this section, each village, each town and each city is an "election district"; except that in cities having a population of more than 7,500 which are divided into aldermanic districts, each aldermanic district is an "election district"; and in cities having a population of more than 7,500 which are not divided into aldermanic districts and villages or towns having a population of more than 7,500, each ward or group of combined wards under s. 5.15 (6) (b) constituting a polling place on June 1 April 15 of the year in which committeemen or committeewomen are elected is an "election district". To be eligible to serve as its committeeman or committeewoman, an individual shall be, at the time of filing nomination papers or at the time of appointment under this section, a resident of the election district which he or she is chosen to represent and shall be at least 18 years of age.
75,69
Section
69. 8.17 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.17 (4) The term of office of each committeeman or committeewoman shall end on the date of the meeting held under sub. (5) (b) following each September
partisan primary.
75,70
Section
70. 8.17 (5) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.17 (5) (b) A combined meeting of the county committee and members in good standing of the party in the county shall be held no sooner than 15 days after the September partisan primary and no later than April 1 of the following year. At this meeting, the party committeemen or committeewomen and the county committee offices of chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary and treasurer shall be filled by election by the incumbent committeemen, committeewomen and other party members present and voting, each of whom is entitled to one vote. At this meeting, the county committee shall elect the members of the congressional district committee as provided in sub. (6) (b), (c) and (d). The secretary of the county committee shall give at least 7 days' written notice of the meeting to party and committee members. Individuals elected as county committee officers or as congressional district committee members may be, but are not required to be, committeemen or committeewomen. They are required to be party members in good standing. The terms of committeemen and committeewomen, county committee officers and congressional district committee members begin during the meeting immediately upon completion and verification of the voting for each office.
75,71
Section
71. 8.19 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.19 (3) Every political party entitled, under s. 5.62, to have its candidates on the September partisan primary and general election ballots has exclusive right to the use of the name designating it at any election involving political parties. The board shall not certify nor the county clerk print the name of any person whose nomination papers indicate a party name comprising a combination of existing party names, qualifying words, phrases, prefixes or suffixes in connection with any existing party name.
8.20 (8) (a) Nomination papers for independent candidates for any office to be voted upon at a general election, except president, vice president and presidential elector, may be circulated no sooner than June 1
April 15 preceding the election and may be filed no later than 5 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday of July June 1 preceding the September partisan primary, except as authorized in this paragraph. If an incumbent fails to file nomination papers and a declaration of candidacy by 5 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday of July June 1 preceding the September partisan primary, all candidates for the office held by the incumbent, other than the incumbent, may file nomination papers no later than 72 hours after the latest time prescribed in this paragraph. No extension of the time for filing nomination papers applies if the incumbent files written notification with the filing officer or agency with whom nomination papers are filed for the office which the incumbent holds, no later than 5 p.m. on the 2nd Friday preceding the latest time prescribed in this paragraph for filing nomination papers, that the incumbent is not a candidate for reelection to his or her office, and the incumbent does not file nomination papers for that office within the time prescribed in this paragraph.
75,73
Section
73. 8.20 (8) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.20 (8) (am) Nomination papers for independent candidates for president and vice president, and the presidential electors designated to represent them, may be circulated no sooner than August July 1 and may be filed not later than 5 p.m. on the first Tuesday in September August preceding a presidential election.
75,74
Section
74. 8.37 of the statutes is amended to read:
8.37 Filing of referenda petitions or questions. Unless otherwise required by law, all proposed constitutional amendments and any other measure or question that is to be submitted to a vote of the people, or any petitions requesting that a measure or question be submitted to a vote of the people, if applicable, shall be filed with the official or agency responsible for preparing the ballots for the election no later than 42 70 days prior to the election at which the amendment, measure or question will appear on the ballot. No later than the end of the next business day after a proposed measure is filed with a school district clerk under this section, the clerk shall file a copy of the measure or question with the clerk of each county having territory within the school district.
