AB642: Bill Text

LRB-2304/2

JTK:med:rs

2011 - 2012 LEGISLATURE

2011 Assembly BILL 642

February 28, 2012 - Introduced by Representatives Pocan, Berceau, Bernard Schaber, Doyle, Grigsby, Hebl, Jorgensen, Kessler, Pope-Roberts, Roys and C. Taylor, cosponsored by Senators Risser, Hansen and C. Larson. Referred to Committee on Election and Campaign Reform.

AB642,2,2 An Act to repeal 10.02 (3) (b) 2.; to renumber and amend 7.70 (3) (e); to amend 5.02 (12s), 5.35 (6) (b), 5.37 (4), 5.62 (1) (a), 5.62 (3), 5.81 (4), 5.91 (1), 5.91 (6), 8.15 (7), 8.16 (1), 8.20 (8) (a), 8.20 (9), 8.35 (4) (a) 1. a. and b., 8.50 (1) (d), 8.50 (3) (b), 10.06 (1) (e), 10.06 (1) (i), 11.06 (1) (a), 11.06 (1) (g), 11.06 (2), 11.26 (2) (a), 11.26 (9) (a), 11.26 (9) (b), 11.31 (1) (intro.) and 11.38 (6); and to create 5.62 (6), 7.08 (2) (ca) and (cn), 7.70 (3) (em) 1., 8.16 (5m), 8.35 (4) (ba), 10.02 (3) (b) 2n., 11.01 (4m), 11.01 (16) (a) 3., 11.05 (3) (s), 11.31 (9), 11.52, 14.58 (20a), 20.511 (1) (qa), 20.855 (4) (bc), 25.17 (1) (aw) and 25.426 of the statutes; relating to: the scope of regulated activity under the campaign finance law, public financing of elections for certain state offices, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, making appropriations, and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Scope of regulated activity

Currently, individuals who accept contributions, organizations that make or accept contributions, and individuals who or organizations that incur obligations or make disbursements for the purpose of influencing an election for state or local office are generally required to register with the appropriate filing officer and to file financial reports with that officer, regardless of whether they act in conjunction with or independently of any candidate who is supported or opposed.

With certain exceptions, this bill imposes registration and reporting requirements, in addition, upon any individual who and organization that, within 60 days of an election and by means of communications media, makes any communication that includes a reference to a candidate for state office, other than court of appeals judge, circuit judge, or district attorney, at that election, a state office, other than court of appeals judge, circuit judge, or district attorney, to be filled at that election, or a political party. The bill also requires an individual who or organization that becomes subject to a registration requirement by making such a communication to report, upon registration, the information that would have been required to be reported if the individual or organization had been registered with respect to any obligation incurred or disbursement made for the purpose of making such a communication prior to registration. The bill, however, does not require registration and reporting if the communication is made by a corporation, cooperative, or nonpolitical voluntary association and is limited to the corporation's, cooperative's, or association's members, shareholders, or subscribers.

The change in the scope of reportable activity under the bill also applies to contribution and disbursement (spending) limitations and restrictions by causing reportable "contributions," "obligations," and "disbursements" to include the cost of all reportable communications.

Public financing of elections for certain state offices

Currently, no public grants are available to finance the campaigns of any candidate for state or local office in this state. This bill creates a clean elections fund to provide grants to qualifying candidates for campaign expenses. Under the bill, a candidate for any state office other than court of appeals judge, circuit judge, or district attorney may qualify to receive a grant from the clean elections fund. Separate grants are provided for primary and election campaigns. To qualify for a grant, a candidate must qualify to have his or her name appear on the ballot at a spring, partisan, or special primary or a spring, general, or special election for which the grant will be used. To qualify for a grant at a general or partisan special election, a candidate must be the nominee of a political party that currently qualifies to have its candidates appear on a separate ballot, or in a separate column or row on the ballot, or must receive at least 1 percent of the total vote cast on all ballots for the office that the candidate seeks at the partisan primary, or at the special primary, if a special primary is held. In addition, a candidate must raise and deposit with the state treasurer a specified number of qualifying contributions in the amount of $5 each. Each qualifying contribution must be received from an elector of this state and, for a candidate seeking legislative office, from an elector of the district in which the candidate seeks office. The name and address of the contributor must be reported to the Government Accountability Board (GAB). The number of qualifying contributions ranges from 3,000 to 100, depending on the office sought by the candidate. Prior to notification that a candidate has qualified to receive a grant, the candidate may also accept seed money contributions in amounts of not more than $100 cumulatively from a single contributor subject to aggregate limitations that vary from $50,000 to $1,500 depending upon the office sought by the candidate. The bill permits a candidate to expend the proceeds of seed money contributions for any lawful purpose.

