11.20(11)
(11) All reports required by this chapter shall be open to public inspection.
11.20(12)
(12) If a candidate is unopposed in a primary or election, the obligation to file the reports required by this chapter does not cease. Except as provided in
ss. 11.05 (2r) and
11.19 (2), a registrant who makes or receives no contributions, makes no disbursements or incurs no obligations shall so report on the dates designated in
subs. (2) and
(4).
11.20(13)
(13) In the event of failure of a candidate or treasurer to file a report or statement required by this chapter by the time prescribed by law, action may be commenced against the candidate, the campaign treasurer, or the candidate's personal campaign committee, if any, or any combination of them.
11.20 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also s.
GAB 6.04, Wis. adm. code.
11.21
11.21
Duties of the government accountability board. The board shall:
11.21(1)
(1) Prescribe forms for making the reports, statements and notices required by this chapter. The board shall furnish forms for making reports or statements without charge to all persons who are required to file reports or statements with the board, and shall distribute or arrange for the distribution of all forms for use by other filing officers.
11.21(2)
(2) Furnish to each registrant prescribed forms for the making of reports and statements. Forms shall be sent by 1st class mail not earlier than 21 days and not later than 14 days prior to the applicable filing deadline under
s. 11.20, and addressed to the attention of the treasurer or other person indicated on the registration statement. Forms need not be sent to a registrant who has made an indication that aggregate contributions, disbursements and obligations will not exceed the amount specified under
s. 11.05 (2r) or to a registrant who has been granted a suspension under
s. 11.19 (2). Forms for reports shall not be sent by the board to a registrant if the registrant is required to file reports with the board in an electronic format. Whenever any notice of filing requirements under this chapter is sent to a candidate's campaign treasurer, the board shall also send a notice to the candidate if he or she has appointed a separate treasurer. Failure to receive any form or notice does not exempt a registrant from compliance with this chapter.
11.21(3)
(3) Prepare and publish for the use of persons required to file reports and statements under this chapter a manual setting forth simply and concisely recommended uniform methods of bookkeeping and reporting.
11.21(4)
(4) Develop a filing, coding, and cross-indexing system consonant with the purposes of this chapter.
11.21(5)
(5) Make the reports and statements filed with it available for public inspection and copying, commencing as soon as practicable but not later than the end of the 2nd day following the day during which they are received, and permit copying of any report or statement by hand or by duplicating machine at cost, as requested by any person. No information copied from such reports and statements may be sold or utilized by any person for the purpose of soliciting contributions from individuals identified in the reports or statements or for any commercial purpose.
11.21(6)
(6) Compile and maintain a current list of all reports and statements or parts thereof pertaining to each candidate, individual, committee or group.
11.21(7)
(7) Include in its biennial report under
s. 15.04 (1) (d) compilations of any of the following in its discretion:
11.21(7)(a)
(a) Total reported contributions, disbursements and incurred obligations for all candidates, individuals, committees and groups during the biennium.
11.21(7)(b)
(b) Total amounts expended according to such categories as it may determine and separated according to candidate, political party, and nonparty disbursements.
11.21(7)(c)
(c) Total amounts expended for influencing nominations and elections stated separately whenever separate information is reported.
11.21(7)(d)
(d) Total amounts contributed according to such categories of amounts as it determines for candidates, individuals, committees and groups.
11.21(7)(e)
(e) Aggregate amounts contributed by any contributors shown to have contributed more than $100.
11.21(8)
(8) Prepare and publish from time to time special reports comparing the various totals and categories of contributions and disbursements made with respect to preceding elections.
11.21(9)
(9) Maintain a duplicate record of any separate schedule under
s. 11.06 (1) (j) received with the financial report of an individual or committee filing an oath under
s. 11.06 (7) together with the record of each candidate to whom it relates.
11.21(10)
(10) Make available a list of delinquents for public inspection.