75,75
Section
75. 8.50 (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.50 Special elections. (intro.) Unless otherwise provided, this section applies to filling vacancies in the U.S. senate and house of representatives, executive state offices except the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, and district attorney, judicial and legislative state offices, county, city, village, and town offices, and the offices of municipal judge and member of the board of school directors in school districts organized under ch. 119. State legislative offices may be filled in anticipation of the occurrence of a vacancy whenever authorized in sub. (4) (e). No special election may be held after February 1 preceding the spring election unless it is held on the same day as the spring election, nor after September 1 August 1 preceding the general election unless it is held on the same day as the general election, until the day after that election. If the special election is held on the day of the general election, the primary for the special election, if any, shall be held on the day of the September
partisan primary. If the special election is held on the day of the spring election, the primary for the special election, if any, shall be held on the day of the spring primary.
75,76
Section
76. 8.50 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.50 (1) (d) When the election concerns a national
or state office office or a special election for state office is held concurrently with the general election, the board shall transmit to each county clerk a certified list of all persons for whom nomination papers have been filed in its office at least 62 days before the special primary, and in other cases the board shall transmit the list to each county clerk at least 22 days before the special primary, a certified list of all persons for whom nomination papers have been filed in its office. If no primary is required, the list shall be transmitted at least 42 days prior to the day of the special election unless the special election concerns a national office or is held concurrently with the general election, in which case the list shall be transmitted at least 62 days prior to the day of the special election. Immediately upon receipt of the certified list, the county clerk shall prepare his or her ballots. For a county special election, the county clerk shall certify the candidates and prepare the ballots. If there is a primary, the county clerk shall publish one type B notice in a newspaper under ch. 10. When a primary is held, as soon as possible after the primary, the county clerk shall certify the candidates and prepare the ballots for the following special election. The clerk shall publish one type B notice in a newspaper under ch. 10 for the election.
75,77
Section
77. 8.50 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.50 (2) Date of special election. (a) The date for the special election shall be not less than 62 nor more than 77 days from the date of the order except when the special election is held to fill a vacancy in a national office or the special election is held on the day of the general election or spring election. If a special election is held concurrently with the spring or general election, the special election may be ordered not earlier than 92 days prior to the spring primary or September primary, respectively, and not later than 49 days prior to that primary. If a special election is held concurrently with the general election or a special election is held to fill a national office, the special election may be ordered not earlier than 122 days prior to the partisan primary or special primary, respectively, and not later than 92 days prior to that primary.
(b) If a primary is required, the primary shall be on the day 4 weeks before the day of the special election except when the special election is held on the same day as the general election the special primary shall be held on the same day as the September partisan primary or if the special election is held concurrently with the spring election, the primary shall be held concurrently with the spring primary, and except when the special election is held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of an odd-numbered year, the primary shall be held on the 2nd Tuesday of September August in that year.
75,78
Section
78. 8.50 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.50 (3) (a) Nomination papers may be circulated no sooner than the day the order for the special election is filed and shall be filed not later than 5 p.m. 28 days before the day that the special primary will or would be held, if required, except when a special election is held concurrently with the spring election or general election, the deadline for filing nomination papers shall be specified in the order and the date shall be no earlier than the date provided in s. 8.10 (2) (a) or 8.15 (1), respectively, and no later than 35 days prior to the date of the spring primary or September no later than June 1 preceding the partisan primary. Nomination papers may be filed in the manner specified in s. 8.10, 8.15, or 8.20. Each candidate shall file a declaration of candidacy in the manner provided in s. 8.21 no later than the latest time provided in the order for filing nomination papers. If a candidate for state or local office has not filed a registration statement under s. 11.05 at the time he or she files nomination papers, the candidate shall file the statement with the papers. A candidate for state office shall also file a statement of economic interests with the board no later than the end of the 3rd day following the last day for filing nomination papers specified in the order.
