CHAPTER 12
PROHIBITED ELECTION PRACTICES
12.03 Election day campaigning restricted.
12.04 Communication of political messages.
12.05 False representations affecting elections.
12.07 Election restrictions on employers.
12.08 Denial of government benefits.
Ch. 12 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See definitions in s.
5.02.
12.01
12.01
Definitions. The definitions given under
s. 11.01 apply to this chapter, except that a "candidate" includes candidates for national office.
12.02
12.02
Construction. In this chapter, criminal intent shall be construed in accordance with
s. 939.23.
12.02 History
History: 1977 c. 427.
12.03
12.03
Election day campaigning restricted. 12.03(1)
(1) No election official may engage in electioneering on election day.
12.03(2)
(2) No person may engage in electioneering during polling hours on any public property on election day within 100 feet of an entrance to a building containing a polling place. This subsection does not apply to the placement of any material on the bumper of a motor vehicle that is located on such property on election day.
12.03(3)
(3) A municipal clerk, election inspector or law enforcement officer may remove posters or other advertising which is placed in violation of this section.
12.03(4)
(4) In this section, "electioneering" means any activity which is intended to influence voting at an election.
12.03 Annotation
Violators may not be deprived of the right to vote, although penalties may follow. Constitutional issues discussed. 61 Atty. Gen. 441.
12.03 Annotation
Sub. (2) is an unconstitutional infringement on free speech. Calchera v. Procarione, 805 F Supp. 716 (1992). See also Burson v. Freeman, 504 US , 119 LEd 2d 27, Stevens Dissenting.
12.04
12.04
Communication of political messages. 12.04(1)(a)1.
1. In the case of an election for office, the period beginning on the first day for circulation of nomination papers by candidates, or the first day on which candidates would circulate nomination papers were papers to be required, and ending on the day of the election.
12.04(1)(a)2.
2. In the case of a referendum, the period beginning on the day on which the question to be voted upon is submitted to the electorate and ending on the day on which the referendum is held.
12.04(1)(b)
(b) "Political message" means a message intended for a political purpose or a message which pertains to an issue of public policy of possible concern to the electorate, but does not include a message intended solely for a commercial purpose.
12.04(1)(c)
(c) "Residential property" means property occupied or suitable to be occupied for residential purposes and property abutting that property for which the owner or renter is responsible for the maintenance or care. If property is utilized for both residential and nonresidential purposes, "residential property" means only the portion of the property occupied or suitable to be occupied for residential purposes.
12.04(2)
(2) Except as provided in
s. 12.03 or as restricted under
sub. (4), any individual may place a sign containing a political message upon residential property owned or occupied by that individual during an election campaign period.
12.04(3)
(3) Except as provided in
sub. (4), no county or municipality may regulate the size, shape, placement or content of any sign containing a political message placed upon residential property during an election campaign period.
12.04(4)(a)(a) A county or municipality may regulate the size, shape or placement of any sign if such regulation is necessary to ensure traffic or pedestrian safety. A county or municipality may regulate the size, shape or placement of any sign having an electrical, mechanical or audio auxiliary.
12.04(4)(b)
(b) In addition to regulation under
par. (a), a 1st, 2nd or 3rd class city, or a town, may regulate the size, shape or placement of a sign exceeding 11 square feet in area. This paragraph does not apply to a sign which is affixed to a permanent structure and does not extend beyond the perimeter of the structure, if the sign does not obstruct a window, door, fire escape, ventilation shaft or other area which is required by an applicable building code to remain unobstructed.
12.04(5)(a)(a) The renter of residential property may exercise the same right as the owner to place a sign upon the property under
sub. (2) in any area of the property occupied exclusively by the renter. The terms of a lease or other agreement under which residential property is occupied shall control in determining whether property is occupied exclusively by a renter.
12.04(5)(b)
(b) The owner of residential property may exercise the right granted under
sub. (2) in any portion of the property not occupied exclusively by a renter.
12.04(6)
(6) This section does not apply to signs prohibited from being erected under
s. 84.30.
12.04 History
History: 1985 a. 198;
1993 a. 246.
12.05
12.05
False representations affecting elections. No person may knowingly make or publish, or cause to be made or published, a false representation pertaining to a candidate or referendum which is intended or tends to affect voting at an election.
12.05 History
History: 1973 c. 334;
1993 a. 175.
12.05 Annotation
Violation of s. 12.05 does not constitute defamation per se. Tatur v. Solsrud, 174 W (2d) 735, 498 NW (2d) 232 (1993).
12.07
12.07
Election restrictions on employers. 12.07(1)
(1) No person may refuse an employe the privilege of time off for voting under
s. 6.76 or subject an employe to a penalty therefor.
12.07(2)
(2) No employer may refuse to allow an employe to serve as an election official or make any threats or offer any inducements of any kind to the employe for the purpose of preventing the employe from so serving.