Under the bill, a candidate may receive two kinds of grants: a basic grant and matching grants. The maximum amount of a basic grant that a candidate may receive ranges from $1,000,000 in the primary and $2,000,000 in the election to $25,000 in the primary and $50,000 in the election, depending on the office sought by the candidate, except if a candidate has no opponent whose name is certified to appear on the ballot. Under the bill, an unopposed candidate at a primary election may receive a basic grant equal to the average total disbursements made per candidate in primary elections for the office that the candidate seeks during the four-year period preceding the date of the primary election, and an unopposed candidate at a spring, general, or special election may receive a basic grant equal to the average total disbursements made per candidate in spring, general, and special elections for the office that the candidate seeks during the four-year period preceding the date of the spring, general, or special election, except that a candidate for the office of governor may receive a basic grant of $100,000 for a primary election and $200,000 for a general election. Basic grant amounts are subject to a biennial cost-of-living adjustment.

In addition to a basic grant, a qualifying candidate may receive a matching grant from the clean elections fund for each contribution up to $25 cumulatively that the candidate receives from an individual in an amount equal to three times the amount of the contribution. To receive a matching grant, a candidate must report certain information concerning the contribution to GAB. There is no limitation on the total amount of matching contributions that a candidate may qualify to receive under the bill.

To receive a grant, a candidate must affirm that he or she has not accepted and agrees not to accept, before the candidate qualifies to receive a grant, a contribution from any source other than qualifying contributions or seed money contributions. The candidate must also agree that he or she will not accept any other contributions after the candidate qualifies to receive a basic grant except matching contributions, subject to the limitations provided in the bill. (The agreement does not apply to contributions accepted before the bill becomes law.) The total seed money contributions accepted by a candidate from one contributor, including contributions by a candidate to his or her own campaign, may not exceed $100. The total seed money contributions that may be accepted by a candidate from all contributors ranges from $50,000 to $1,500, depending on the office sought by the candidate. The bill permits grants to be spent for any lawful purpose. Under the bill, a candidate must return to the state grant moneys that are not spent by the candidate after an election except that a candidate who is nominated in a primary election need not return any grant moneys after the primary if the candidate qualifies to receive a grant for the succeeding election.

The bill provides that if a candidate does not adhere to the agreement required to obtain a grant, the candidate is subject to a forfeiture (civil penalty) equivalent to the amount of the grant that the candidate received, and may be fined an amount equal to not more than three times the amount of any contributions received by the candidate excluding the amount of any grant and any qualifying, seed money, or matching contributions that are permitted to be accepted under the bill.

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 concerning the proposed penalty and the costs or savings that are likely to result if the bill is enacted.

For further information see the state 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:

AB642, s. 1 Section 1. 5.02 (12s) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Acts 32 and 75, is amended to read:

AB642,4,6 5.02 (12s) "Partisan primary" means the primary held the 2nd Tuesday in 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 receive grants from the clean elections fund.

AB642, s. 2 Section 2. 5.35 (6) (b) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is amended to read:

AB642,5,9 5.35 (6) (b) At each polling place in the state where a consolidated ballot under s. 5.655 is used or an electronic voting system is utilized at a partisan primary election incorporating a ballot upon which electors may mark votes for candidates of more than one recognized political party or for candidates of a recognized political party and independent candidates, the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners shall prominently post a sign in the form prescribed by the board warning electors in substance that on any ballot with votes cast for candidates of more than one recognized political party or any ballot with votes cast for candidates of a recognized political party and independent candidates, no votes cast for any candidates for partisan office will be counted unless a preference for a party or for the independent candidates is made. If the elector designates a preference, only votes cast for candidates of that preference will be counted.

AB642, s. 3 Section 3. 5.37 (4) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is amended to read:

AB642,5,20 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 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 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.