8.50 (3) (b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions for September primaries the partisan primary under s. 8.15 are applicable to all partisan primaries held under this section, and the provisions for spring primaries under s. 8.10 are applicable to all nonpartisan primaries held under this section. In a special partisan primary or election, the order of the parties on the ballot shall be the same as provided under s. 5.62 (1) or 5.64 (1) (b). No primary is required for a nonpartisan election in which not more than 2 candidates for an office appear on the ballot or for a partisan election in which not more than one candidate for an office appears on the ballot of each recognized political party. In every special election except a special election for nonpartisan state office where no candidate is certified to appear on the ballot, a space for write-in votes shall be provided on the ballot, regardless of whether a special primary is held.
75,80
Section
80. 8.50 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.50 (3) (c) Notwithstanding ss. 5.37 (4), 5.91 (6) and 6.80 (2) (f), whenever a special partisan primary is held concurrently with the presidential preference primary, an elector may choose the party column or ballot in which the elector will cast his or her vote separately for each of the 2 primaries. Whenever 2 or more special partisan primaries or one or more special partisan primaries and a September partisan primary are held concurrently, the procedure prescribed in ss. 5.37 (4), 5.91 (6) and 6.80 (2) (f) applies.
75,81
Section
81. 8.50 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.50 (4) (b) A vacancy in the office of U.S. senator or representative in congress occurring prior to the 2nd Tuesday in May April in the year of the general election shall be filled at a special primary and election. A vacancy in that office occurring between the 2nd Tuesday in May April and the 2nd Tuesday in July May in the year of the general election shall be filled at the September partisan primary and general election.
75,82
Section
82. 8.50 (4) (fm) of the statutes is amended to read:
8.50 (4) (fm) A permanent vacancy in the office of municipal judge may be filled by temporary appointment of the municipal governing body, or, if the judge is elected under s. 755.01 (4), jointly by the governing bodies of all municipalities served by the judge. The office shall then be permanently filled by special election, which shall be held concurrently with the next spring election following the occurrence of the vacancy, except that a vacancy occurring during the period after December 1 and on or before the date of the spring election shall be filled at the 2nd succeeding spring election, and except that the governing body of a city or village or, if the judge is elected under s. 755.01 (4), the governing bodies of the participating cities or villages may, if the vacancy occurs before June 1 April 15 in the year preceding expiration of the term of office, order a special election to be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November following the date of the order. A person so elected shall serve for the residue of the unexpired term.
75,83
Section
83. 9.01 (1) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
9.01 (1) (a) 1. Any candidate voted for at any election or any elector who voted upon any referendum question at any election may petition for a recount. The petitioner shall file a verified petition or petitions with the proper clerk or body under par. (ar) not earlier than the time of completion of the canvass and not later than 5 p.m. on the 3rd business day following the last meeting day of the municipal or county board of canvassers determining the election for that office or on that referendum question prior to issuance of any amended return under s. 6.221 7.515 (6) (b) or, if more than one board of canvassers makes the determination, not later than 5 p.m. on the 3rd business day following the last meeting day of the last board of canvassers which makes a determination prior to issuance of any amended return under s. 6.221
7.515 (6) (b). If the chairperson of the board or chairperson's designee makes the determination for the office or the referendum question, the petitioner shall file the petition not earlier than the last meeting day of the last county board of canvassers to make a statement in the election or referendum and not later than 5 p.m. on the 3rd business day following the day on which the government accountability board receives the last statement from a county board of canvassers for the election or referendum.
75,84
Section
84. 9.01 (1) (ag) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
9.01 (1) (ag) 1. If the difference between the votes cast for the leading candidate and those cast for the petitioner or the difference between the affirmative and negative votes cast upon any referendum question is less than 10 if 1,000 or less votes are cast or not more than 0.5% of the total votes cast for the office or on the question if more than 1,000 votes are cast prior to issuance of any amended return under s. 6.221 7.515 (6) (b), the petitioner is not required to pay a fee.
