LRB-0123/1
JTK:eev:rs
2013 - 2014 LEGISLATURE
August 21, 2013 - Introduced by Senators Lazich, Leibham, Vukmir and Darling,
cosponsored by Representatives Bernier, Sanfelippo and Pridemore.
Referred to Elections and Urban Affairs.
SB265,1,2 1An Act to amend 7.30 (2) (a) of the statutes; relating to: party representation
2for election officials serving at polling places.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Currently, polling places are staffed principally by election inspectors. Unless
a municipality decides to increase or decrease the number of inspectors, there are
seven inspectors at each polling place. With certain exceptions, the individuals who
are appointed as inspectors at a polling place are drawn from nominations submitted
by the political parties whose candidates for president or governor received the most
votes in the area served by the polling place at the preceding general election, with
the party whose candidate received the most votes entitled to fill one more position
than the other party.
This bill provides that whenever two or more inspectors are required to perform
a function within a polling place and both parties that are entitled to submit
nominees have done so, the chief inspector must assign, insofar as practicable, an
equal number of inspectors from the nominees of each party.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB265,1 3Section 1. 7.30 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB265,3,34 7.30 (2) (a) Only election officials appointed under this section or s. 6.875 may
5conduct an election. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph and in ss. 7.15

1(1) (k) and 7.52 (1) (b), each election official shall be a qualified elector of the ward
2or wards, or the election district, for which the polling place is established. A special
3registration deputy who is appointed under s. 6.55 (6) or an election official who is
4appointed under this section to fill a vacancy under par. (b) need not be a resident
5of the ward or wards, or the election district, but shall be a resident of the
6municipality, except that if a municipal clerk or deputy clerk serves as a registration
7deputy or is appointed to fill a vacancy under par. (b), the clerk or deputy clerk need
8not be a resident of the municipality, but shall be a resident of the state. No more
9than 2 individuals holding the office of clerk or deputy clerk may serve without
10regard to municipal residency in any municipality at any election. Special
11registration deputies who are appointed under s. 6.55 (6) may be appointed to serve
12more than one polling place. All officials appointed under this section shall be able
13to read and write the English language, be capable, and be of good understanding,
14and may not be a candidate for any office to be voted for at an election at which they
15serve. In 1st class cities, they may hold no public office other than notary public.
16Except as authorized under subs. (1) (b) and (4) (c), all inspectors shall be affiliated
17with one of the 2 recognized political parties which received the largest number of
18votes for president, or governor in nonpresidential general election years, in the ward
19or combination of wards served by the polling place at the last election. Excluding
20the inspector who may be appointed under sub. (1) (b), the party which received the
21largest number of votes is entitled to one more inspector than the party receiving the
22next largest number of votes at each polling place. Whenever 2 or more inspectors
23are required to perform a function within a polling place and both parties that are
24entitled to submit nominees have done so, the chief inspector shall assign, insofar as
25practicable, an equal number of inspectors from the nominees of each party.
Election

1officials appointed under this section may serve the electors of more than one ward
2where wards are combined under s. 5.15 (6) (b). If a municipality is not divided into
3wards, the ward requirements in this paragraph apply to the municipality at large.
SB265,2 4Section 2. Initial applicability.
SB265,3,65 (1) This act first applies with respect to elections held after the effective date
6of this subsection.
SB265,3,77 (End)
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