AB642, s. 4 Section 4. 5.62 (1) (a) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Acts 32 and 75, is amended to read:

AB642,6,18 5.62 (1) (a) At 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.

AB642, s. 5 Section 5. 5.62 (3) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Acts 32 and 75, is amended to read:

AB642,7,5 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 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.

AB642, s. 6 Section 6. 5.62 (6) of the statutes is created to read:

AB642,7,14 5.62 (6) At the 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 recognized political party whose name appears on the ballot, column or row designated for independent candidates, as provided in sub. (1) (b) 2. or (2) (b), but no space shall be provided to write in the names of independent candidates.

AB642, s. 7 Section 7. 5.81 (4) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is amended to read:

AB642,7,21 5.81 (4) In partisan primary elections, if a ballot contains the names of candidates of more than one party or the names of party candidates and independent candidates, it shall provide a space for electors to designate a party preference. Failure to designate a preference or a preference for the independent candidates does not invalidate any votes cast by an elector, except as provided in s. 7.50 (1) (d).

AB642, s. 8 Section 8. 5.91 (1) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is amended to read:

AB642,8,3 5.91 (1) It enables an elector to vote in secrecy and to select the party for which or the independent candidates for whom an elector will vote in secrecy at a partisan primary election.

AB642, s. 9 Section 9. 5.91 (6) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is amended to read:

AB642,8,12 5.91 (6) The voting device or machine permits an elector in a primary election to vote for the candidates of the recognized political party or the independent candidates of his or her choice, and the automatic tabulating equipment or machine rejects any ballot on which votes are cast in the primary of more than one recognized political party, except where a party or independent candidate designation is made or where an elector casts write-in votes for candidates of more than one party on a ballot that is distributed to the elector.

AB642, s. 10 Section 10. 7.08 (2) (ca) and (cn) of the statutes are created to read:

AB642,8,21 7.08 (2) (ca) As soon as possible after the canvass of the spring and partisan primary votes, but no later than the first Tuesday in March and the 4th Tuesday in August, transmit to the state treasurer a certified list of all eligible candidates for state office who have filed applications under s. 11.52 (5) and whom the board determines to be eligible to receive grants from the clean elections fund. The list shall contain each candidate's name, the mailing address indicated upon the candidate's registration form, the office for which the individual is a candidate and the party or principle which he or she represents, if any.

AB642,9,4 (cn) As soon as possible after the canvass of a special primary, or the date that the primary would be held, if required, transmit to the state treasurer a certified list of all eligible candidates for state office who have filed applications under s. 11.52 (5) and whom the board determines to be eligible to receive a grant from the clean elections fund prior to the election. The list shall contain each candidate's name, the mailing address indicated upon the candidate's registration form, the office for which the individual is a candidate and the party or principle which he or she represents, if any.

AB642, s. 11 Section 11. 7.70 (3) (e) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is renumbered 7.70 (3) (em) (intro.) and amended to read:

AB642,9,8 7.70 (3) (em) (intro.) The chairperson of the board or the chairperson's designee shall make a special statement to the board as certifying:

AB642,9,11 2. As soon as possible after the canvass of the general election certifying, the name of each political party which receives at least one percent of the vote cast in such election for any statewide office.

AB642, s. 12 Section 12. 7.70 (3) (em) 1. of the statutes is created to read:

AB642,9,19 7.70 (3) (em) 1. As soon as possible after the canvass of each partisan primary and special primary for a partisan state office other than the office of district attorney, the name of each candidate not defeated in the primary who receives at least 1 percent of the total vote cast for all candidates on all ballots at the primary for each state office other than the office of district attorney, and the percentage of the total vote received by that candidate. The percentage shall be calculated within each district in the case of legislative candidates.

AB642, s. 13 Section 13. 8.15 (7) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is amended to read:

AB642,9,25 8.15 (7) A candidate may not run in more than one party primary at the same time. No filing official may accept nomination papers for the same person in the same election for more than one party. An independent candidate at a partisan primary or other election may not file nomination papers as the candidate of a recognized political party for the same office at the same election. A person who files nomination papers as the candidate of a recognized political party may not file nomination papers as an independent candidate for the same office at the same election.