11.21(11)
(11) Receive and maintain in an orderly manner all reports and statements required to be filed with the state under the federal election campaign act, and in addition shall:
11.21(11)(a)
(a) Preserve such reports and statements for a period of 6 years from date of receipt.
11.21(11)(b)
(b) Notwithstanding
sub. (5), make each report and statement transmitted to it under the federal election campaign act available for public inspection and copying during regular office hours, commencing as soon as practicable but not later than 48 hours from the time of receipt.
11.21(11)(c)
(c) Compile and maintain a current list of all reports and statements or parts thereof pertaining to each candidate who is required to file a report or statement under such act.
11.21(11)(d)
(d) Promptly compile and release for public inspection a list of all reports received from candidates for national office and from committees supporting or opposing such candidates which are required to be filed with the state under the federal election campaign act, as soon as possible after each deadline for receipt of such reports as provided by federal law.
11.21(12)
(12) Assign an identification number to each registrant for whom the board acts as a filing officer under
s. 11.02.
11.21(13)
(13) Determine whether each financial report or statement required to be filed under this chapter has been filed in the form and by the time prescribed by law, and whether it conforms on its face to the requirements of this chapter. The board shall immediately send to any registrant who is delinquent in filing, or who has filed otherwise than in the proper form, a notice that the registrant has failed to comply with this chapter. Whenever a candidate has appointed another person as campaign treasurer, the board shall send the notice to both persons.
11.21(14)
(14) Prepare, publish and periodically revise as necessary a manual simply and concisely describing the filing and registration requirements established in this chapter in detail, as well as other major provisions of this chapter and
ch. 12.
11.21(16)
(16) Require each registrant for whom the board serves as filing officer and who or which accepts contributions in a total amount or value of $20,000 or more during a campaign period to file each campaign finance report that is required to be filed under this chapter in an electronic format, and accept from any other registrant for whom the board serves as a filing officer any campaign finance report that is required to be filed under this chapter in an electronic format. A registrant who or which becomes subject to a requirement to file reports in an electronic format under this subsection shall initially file the registrant's report in an electronic format for the period which includes the date on which the registrant becomes subject to the requirement. To facilitate implementation of this subsection, the board shall specify, by rule, a type of software that is suitable for compliance with the electronic filing requirement under this subsection. The software shall allow an authorized individual to provide an electronic signature, as defined in
s. 137.11 (8), that is subject to a security procedure, as defined in
s. 137.11 (13). The board shall provide copies of the software to registrants at a price fixed by the board that may not exceed cost. A registrant who or which files a report under this subsection in an electronic format may file with the board that portion of the report signed by an authorized individual rather than submit the electronic signature of that individual. The board shall provide complete instructions to any registrant who or which files a report under this subsection. In this subsection, the "campaign period" of a candidate, personal campaign committee or support committee begins and ends with the "campaign" of the candidate whose candidacy is supported, as defined in
s. 11.26 (17), and the "campaign period" of any other registrant begins on January 1 of each odd-numbered year and ends on December 31 of the following year.
11.21(17)
(17) Promulgate rules that require public access channel operators and licensees of public television stations in this state to provide a minimum amount of free time on public access channels and public television stations to individuals whose names are certified under
s. 7.08 (2) (a) or
8.50 (1) (d) to appear as candidates for state office on the ballot at general, spring, or special elections. The rules promulgated under this subsection shall require public access channel operators and licensees of public television stations to offer the same amount of time to each candidate for a particular state office, but may require different amounts of time to be offered to candidates for different offices.
11.21 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also s.
GAB 6.05, Wis. adm. code.
11.22
11.22
Duties of local filing officer. Each filing officer, other than the board, shall:
11.22(1)
(1) Obtain the forms and manuals prescribed by the board under
s. 11.21 (1),
(3) and
(14) and election laws provided by the board under
s. 7.08 (4). The officer shall furnish forms without charge to all persons who are required to file reports or statements with the officer, and shall furnish copies of manuals without charge, upon request, to all persons who are required to file reports or statements with the officer. The officer shall distribute copies of the election laws received from the board to election officials without charge. The officer shall furnish copies of manuals and election laws to other persons at cost.