75,85
Section
85. 9.01 (1) (ag) 1m. of the statutes is amended to read:
9.01 (1) (ag) 1m. If the difference between the votes cast for the leading candidate and those cast for the petitioner or the difference between the affirmative and negative votes cast upon any referendum question is at least 10 if 1,000 or less votes are cast or is more than 0.5% but not more than 2% if more than 1,000 votes are cast prior to issuance of any amended return under s. 6.221
7.515 (6) (b), the petitioner shall pay a fee of $5 for each ward for which the petition requests a ballot recount, or $5 for each municipality for which the petition requests a recount where no wards exist.
75,86
Section
86. 9.01 (1) (ag) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
9.01 (1) (ag) 2. If the difference between the votes cast for the leading candidate and those cast for the petitioner or the difference between the affirmative and negative votes cast upon any referendum question is more than 2% if more than 1,000 votes are cast prior to issuance of any amended return under s. 6.221 7.515 (6) (b), the petitioner shall pay a fee equal to the actual cost of performing the recount in each ward for which the petition requests a recount, or in each municipality for which the petition request a recount where no wards exist.
75,87
Section
87. 9.01 (1) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
9.01 (1) (b) (intro.) The proper board of canvassers shall reconvene no earlier than 9 a.m. on the day following delivery of notice to all candidates under sub. (2) and no later than 9 a.m. on the day following the last day for filing of a petition, or if the original canvass is subject to correction under s. 6.221 7.515 (6) (b), immediately after issuance of the amended statement and determination in the original canvass, whichever is later. The board of canvassers shall then proceed to recount the ballots in the wards or municipalities specified and to review the allegations of fact contained in the petition or petitions. The recount shall proceed for each ward or municipality as follows:
75,88
Section
88. 10.01 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
10.01 (2) (d) Type D—The type D notice shall state the hours the polls will be open and the polling places to be utilized at the election or shall include a concise statement of how polling place information may be obtained. In cities over 500,000 population, the board of election commissioners shall determine the form of the notice. In other municipalities and special purpose districts, the clerk of the municipality or special purpose district shall give the polling place information in the manner the governing body of the municipality or special purpose district decides will most effectively inform the electors. The type D notice shall be published by the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners of each municipality once on the day before each spring primary and election, each special national, state, county or municipal election at which the electors of that municipality are entitled to vote and each September partisan primary and general election. The clerk of each special purpose district which calls a special election shall publish a type D notice on the day before the election, and the day before the special primary, if any, except as authorized in s. 8.55 (3).
75,89
Section
89. 10.01 (2) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
10.01 (2) (e) Type E—The type E notice shall state the qualifications for absentee voting, the procedures for obtaining an absentee ballot in the case of registered and unregistered voters, the places and the deadlines for application and return of application, including any alternate site under s. 6.855, and the office hours during which an elector may cast an absentee ballot in the municipal clerk's office or at an alternate site under s. 6.855. The municipal clerk shall publish a type E notice on the 4th Tuesday preceding each spring primary and election, on the 4th Tuesday preceding each September partisan primary and general election, on the 4th Tuesday preceding the primary for each special national, state, county or municipal election if any, on the 4th Tuesday preceding a special county or municipal referendum, and on the 3rd Tuesday preceding each special national, state, county or municipal election to fill an office which is not held concurrently with the spring or general election. The clerk of each special purpose district which calls a special election shall publish a type E notice on the 4th Tuesday preceding the primary for the special election, if any, on the 4th Tuesday preceding a special referendum, and on the 3rd Tuesday preceding a special election for an office which is not held concurrently with the spring or general election except as authorized in s. 8.55 (3).
75,90
Section
90. 10.06 (1) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:
10.06 (1) (f) On or before the 2nd
3rd Tuesday in May March preceding a September partisan primary and general election the board shall send a type A notice to each county clerk.
