SB39: Bill Text

LRB-1550/1

JK:skw

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Senate BILL 39

February 3, 2023 - Introduced by Senators Cabral-Guevara, Spreitzer, Roys and Tomczyk, cosponsored by Representatives Steffen, Knodl, Armstrong, Bare, C. Anderson, Edming, Magnafici, Moses, Murphy, Mursau, O'Connor, Swearingen and Tusler. Referred to Committee on Government Operations, Elections and Consumer Protection.

SB39,1,2 An Act to amend 6.86 (1) (ac) of the statutes; relating to: absentee ballot request and return confirmation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law allows a voter to receive an absentee ballot by making a written application by means of facsimile transmission or electronic mail. Under this bill, if a voter makes a written application by electronic mail and submits his or her mobile telephone number with the application, after the voter completes and submits the application, the electronic application system maintained by the Elections Commission must automatically notify the voter by text message that his or her application has been received. In addition, under the bill, after the voter completes and returns his or her ballot, the system must automatically notify the voter by text message that his or her ballot has been received. Finally, the bill provides that all mobile telephone numbers submitted for the purposes provided under the bill are confidential.

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:

SB39,1 Section 1. 6.86 (1) (ac) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB39,2,20 6.86 (1) (ac) Any elector qualifying under par. (a) may make written application to the municipal clerk for an official ballot by means of facsimile transmission or electronic mail. Any application under this paragraph need not contain a copy of the applicant's original signature. An elector requesting a ballot under this paragraph shall return with the voted ballot a copy of the request bearing an original signature of the elector as provided in s. 6.87 (4). Except as authorized in ss. 6.87 (4) (b) 2. to 5. and 6.875 (6), and notwithstanding s. 343.43 (1) (f), the elector shall transmit a copy of his or her proof of identification in the manner provided in s. 6.87 (1) unless the elector is a military elector or an overseas elector or the elector has a confidential listing under s. 6.47 (2). If the elector makes a written application by electronic mail under this paragraph and submits his or her mobile telephone number with the application, after the elector completes and submits the application, the electronic application system maintained by the commission shall automatically notify the elector by text message that his or her application has been received. In addition, after the elector completes and returns his or ballot, the electronic application system maintained by the commission shall automatically notify the elector by text message that his or her ballot has been received. The elector may choose to receive such notifications for all subsequent elections for which the elector makes a written application by electronic mail for an absentee ballot. Mobile telephone numbers submitted under this paragraph are confidential, notwithstanding subch. II of ch. 19.

SB39,2,21 (End)