12.07(3)
(3) No employer or agent of an employer may distribute to any employe printed matter containing any threat, notice or information that if a particular ticket of a political party or organization or candidate is elected or any referendum question is adopted or rejected, work in the employer's place or establishment will cease, in whole or in part, or the place or establishment will be closed, or the salaries or wages of the employes will be reduced, or other threats intended to influence the political opinions or actions of the employes.
12.07(4)
(4) No person may, directly or indirectly, cause any person to make a contribution or provide any service or other thing of value to or for the benefit of a candidate, political party or registrant under
s. 11.05, with the purpose of influencing the election or nomination of a candidate to national, state or local office or the passage or defeat of a referendum by means of the denial or the threat of denial of any employment, position, work or promotion, or any compensation or other benefit of such employment, position or work, or by means of discharge, demotion or disciplinary action or the threat to impose a discharge, demotion or disciplinary action. This subsection does not apply to employment by a candidate, political party or other registrant under
s. 11.05 in connection with a campaign or political party activities.
12.08
12.08
Denial of government benefits. No person may, directly or indirectly, cause any person to make a contribution or provide any service or other thing of value to or for the benefit of a candidate, political party or registrant under
s. 11.05, with the purpose of influencing the election or nomination of a candidate to national, state or local office or the passage or defeat of a referendum by means of the denial or threat of denial of any payment or other benefit of a program established or funded in whole or in part by this state or any local governmental unit of this state, or a program which has applied for funding by this state or any local governmental unit of this state.
12.08 History
History: 1983 a. 484;
1985 a. 304.
12.09
12.09
Election threats. No person may personally or through an agent make use of or threaten to make use of force, violence or restraint in order to induce or compel any person to vote or refrain from voting at an election; or, by abduction, duress or any fraudulent device or contrivance, impede or prevent the free exercise of the franchise at an election; or by any act compel, induce or prevail upon an elector either to vote or refrain from voting at any election for or against a particular candidate or referendum.
12.09 History
History: 1973 c. 334;
1991 a. 316.
12.11
12.11
Election bribery. 12.11(1)(1) In this section, "anything of value" includes any amount of money, or any object which has utility independent of any political message it contains and the value of which exceeds $1. The prohibitions of this section apply to the distribution of material printed at public expense and available for free distribution if such materials are accompanied by a political message.
12.11(1m)
(1m) Any person who does any of the following violates this chapter:
12.11(1m)(a)
(a) Offers, gives, lends or promises to give or lend, or endeavors to procure, anything of value, or any office or employment or any privilege or immunity to, or for, any elector, or to or for any other person, in order to induce any elector to:
12.11(1m)(a)3.
3. Vote or refrain from voting for or against a particular person.
12.11(1m)(a)4.
4. Vote or refrain from voting for or against a particular referendum; or on account of any elector having done any of the above.
12.11(1m)(b)
(b) Receives, agrees or contracts to receive or accept any money, gift, loan, valuable consideration, office or employment personally or for any other person, in consideration that the person or any elector will, so act or has so acted.
12.11(1m)(c)
(c) Advances, pays or causes to be paid any money to or for the use of any person with the intent that such money or any part thereof will be used to bribe electors at any election.
12.11(2)
(2) This section applies to any convention or meeting held for the purpose of nominating any candidate for any election, and to the signing of any nomination paper.
12.11(3)(a)(a) This section does not prohibit a candidate from publicly stating his or her preference for or support of any other candidate for any office to be voted for at the same election. A candidate for an office in which the person elected is charged with the duty of participating in the election or nomination of any person as a candidate for office is not prohibited from publicly stating or pledging his or her preference for or support of any person for such office or nomination.
12.11(3)(b)
(b) This section does not apply to money paid or agreed to be paid for or on account of authorized legal expenses which were legitimately incurred at or concerning any election.
12.11(3)(c)
(c) This section does not apply where an employer agrees that all or part of election day be given to its employes as a paid holiday, provided that such policy is made uniformly applicable to all similarly situated employes.
12.11(3)(d)
(d) This section does not prohibit any person from using his or her own vehicle to transport electors to or from the polls without charge.
12.11(3)(e)
(e) This section does not apply to any promise by a candidate to reduce public expenditures or taxes.
12.11 Annotation
Candidate's promise to reduce salary if elected was not corrupt campaign act; free speech rights were implicated. Brown v. Hartlage, 456 US 45 (1982).
12.13
12.13
Election fraud. 12.13(1)(1)
Electors. Whoever intentionally does any of the following violates this chapter:
12.13(1)(a)
(a) Votes at any election or meeting if that person does not have the necessary elector qualifications and residence requirements.
12.13(1)(b)
(b) Falsely procures registration or makes false statements to the municipal clerk, board of election commissioners or any other election official whether or not under oath.
12.13(1)(c)
(c) Registers as an elector in more than one place for the same election.
