AB888: Bill Text

LRB-3884/1

JTK:kjf:pg

2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE

2005 Assembly BILL 888

December 20, 2005 - Introduced by Representatives Wood, Bies, Freese, Hahn, Hines, Musser, Parisi, Seidel, Vos and Wasserman, cosponsored by Senators Grothman, A. Lasee, Olsen and Reynolds. Referred to Committee on Campaigns and Elections.

AB888,1,3 An Act to amend 6.28 (1) and 6.33 (1); and to create 6.28 (4) of the statutes; relating to: voter registration at offices of county clerks and boards of election commissioners.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Currently, an elector may register to vote at the office of the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners, at the office of the register of deeds, and at any other location provided by the board of election commissioners or the common council in cities over 500,000 population (Milwaukee) or by the municipal clerk or municipal governing body in other municipalities. In addition, students and staff may register at any public high school.

This bill permits any elector, in addition, to register to vote at the office of the county clerk or board of election commissioners for the county in which the elector's residence is located.

For further information see the 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:

AB888, s. 1 Section 1. 6.28 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB888,2,21 6.28 (1) Registration locations; deadline. Except as authorized in ss. 6.29, 6.55 (2), and 6.86 (3) (a) 2., registration in person for any election shall close at 5 p.m. on the 2nd Wednesday preceding the election. Registrations made by mail under s. 6.30 (4) must be delivered to the office of the municipal clerk or postmarked no later than the 2nd Wednesday preceding the election. An application for registration in person or by mail may be accepted for placement on the registration list after the specified deadline, if the municipal clerk determines that the registration list can be revised to incorporate the registration in time for the election. All applications for registration corrections and additions may be made throughout the year at the office of the city board of election commissioners, at the office of the municipal clerk, at the office of the county clerk, at the office of any register of deeds or at other locations provided by the board of election commissioners or the common council in cities over 500,000 population or by either or both the municipal clerk, or the common council, village or town board in all other municipalities and may also be made during the school year at any high school by qualified persons under sub. (2) (a). Other registration locations may include but are not limited to fire houses, police stations, public libraries, institutions of higher education, supermarkets, community centers, plants and factories, banks, savings and loan associations and savings banks. Special registration deputies shall be appointed for all locations. An elector who wishes to obtain a confidential listing under s. 6.47 (2) shall register at the office of the municipal clerk of the municipality where the elector resides.

AB888, s. 2 Section 2. 6.28 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

AB888,3,6 6.28 (4) At office of county clerk. Any person shall be given an opportunity to register to vote at the office of the county clerk for the county in which the person's residence is located. An applicant may complete the required registration form under s. 6.33. Unless the county clerk performs registration functions for the municipality where the elector resides under s. 6.33 (5) (b), the clerk shall forward each completed form submitted by an elector to the appropriate municipal clerk, or to the board of election commissioners in cities over 500,000 population, within 5 days of receipt. The clerk shall forward the form immediately whenever registration closes within 5 days of receipt.

AB888, s. 3 Section 3. 6.33 (1) of the statutes, as affected by 2003 Wisconsin Act 265, is amended to read:

AB888,4,3 6.33 (1) The municipal clerk shall supply sufficient registration forms as prescribed by the board printed on loose-leaf sheets or cards to obtain from each applicant information as to name; date; residence location; citizenship; date of birth; age; the number of a valid operator's license issued to the elector under ch. 343 or the last 4 digits of the elector's social security account number; whether the applicant has resided within the ward or election district for at least 10 days; whether the applicant has lost his or her right to vote; and whether the applicant is currently registered to vote at any other location. The forms shall also provide a space for the applicant's signature and the ward and aldermanic district, if any, where the elector resides and any other information required to determine the offices and referenda for which the elector is certified to vote. The forms shall also include a space where the clerk may record an indication of whether the form is received by mail and a space where the clerk, for any applicant who possesses a valid voting identification card issued to the person under s. 6.47 (3), may record the identification serial number appearing on the voting identification card. Each register of deeds shall obtain sufficient registration forms at the expense of the unit of government by which he or she is employed for completion by any elector who desires to register to vote at the office of the register of deeds under s. 6.28 (3). Each county clerk shall obtain sufficient registration forms for completion by an elector who desires to register to vote at the office of the clerk under s. 6.28 (4).

AB888, s. 4 Section 4. Effective date.

AB888,4,6 (1) This act takes effect on January 1, 2006, or the day after publication, whichever is later.

AB888,4,7 (End)