11.22(2)
(2) Develop a filing, coding and cross-indexing system consonant with the purposes of this chapter.
11.22(3)
(3) Furnish to each registrant prescribed forms for the making of reports and statements. Forms shall be sent by 1st class mail not earlier than 21 days and not later than 14 days prior to the applicable filing deadline under
s. 11.20 and addressed to the attention of the treasurer or other person indicated on the registration statement. Forms need not be sent to a registrant who has made an indication that aggregate contributions, disbursements and obligations will not exceed the amount specified under
s. 11.05 (2r) or to a registrant who has been granted a suspension under
s. 11.19 (2). Whenever any notice of the filing requirements under this chapter is sent to a candidate's campaign treasurer, the filing officer shall also send a notice to the candidate if he or she has appointed a separate treasurer. Failure to receive any form or notice does not exempt a registrant from compliance with this chapter.
11.22(4)
(4) Notify the board and the district attorney, or the attorney general where appropriate under
s. 5.05 (2m) (i), in writing, of any facts within the filing officer's knowledge or evidence in the officer's possession, including errors or discrepancies in reports or statements and delinquencies in filing which may be grounds for civil action or criminal prosecution. The filing officer shall transmit a copy of such notification to the board. The board and the district attorney or the attorney general shall advise the filing officer in writing at the end of each 30-day period of the status of such matter until the time of disposition.
11.22(5)
(5) Make available a list of delinquents for public inspection.
11.22(6)
(6) Compile and maintain a current list of all reports and statements or parts thereof pertaining to each candidate, individual, committee or group.
11.22(8)
(8) Make the reports and statements filed with the filing officer available for public inspection and copying, commencing as soon as practicable but not later than the end of the 2nd day following the day during which they are received, and permit copying of any report or statement by hand or by duplicating machine at cost, as requested by any person. No information copied from such reports and statements may be sold or utilized by any person for the purpose of soliciting contributions from individuals identified in the reports or statements or for any commercial purpose.
11.22(9)
(9) Determine whether each financial report or statement required to be filed under this chapter has been filed in the form and by the time prescribed by law, and whether it conforms on its face to the requirements of this chapter. The officer shall immediately send to any registrant who is delinquent in filing, or who has filed otherwise than in the proper form, a notice that the registrant has failed to comply with this chapter. Whenever a candidate has appointed another person as campaign treasurer, the filing officer shall send the notice to both persons.
11.22(10)
(10) Place a copy of any separate schedule under
s. 11.06 (1) (j) received with the financial report of an individual or committee filing an oath under
s. 11.06 (7) in the file of each candidate to whom it relates.
11.23
11.23
Political groups and individuals; referendum questions. 11.23(1)(1) Any group or individual may promote or oppose a particular vote at any referendum in this state. Except as authorized in
s. 11.05 (12) (b) and
(13), before a group makes or accepts contributions, makes disbursements, or incurs obligations in excess of $2,500 in the aggregate in a calendar year for such purposes, and before an individual accepts contributions, makes disbursements, or incurs obligations in excess of $2,500 in the aggregate in a calendar year for such purposes, the group or individual shall file a registration statement under
s. 11.05 (1),
(2) or
(2r). In the case of a group the name and mailing address of each of its officers shall be given in the statement. Every group and every individual under this section shall designate a campaign depository account under
s. 11.14. Every group shall appoint a treasurer, who may delegate authority but is jointly responsible for the actions of his or her authorized designee for purposes of civil liability under this chapter. The appropriate filing officer shall be notified by a group of any change in its treasurer within 10 days of the change under
s. 11.05 (5). The treasurer of a group shall certify the correctness of each statement or report submitted by it under this chapter.
11.23(2)
(2) Any anonymous contribution exceeding $10 received by an individual or group treasurer may not be used or expended. The contribution shall be donated to the common school fund or to any charitable organization at the option of the treasurer.