75,91
Section
91. 10.06 (1) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:
10.06 (1) (h) As soon as possible after the deadline for determining ballot arrangement for the September partisan primary on the 3rd Tuesday in July June 10, the board shall send a type B notice to each county clerk certifying the list of candidates for the September
partisan primary.
10.06 (1) (i) As soon as possible after the state canvass, but no later than the 4th Tuesday in September August, the board shall send a type B notice certifying the list of candidates and type A and C notices certifying each question for any referendum to each county clerk for the general election.
75,93
Section
93. 10.06 (2) (gm) of the statutes is amended to read:
10.06 (2) (gm) On the last first Tuesday in May April the county clerk shall send notice of the coming September partisan primary and general election to each municipal clerk.
75,94
Section
94. 10.06 (2) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:
10.06 (2) (h) On the last 2nd Tuesday in May April preceding a September partisan primary and general election, the county clerk shall publish a type A notice based on the notice received from the board for all national and state offices to be filled at the election by any electors voting in the county and incorporating county offices.
75,95
Section
95. 10.06 (2) (j) of the statutes is amended to read:
10.06 (2) (j) On the Monday preceding the September partisan primary the county clerk shall publish a type B notice.
75,96
Section
96. 10.06 (3) (cm) of the statutes is amended to read:
10.06 (3) (cm) On the 4th Tuesday preceding the September partisan primary and general election, when held, the municipal clerk shall publish a type E notice. If there are municipal referenda, the municipal clerk shall publish a type A notice of the referenda at the same time.
75,97
Section
97. 11.06 (12) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
11.06 (12) (a) 1. "Election period" means the period between December 1 and the date of the spring election, the period between June May 1 and the day of the general election in any even-numbered year or the period between the first day for circulation of nomination papers and the day of a special election for any state office.
75,98
Section
98. 11.26 (17) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
11.26 (17) (d) In the case of any candidate at the spring primary or election or the September partisan primary or general election, the "campaign" of the candidate ends on June 30 or December 31 following the date on which the election or primary is held in which the candidate is elected or defeated, or the date on which the candidate receives sufficient contributions to retire any obligations incurred in connection with that contest, whichever is later. In the case of any candidate at a special primary or election, the "campaign" of the candidate ends on the last day of the month following the month in which the primary or election is held in which the candidate is elected or defeated, or the date on which the candidate receives sufficient contributions to retire any obligations incurred in connection with that contest, whichever is later.
75,99
Section
99. 11.31 (7) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
11.31 (7) (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 partisan 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.
75,100
Section
100. 13.123 (3) (b) 1. a. of the statutes is amended to read:
13.123 (3) (b) 1. a. After the day of the September partisan primary, that the member either has not filed nomination papers for reelection or election to another legislative seat or has sought a party nomination for a legislative seat but it is generally acknowledged that the member has not won nomination.
38.16 (3) (br) 1. If a district board wishes to exceed the limit under par. (b) otherwise applicable to the district in 2011 or 2012, it shall adopt a resolution supporting inclusion in the final district budget of an amount equal to the proposed excess levy. The resolution shall be filed as provided in s. 8.37. Within 10 days after adopting the resolution, the district board shall notify the board of the scheduled date of the referendum and submit a copy of the resolution to the board. The district board shall call a special referendum for the purpose of submitting the resolution to the electors of the district for approval or rejection. In lieu of a special referendum, the district board may specify that the referendum be held at the next succeeding spring primary or election or September
partisan primary or general election, if such election is to be held not sooner than 42 days after the filing of the resolution of the district board. The district board shall certify the results of the referendum to the board within 10 days after the referendum is held.
75,102
Section
102. 59.08 (7) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
59.08 (7) (b) The question of the consolidation of the counties shall be submitted to the voters at the next election to be held on the first Tuesday in April, or the next regular election, or at a special election to be held on the day fixed in the order issued under par. (a), which day shall be the same in each of the counties proposing to consolidate. A copy of the order shall be filed with the county clerk of each of the counties as provided in s. 8.37. If the question of consolidation is submitted at a special election, it shall be held not less than 42 70 days nor more than 60 88 days from the completion of the consolidation agreement, but not within 60 days of any spring or general election.
