Amendment ASA3-AB7

LRBs0101/1

JTK:nwn:jf

2011 - 2012 LEGISLATURE

ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 3, TO 2011 ASSEMBLY BILL 7

May 11, 2011 - Offered by Representative Roys.

AB7-ASA3,2,7 An Act to repeal 6.865 (3) and 6.865 (3m) (c); to renumber and amend 5.02 (18), 6.25 (1) and 6.86 (2m); to consolidate, renumber and amend 6.25 (4) (intro.), (a) and (b); to amend 5.05 (13) (title), 5.15 (6) (b), 5.25 (3), 5.37 (4), 5.62 (title), 5.62 (1), 5.62 (2), 5.62 (3), 5.62 (5), 6.22 (4) (a), 6.22 (4) (e), 6.22 (6), 6.221 (title), 6.221 (1), 6.221 (3), 6.221 (5), 6.24 (2), 6.24 (4) (c), 6.36 (1) (a), 6.50 (8), 6.86 (1) (a) (intro.), 6.86 (1) (a) 3., 6.86 (1) (ac), 6.86 (1) (b), 6.86 (1) (b), 6.865 (title), 6.865 (3m) (a), 6.865 (3m) (b), 6.869, 6.87 (3) (d), 6.87 (6), 7.08 (2) (b), 7.08 (2) (c), 7.10 (3) (a), 7.15 (1) (cm), 7.15 (1) (j), 7.60 (5) (a), 7.70 (3) (a), 7.70 (3) (e) 1., 8.10 (1), 8.15 (title), 8.15 (1), 8.16 (1), 8.16 (7), 8.17 (1) (b), 8.17 (4), 8.17 (5) (b), 8.19 (3), 8.20 (8) (a), 8.20 (8) (am), 8.20 (9), 8.50 (intro.), 8.50 (2), 8.50 (3) (a), 8.50 (3) (b), 8.50 (3) (c), 8.50 (4) (b), 8.50 (4) (fm), 10.01 (2) (d), 10.01 (2) (e), 10.02 (3) (b) 2m., 10.06 (1) (f), 10.06 (1) (h), 10.06 (1) (i), 10.06 (2) (gm), 10.06 (2) (h), 10.06 (2) (j), 10.06 (3) (cm), 11.06 (12) (a) 1., 11.26 (17) (d), 11.31 (3m), 11.31 (7) (a), 11.50 (1) (a) 1., 11.50 (2) (b) 4., 11.50 (2) (b) 5., 11.50 (2) (c), 11.50 (2) (f), 11.50 (2) (i), 13.123 (3) (b) 1. a., 59.605 (3) (a) 1., 66.0602 (4) (a), 66.0619 (2m) (b), 66.0921 (2), 66.1113 (2) (g), 66.1113 (2) (h), 67.05 (6m) (b), 67.12 (12) (e) 5., 117.22 (2) (e), 121.91 (3) (a), 229.824 (15) and 995.20; and to create 5.05 (13) (c) and (d), 6.22 (2) (e), 6.24 (4) (e) and 6.25 (1) (b) of the statutes; relating to: the dates of the September primary and certain other election occurrences and absentee voting.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This substitute amendment changes the date of the September primary from the 2nd Tuesday in September to the 2nd Tuesday in August and renames it to be the "Partisan Primary". The substitute amendment also changes the dates of related election events to accommodate the change in the date of the primary.

The substitute amendment also makes various changes in the laws pertaining to absentee voting. Most of the changes relate to absentee voting by military and overseas electors of this state. State law contains different definitions of the terms "military elector" and "overseas elector." One set of definitions mirrors the definitions found in federal law. Under federal law, a "military elector" includes: 1) a member of a uniformed service on active duty who, by reason of that duty, is absent from the residence where the member is otherwise qualified to vote; 2) a member of the merchant marine who, by reason of service in the merchant marine, is absent from the residence where the member is otherwise qualified to vote; and 3) the spouse or dependent of any such member who, by reason of the duty or service of the member, is absent from the residence where the person is otherwise qualified to vote. The federal definition of "overseas elector" includes an elector who resides outside the United States and who is qualified under federal law to vote in elections for national office in this state because the elector last resided in this state immediately prior to the elector's departure from the United States. The other set of definitions applies for certain state purposes and includes all the persons who are included in the federal definitions but also includes other persons. The state definition of the term "military elector" includes: 1) members of a uniformed service who are not on active duty or who are not absent from their residences by reason of their service or both; 2) members of the merchant marine who are not absent from their residences; 3) civilian employees of the United States and civilians officially attached to a uniformed service who are serving outside the United States; 4) Peace Corps volunteers; and 5) spouses and dependents of these persons who are residing with or accompanying them. The state definition of "overseas elector" includes children of persons who qualify as overseas electors under federal law who are U.S. citizens at least 18 years of age, who are not disqualified from voting in this state, and who are not residents of this state. Significant provisions of the substitute amendment include:

1. Under current law, any qualified absentee elector may request an absentee ballot by means of electronic mail or facsimile transmission. If an elector so requests, the elector must mail with his or her voted absentee ballot a copy of an absentee ballot application containing his or her original signature. In addition, an absentee elector may request that his or her absentee ballot be transmitted to him or her by electronic mail or facsimile transmission and a municipal clerk or board of election commissioners may transmit the ballot as requested. This substitute amendment provides that the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners must transmit the ballot if the clerk or board receives a valid request.

2. Current law permits a military or overseas elector, as defined in state law, to cast a vote in any general election in which a federal office is to be filled by writing in the name of a candidate on a blank absentee ballot form prescribed by the U.S. government and returning the ballot to the appropriate municipal clerk or board of election commissioners. This substitute amendment permits a military elector, as defined by state law, to cast such a ballot at any election, including any primary election, at which a federal, state, or local office is to be filled and permits an overseas elector, as defined by state law, to cast such a ballot at any election, including any primary election, at which a federal office is to be filled.

3. This substitute amendment directs the Government Accountability Board (GAB), with the assistance of county and municipal clerks and boards of election commissioners, to designate at least one freely accessible means of electronic communication which shall be used to: 1) permit a military or overseas elector, as defined by federal law, to request a voter registration or absentee ballot application and to indicate whether he or she wishes to receive the application electronically or by mail; and 2) permit a municipal clerk or board of election commissioners to transmit an application to a military or overseas elector, as defined by federal law, electronically or by mail, as requested by the elector, together with related voting, balloting and election information. The substitute amendment also directs GAB, with the assistance of county and municipal clerks and boards of elections commissioners, to maintain a freely accessible system whereby a military or overseas elector, as defined by federal law, who casts an absentee ballot may ascertain whether the ballot has been received by the appropriate municipal clerk or board. No similar provisions exist currently.

4. Currently, an absentee ballot cast by an elector is void unless it is received at the polling place for the elector's residence by 8 p.m. on election night. However, state law provides that if an elector is a military elector, as defined by federal law, the elector has an additional ten days after the general election and seven days after the September primary for the elector's ballot to be received by his or her municipality if the ballot is postmarked by election day. This substitute amendment extends a similar ten-day dispensation to military electors, as defined by federal law, who are voting in the presidential preference primary or a special federal election.

5. Currently, an elector who is a military elector, as defined by state law, or an overseas elector, as defined by state law, and who applies for an absentee ballot no later than 30 days before an election may cast a blank write-in ballot at that election in lieu of the official printed ballot, for any candidates for federal office whose offices are contested at that election. The ballot is valid only if it is submitted from a location outside the United States. This substitute amendment permits such an elector to cast a blank write-in absentee ballot after official printed ballots become available if he or she applies for an absentee ballot no later than the latest time permitted for application for an absentee ballot under state law. The substitute amendment also permits a military elector to cast such a ballot even if the ballot is submitted from a location inside the United States, including the elector's permanent residence.

6. Currently, GAB must prescribe uniform instructions for absentee voters. This substitute amendment provides that the instructions must include the specific means of electronic communication that absentee voters may use to file an application for an absentee ballot, to request a voter registration form, or to change their registrations.

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

AB7-ASA3, s. 1 Section 1. 5.02 (18) of the statutes is renumbered 5.02 (12s) and amended to read:

AB7-ASA3,4,6 5.02 (12s) "September Partisan primary" means the primary held on the 2nd Tuesday in September August to nominate candidates to be voted for at the general election, and to determine which candidates for state offices other than district attorney may participate in the Wisconsin election campaign fund.

AB7-ASA3, s. 2 Section 2. 5.05 (13) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB7-ASA3,4,8 5.05 (13) (title) Toll-free election information exchange and requests.

AB7-ASA3, s. 3 Section 3. 5.05 (13) (c) and (d) of the statutes are created to read:

AB7-ASA3,4,13 5.05 (13) (c) Maintain a freely accessible system under which a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1) (a), or an overseas elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1) (b), who casts an absentee ballot may ascertain whether the ballot has been received by the appropriate municipal clerk.

AB7-ASA3,5,2 (d) Designate and maintain at least one freely accessible means of electronic communication which shall be used for the following purposes:

AB7-ASA3,5,6 1. To permit a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1) (a), or an overseas elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1) (b), to request a voter registration application or an application for an absentee ballot at any election at which the elector is qualified to vote in this state.