11.23(3)
(3) All contributions, disbursements and incurred obligations exceeding $10 shall be recorded by the group treasurer or the individual. He or she shall maintain such records in an organized and legible manner, for not less than 3 years after the date of a referendum in which the group or individual participates. If a report is submitted under
s. 11.19 (1), the records may be transferred to a continuing group or to the appropriate filing officer for retention. Records shall include the information required under
s. 11.06 (1).
11.23(4)
(4) Each group or individual shall file periodic reports as provided in
ss. 11.06,
11.19 and
11.20. Every individual acting for the purpose of influencing the outcome of a referendum shall be deemed his or her own treasurer. No disbursement may be made or obligation incurred by or on behalf of a group without the authorization of the treasurer or the treasurer's designated agents. No contribution may be accepted and no disbursement may be made or obligation incurred by any group at a time when there is a vacancy in the office of treasurer.
11.23(5)
(5) If a group which operates as a political committee has filed a single registration statement, any report of that group which concerns activities being carried on as a political committee under this chapter shall contain a separate itemization of such activities, whenever itemization is required.
11.23(6)
(6) If any contribution or contributions of $500 or more cumulatively are received by a group or individual supporting or opposing the adoption of a referendum question from a single contributor later than 15 days prior to an election such that it is not included in the preprimary or preelection report submitted under
s. 11.20 (3), the treasurer of the group or the individual receiving the contribution shall within 24 hours of receipt inform the appropriate filing officer of the information required under
s. 11.06 (1) in such manner as the board may prescribe. The information shall also be included in the treasurer's or individual's next regular report. For purposes of the reporting requirement under this subsection, only contributions received during the period beginning with the day after the last date covered on the preelection report, and ending with the day before the election need be reported.
11.23 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also s.
GAB 6.04, Wis. adm. code.
11.23 Annotation
If narrowly construed to apply only to financial transactions directly related to express advocacy of a particular result in a referendum, this section is constitutional. 65 Atty. Gen. 145.
11.23 Annotation
A school board that informs the electorate of facts pertinent to the subject of a school district referendum and does not expressly advocate for a particular need not register or file campaign financing reports under ch. 11. 68 Atty. Gen. 167.
11.23 Annotation
Limitations on contributions to committees formed to support or oppose referenda are discussed. Citizens Against Rent Control v. Berkeley,
454 U.S. 290 (1981).
11.23 Annotation
This section is unconstitutional, as applied to the plaintiff's case — an individual advocating against the adoption of a local referendum. The government's asserted interests: 1) to provide for an informed electorate; 2) to prevent corruption or the appearance thereof in the democratic process; and 3) to maintain the integrity of the electoral process, lack sufficient importance to justify the more burdensome reporting requirements of this section. While referendum questions may often appear on the same ballot as candidate elections, they are fundamentally different. The public's interest in knowing the source of political money and how it is spent is substantially diminished in the context of this section. Hatchett v. Barland,
816 F. Supp. 2d 583 (2011).
11.24
11.24
Unlawful political contributions. 11.24(1)
(1) No person may, directly or indirectly, make any contribution other than from funds or property belonging to the contributor. No person may, directly or indirectly, furnish funds or property to another person for the purpose of making a contribution in other than the person's own name. No person may intentionally accept or receive any contribution made in violation of this subsection.
11.24(2)
(2) No person may intentionally accept or receive any contribution made in violation of this chapter.
11.24 Annotation
The unit of prosecution under sub. (1) is every transfer of funds to another person accompanied by the false listing of any single contributor. An individual illegally furnishing funds from a corporate account may be convicted under sub. (1). State v. Dreske,
88 Wis. 2d 60,
276 N.W.2d 324 (Ct. App. 1979).
11.25
11.25
Unlawful political disbursements and obligations. 11.25(1)(1) No person, committee or group may intentionally receive or accept anything of value, or any promise or pledge thereof, constituting a disbursement made or obligation incurred for political purposes contrary to law.