75,103
Section
103. 59.10 (3) (cm) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
59.10 (3) (cm) 2. `Petition and referendum.' Except as provided in subd. 3., the electors of a county may, by petition and referendum, decrease the number of supervisors at any time after the first election is held following enactment of a decennial supervisory district plan under par. (b). A petition for a change in the number of supervisors may be filed with the county clerk. Prior to circulating a petition to decrease the number of supervisors in any county, a petitioner shall register with the county clerk, giving the petitioner's name and address and indicating the petitioner's intent to file such a petition. No signature on a petition is valid unless the signature is obtained within the 60-day period following such registration. The petition shall specify the proposed number of supervisors to be elected. Within 14 days after the last day for filing an original petition, any other petitioner may file an alternative petition with the county clerk proposing a different number of supervisors to be elected, and, if the petition is valid, the alternative proposed in the petition shall be submitted for approval at the same referendum. An alternative petition is subject to the same registration and signature requirements as an original petition. Each petition shall be in the form specified in s. 8.40 and shall contain a number of signatures of electors of the county equal to at least 25 percent of the total votes cast in the county for the office of supervisor at the most recent spring election preceding the date of filing. The county clerk shall promptly determine the sufficiency of a petition filed under this subdivision. Upon determination that a petition is sufficient, or if one or more valid alternative petitions are filed, upon determination that the petitions are sufficient, the county clerk shall call a referendum concurrently with the next spring or general election in the county that is held not earlier than 42
70 days after the determination is made. The question proposed at the referendum shall be: "Shall the board of supervisors of .... County be decreased from .... members to .... members?". If one or more alternative valid petitions are filed within 14 days after the last day that an original petition may be filed, the question relating to the number of supervisors shall appear separately. The first question shall be: "Shall the size of the county board of supervisors of .... County be decreased from its current membership of .... members?". Any subsequent question shall be: "If so, shall the size of the board be decreased to .... members?". Each elector may vote in the affirmative or negative on the first question and may then vote in the affirmative on one of the remaining questions. If the first question is not approved by a majority of the electors voting on the question, any subsequent question is of no effect. If the question is approved by a majority of the electors voting on the question, or, if more than one question is submitted, if the first question is approved by a majority of the electors voting on the question, the board shall enact an ordinance prescribing revised boundaries for the supervisory districts in the county. The ordinance shall be enacted in accordance with the approved question or, if more than one question is submitted, in accordance with the choice receiving a plurality of the votes cast. The districts are subject to the same requirements that apply to districts in any plan enacted by the board under subd. 1. If the board has determined under sub. (1) (b) to adopt staggered terms for the office of supervisor, the board may change the expiration date of the term of any supervisor to an earlier date than the date provided under current ordinance if required to implement the redistricting or to maintain classes of members. The county clerk shall file a certified copy of any redistricting plan enacted under this subdivision with the secretary of state.
75,104
Section
104. 59.605 (3) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
59.605 (3) (a) 1. If the governing body of a county wishes to exceed the operating levy rate limit otherwise applicable to the county under this section, it shall adopt a resolution to that effect. The resolution shall specify either the operating levy rate or the operating levy that the governing body wishes to impose for either a specified number of years or an indefinite period. The governing body shall call a special referendum for the purpose of submitting the resolution to the electors of the county for approval or rejection. In lieu of a special referendum, the governing body may specify that the referendum be held at the next succeeding spring primary or election or September partisan primary or general election to be held not earlier than 42 70 days after the adoption of the resolution of the governing body. The governing body shall file the resolution to be submitted to the electors as provided in s. 8.37.
75,105
Section
105. 60.30 (1e) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