AB7-ASA3,5,9 2. To permit a military elector or an overseas elector under subd. 1. to designate whether the elector wishes to receive the applications under subd. 1. electronically or by mail.

AB7-ASA3,5,13 3. To permit a municipal clerk to transmit to a military elector or an overseas elector under subd. 1. a registration application or absentee ballot application electronically or by mail, as directed by the elector under subd. 2., together with related voting, balloting, and election information.

AB7-ASA3, s. 4 Section 4. 5.15 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB7-ASA3,6,6 5.15 (6) (b) No later than 60 days before each September partisan primary and general election, and no later than 30 days before each other election the governing body of any municipality may by resolution combine 2 or more wards for voting purposes to facilitate using a common polling place. Whenever wards are so combined, the original ward numbers shall continue to be utilized for all official purposes. Except as otherwise authorized under this paragraph, every municipality having a population of 35,000 or more shall maintain separate returns for each ward so combined. In municipalities having a population of less than 35,000, the governing body may provide in the resolution that returns shall be maintained only for each group of combined wards at any election. Whenever a governing body provides for common ballot boxes and ballots or voting machines, separate returns shall be maintained for each separate ballot required under ss. 5.62 and 5.64 at the September partisan primary and general election. The municipal clerk shall transmit a copy of the resolution to the county clerk of each county in which the municipality is contained. In municipalities having a population of less than 35,000, the resolution shall remain in effect for each election until modified or rescinded, or until a new division is made under this section.

AB7-ASA3, s. 5 Section 5. 5.25 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB7-ASA3,6,10 5.25 (3) Polling places shall be established for each September partisan primary and general election at least 60 days before the election, and for each other election at least 30 days before the election.

AB7-ASA3, s. 6 Section 6. 5.37 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB7-ASA3,6,20 5.37 (4) Voting machines may be used at primary elections when they comply with subs. (1) and (2) and the following provisions: All candidates' names entitled to appear on the ballots at the primary shall appear on the machine; the elector cannot vote for candidates of more than one party, whenever the restriction applies, and an elector who votes for candidates of any party may not vote for independent candidates at the September partisan primary; the elector may secretly select the party for which he or she wishes to vote, or the independent candidates in the case of the September partisan primary; the elector may vote for as many candidates for each office as he or she is lawfully entitled to vote for, but no more.

AB7-ASA3, s. 7 Section 7. 5.62 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB7-ASA3,6,22 5.62 (title) September Partisan primary ballots.

AB7-ASA3, s. 8 Section 8. 5.62 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB7-ASA3,7,19 5.62 (1) (a) At September primaries the partisan primary, the following ballot shall be provided for the nomination of candidates of recognized political parties for national, state and county offices and independent candidates for state office in each ward, in the same form as prescribed by the board under s. 7.08 (1) (a), except as authorized in s. 5.655. The ballots shall be made up of the several party tickets with each party entitled to participate in the primary under par. (b) or sub. (2) having its own ballot, except as authorized in s. 5.655. The independent candidates for state office other than district attorney shall have a separate ballot for all such candidates as under s. 5.64 (1) (e), except as authorized in s. 5.655. The ballots shall be secured together at the bottom. The party ballot of the party receiving the most votes for president or governor at the last general election shall be on top with the other parties arranged in descending order based on their vote for president or governor at the last general election. The ballots of parties qualifying under sub. (2) shall be placed after the parties qualifying under par. (b), in the same order in which the parties filed petitions with the board. Any ballot required under par. (b) 2. shall be placed next in order. The ballot listing the independent candidates shall be placed at the bottom. At polling places where voting machines are used, each party and the independent candidates shall be represented in one or more separate columns or rows on the ballot. At polling places where an electronic voting system is used other than an electronic voting machine, each party and the independent candidates may be represented in separate columns or rows on the ballot.

AB7-ASA3,8,9 (b) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2. and s. 5.64 (1) (e) 2., every recognized political party listed on the official ballot at the last gubernatorial election whose candidate for any statewide office received at least 1% of the total votes cast for that office and, if the last general election was also a presidential election, every recognized political party listed on the ballot at that election whose candidate for president received at least 1% of the total vote cast for that office shall have a separate primary ballot or one or more separate columns or rows on the primary ballot as prescribed in par. (a) and a separate column on the general election ballot in every ward and election district. An organization which was listed as "independent" at the last general election and whose candidate meets the same qualification shall receive the same ballot status upon petition of the chairperson and secretary of the organization to the board requesting such status and specifying their party name, which may not duplicate the name of an existing party. A petition under this subdivision may be filed no later than 5 p.m. on June May 1 in the year of each general election.