11.25(2)(a)(a) No person, committee or group may make or authorize a disbursement or the incurrence of an obligation from moneys solicited for political purposes for a purpose which is other than political, except as specifically authorized by law.
11.25(2)(b)
(b) Notwithstanding
par. (a), a registrant may accept contributions and make disbursements from a campaign depository account for the purpose of making expenditures in connection with a campaign for national office; for payment of civil penalties incurred by the registrant under this chapter but not under any other chapter; for the purpose of making a donation to a charitable organization or the common school fund; or for payment of the expenses of nonpartisan campaigns to increase voter registration or participation. Notwithstanding
par. (a), a personal campaign committee or support committee may accept contributions and make disbursements from a campaign depository account for payment of inaugural expenses of an individual who is elected to state or local office. If such expenses are paid from contributions made to the campaign depository account, they are reportable under
s. 11.06 (1) as disbursements. Otherwise, such expenses are not reportable under
s. 11.06 (1). If contributions from the campaign depository account are used for such expenses, they are subject to
s. 11.26.
11.25(3)
(3) No moneys solicited for political purposes and reported under this chapter may be invested for the purpose of producing income unless the investment is in direct obligations of the United States and of agencies and corporations wholly owned by the United States, commercial paper maturing within one year from the date of investment, preferred shares of a corporation, an interest-bearing account at any financial institution as defined in
s. 705.01 (3) or securities of an investment company registered under the federal investment company act of 1940 (
15 USC 80a) and registered for public offer and sale in this state of the type commonly referred to as a "money market fund".
11.26
11.26
Limitation on contributions. 11.26(1)
(1) No individual may make any contribution or contributions to a candidate for election or nomination to any of the following offices and to any individual or committee under
s. 11.06 (7) acting solely in support of such a candidate or solely in opposition to the candidate's opponent to the extent of more than a total of the amounts specified per candidate:
11.26(1)(a)
(a) Candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, state superintendent, or justice, $10,000.
11.26(1)(c)
(c) Candidates for representative to the assembly, $500.
11.26(1)(cc)
(cc) Candidates for court of appeals judge in districts which contain a county having a population of more than 500,000, $3,000.
11.26(1)(cg)
(cg) Candidates for court of appeals judge in other districts, $2,500.
11.26(1)(cn)
(cn) Candidates for circuit judge in circuits having a population of more than 300,000, or candidates for district attorney in prosecutorial units having a population of more than 300,000, $3,000.
11.26(1)(cw)
(cw) Candidates for circuit judge in other circuits or candidates for district attorney in other prosecutorial units, $1,000.
11.26(1)(d)
(d) Candidates for local offices, an amount equal to the greater of the following:
11.26(1)(d)2.
2. One cent times the number of inhabitants of the jurisdiction or district, according to the latest federal census or the census information on which the district is based, as certified by the appropriate filing officer, but not more than $3,000.
11.26(2)
(2) No committee other than a political party committee or legislative campaign committee may make any contribution or contributions to a candidate for election or nomination to any of the following offices and to any individual or committee under
s. 11.06 (7) acting solely in support of such a candidate or solely in opposition to the candidate's opponent to the extent of more than a total of the amounts specified per candidate:
11.26(2)(a)
(a) Candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, state superintendent, or justice, 4 percent of the value of the disbursement level specified in the schedule under
s. 11.31 (1).
11.26(2)(c)
(c) Candidates for representative to the assembly, $500.
11.26(2)(cc)
(cc) Candidates for court of appeals judge in districts which contain a county having a population of more than 500,000, $3,000.
11.26(2)(cg)
(cg) Candidates for court of appeals judge in other districts, $2,500.
11.26(2)(cn)
(cn) Candidates for circuit judge in circuits having a population of more than 300,000, or candidates for district attorney in prosecutorial units having a population of more than 300,000, $3,000.
