2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
May 15, 2023 - Introduced by Senators Jacque,
Taylor and Spreitzer, cosponsored
by Representatives Sortwell, Ortiz-Velez, Behnke, Cabrera, Edming,
Murphy, Steffen, Subeck, Brandtjen, Magnafici and Krug. Referred to
Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection.
SB278,1,3
1An Act to create 5.05 (11m) and 20.510 (1) (f) of the statutes;
relating to: aids
2to counties and municipalities for certain special election costs and making an
3appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Elections Commission to reimburse counties and
municipalities for certain costs incurred in the administration of special primaries
and special elections for state office. Current law defines “state office” as the
following: governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney
general, state superintendent of public instruction, justice of the supreme court,
court of appeals judge, circuit court judge, state senator, state representative to the
assembly, and district attorney.
A cost is eligible for reimbursement under the bill only if certain conditions are
met, including that the Elections Commission determines the cost is reasonable and
the rate paid by the county or municipality for the cost does not exceed the rate
customarily paid for similar costs at a primary or election that is not a special
primary or election. Under the bill, only the following costs are reimbursable:
1. Rental payments for polling places.
2. Election day wages paid to election officials working at the polls.
3. Costs for the publication of required election notices.
4. Printing and postage costs for absentee ballots and envelopes.
5. Costs for the design and printing of ballots and poll books.
6. Purchase of ballot bags or containers, including ties or seals for chain of
custody purposes.
7. Costs to program electronic voting machines.
8. Purchase of memory devices for electronic voting machines.
9. Wages paid to conduct a county canvass.
10. Data entry costs for a statewide voter registration system.
For further information see the state and 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:
SB278,1
1Section 1
. 5.05 (11m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB278,2,52
5.05
(11m) Aids to counties and municipalities for certain special election
3costs. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.510 (1) (f), the commission shall
4reimburse counties and municipalities for costs incurred in the administration of
5special primaries for state office and special elections for state office.
SB278,2,76
(b) A cost is eligible for reimbursement under par. (a) only if all of the following
7apply:
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1. The commission determines that the cost is reasonable.
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2. The cost is specified under par. (c).
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3. If applicable, the commission determines that the rate paid by the county or
11municipality for the cost does not exceed the rate customarily paid for similar costs
12at a primary or election that is not a special primary or election.
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4. If the special primary or election coincides with a primary or election that
14is not a special primary or election, the commission determines that the cost does not
15exceed the amount that would be incurred if the primaries or elections did not
16coincide.
SB278,2,1717
(c) Only the following costs are eligible for reimbursement under par. (a):
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1. Rental payments for polling places.
SB278,3,2
12. Election day wages paid under s. 7.03 to election officials working at the
2polls.
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3. Costs for the publication of required election notices.
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4. Printing and postage costs for absentee ballots and envelopes.
SB278,3,55
5. Costs for the design and printing of ballots and poll books.
SB278,3,76
6. Purchase of ballot bags or containers, including ties or seals for chain of
7custody purposes.
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7. Costs to program electronic voting machines.
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8. Purchase of memory devices for electronic voting machines.
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9. Wages paid to conduct a county canvass.
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10. Data entry costs for a statewide voter registration system.
SB278,2
12Section 2
. 20.510 (1) (f) of the statutes is created to read:
SB278,3,1513
20.510
(1) (f)
Local aids for special elections. A sum sufficient to reimburse
14counties and municipalities for certain special primary or election costs under s. 5.05
15(11m).
SB278,3
16Section
3.
Effective date.
SB278,3,1817
(1) This act takes effect on the day after publication, or on the 2nd day after
18publication of the 2023 biennial budget act, whichever is later.