AB7-ASA3,8,23 2. Subdivision 1. applies to a party within any assembly district or county at any September partisan primary election only if at least one candidate of the party for any national, state or county office qualifies to have his or her name appear on the ballot under the name of that party within that assembly district or county. The county clerk or county board of election commissioners shall provide a combined separate ballot or one or more separate columns or rows on the ballot that will permit an elector to cast a vote for a write-in candidate for the nomination of any such party for each national, state and county office whenever that party qualifies to be represented on a separate primary ballot or in one or more separate columns or rows under subd. 1. but does not qualify under this subdivision. The ballot shall include the name of each party qualifying for a separate ballot or one or more separate columns or rows on the ballot under each office, with the names of the candidates for each such party appearing in the same order in which the ballots of the parties would appear under par. (a).

AB7-ASA3, s. 9 Section 9. 5.62 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB7-ASA3,9,14 5.62 (2) (a) Except as provided in par. (b) and s. 5.64 (1) (e) 2., any political organization may be represented on a separate primary ballot or in one or more separate columns or rows on the primary ballot as prescribed in sub. (1) (a) and in a separate column on the general election ballot in every ward and election district. To qualify for a separate ballot under this paragraph, the political organization shall, not later than 5 p.m. on June May 1 in the year of the September partisan primary, file with the board a petition requesting separate ballot status. The petition shall be signed by at least 10,000 electors, including at least 1,000 electors residing in each of at least 3 separate congressional districts. The petition shall conform to the requirements of s. 8.40. No signature obtained before January 1 in the year of filing is valid. When the candidates of a political organization filing a valid petition fulfill the requirements prescribed by law, they shall appear on a separate ballot or one or more separate columns or rows on the ballot for the period ending with the following general election.

AB7-ASA3,9,25 (b) Paragraph (a) applies to a party within any assembly district or county at any September partisan primary election only if at least one candidate of the party for any national, state or county office qualifies to have his or her name appear on the ballot under the name of that party within that assembly district or county. The county clerk or county board of election commissioners shall provide a combined separate ballot or one or more separate columns or rows on the ballot that will permit an elector to cast a vote for a write-in candidate for the nomination of any such party for each national, state and county office whenever that party qualifies to be represented on a separate primary ballot or in one or more separate columns or rows under par. (a) but does not qualify under this paragraph. The ballot shall include the name of each party qualifying for a separate ballot or one or more separate columns or rows on the ballot under each office, with the names of the candidates for each such party appearing in the same order in which the ballots of the parties would appear under sub. (1) (a).

AB7-ASA3, s. 10 Section 10. 5.62 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB7-ASA3,10,14 5.62 (3) The board shall designate the official primary ballot arrangement for statewide offices and district attorney within each prosecutorial district by using the same procedure as provided in s. 5.60 (1) (b). On each ballot and on each separate column or row on the ballot, the candidates for office shall be listed together with the offices which they seek in the following order whenever these offices appear on the September partisan primary ballot: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, U.S. senator, U.S. representative in congress, state senator, representative to the assembly, district attorney and the county offices. Below the names of the independent candidates shall appear the party or principle of the candidates, if any, in 5 words or less, as shown on their nomination papers.

AB7-ASA3, s. 11 Section 11. 5.62 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB7-ASA3,10,23 5.62 (5) At the September partisan primary, an elector may vote for the candidates of only one party, or the elector may vote for any of the independent candidates for state office listed; but the elector may not vote for more than one candidate for a single office. A space shall be provided on the ballot for an elector to write in the name of his or her choice as a party candidate for any office, including a party candidate of a party whose name appears on the ballot, column or row designated for independent candidates, as provided in sub. (1) (b) or (2) (b), but no space shall be provided to write in the names of independent candidates.

AB7-ASA3, s. 12 Section 12. 6.22 (2) (e) of the statutes is created to read:

AB7-ASA3,11,6 6.22 (2) (e) A military elector may file an application for an absentee ballot by means of electronic mail or facsimile transmission in the manner prescribed in s. 6.86 (1) (ac). Upon receipt of a valid application, the municipal clerk shall send the elector an absentee ballot or, if the elector so requests, shall transmit an absentee ballot to the elector by means of electronic mail or facsimile transmission in the manner prescribed in s. 6.87 (3) (d).

AB7-ASA3, s. 13 Section 13. 6.22 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB7-ASA3,11,14 6.22 (4) (a) A request for an absentee ballot by an individual who qualifies as a military elector shall be treated as a request for an absentee ballot for all elections unless the individual otherwise requests. Upon receiving a timely request for an absentee ballot under par. (b) by an individual who qualifies as a military elector, the municipal clerk shall send or transmit to the elector an absentee ballot for all elections that occur in the municipality or portion thereof where the elector resides beginning on the date that the clerk receives the request.