Election night reporting
Under the bill, at 9 p.m. on election night, and every hour thereafter until the
canvass is complete, each municipal clerk or his or her designee must provide to the
county clerk of the county in which the municipality is located a statement that
shows the total number of ballots, including absentee ballots, cast at the
municipality in the election, the total number of ballots, including absentee ballots,
that have been canvassed, and the total number of ballots, including absentee
ballots, that remain to be canvassed. The county clerk must promptly post each
statement on the website on which the county clerk posts returns on election night.
In a 1st class city, the city clerk or his or her designee must post the statement on the
city clerk's website. The statement may not include the names or addresses of any

electors. An absentee ballot may be considered canvassed for purposes of this
reporting requirement only after all tasks have been completed in the canvassing
process except for the tallying of votes.
Timeline for sending or transmitting absentee ballots
Current law requires a municipal clerk to send an absentee ballot for each
partisan primary, presidential preference primary, and general election to all
electors requesting the ballot, including military and overseas electors, no later than
the 47th day before the partisan primary, presidential preference primary, or general
election or, if the request is not made before that day, within one business day after
the request is received. For all other primaries and elections, the municipal clerk
must send or transmit the absentee ballot no later than the 21st day before the
primary or election or, if the request is not made before that day, within one business
day after the request is received.
Under the bill, a municipal clerk must send or transmit an absentee ballot for
all primaries and elections, regardless of the type of primary or election, to electors
other than military and overseas electors no later than the 21st day before the
primary or election or, if the request is not made before that day, within one business
day after the request is received. Under the bill, a municipal clerk must send or
transmit an absentee ballot for all primaries and elections, regardless of the type of
primary or election, to military and overseas electors no later than the 45th day
before the primary or election or, if the request is not made before that day, within
one business day after the request is received. That 45th day timeline is consistent
with federal law.
Whistleblower protections
The bill provides whistleblower protection for municipal clerks who witness
and report election fraud or irregularities. Under the bill, no municipal clerk may
be discriminated against in regard to employment, including by being discharged,
disciplined, or demoted, as a reprisal because the clerk lawfully reported, or is
believed to have reported, witnessing what the clerk reasonably believed to be
election fraud or irregularities.
Notifications concerning certain prospective jurors
This bill requires each clerk of circuit court to notify, on the basis of the address
information used for mailing juror qualification forms, the appropriate county clerk
or board of election commissioners and the Elections Commission of any prospective
juror whose returned juror qualification form shows that the person does not qualify
for jury duty in that circuit because the person either is not a U.S. citizen or does not
live in the circuit for which he or she was called for jury duty. Unless a court orders
otherwise, notifications provided under the bill must be kept confidential and are not
subject to inspection and copying under state law.
Under the bill, if the Elections Commission receives a notification as provided
under the bill, the commission must examine the registration list to determine if any
prospective juror identified in the notification is registered to vote or has voted. If
the commission determines that a prospective juror who is registered to vote or has
voted does not have the necessary elector qualifications or does not satisfy the
residence requirements, the commission shall remove the person's name from the

registration list and send notice to the person and to the district attorney or attorney
general of the commission's action.
Court determinations of incompetency and ineligibility to vote
Under current law, no person who is incapable of understanding the objective
of the elective process or who is under a guardianship may vote unless a court has
determined that the person is competent to vote. Current law also allows any voter
in a municipality to petition the circuit court to determine whether a person residing
in the municipality is incapable of understanding the objective of the elective
process. If the court determines that the person is incapable of such understanding,
the person is not eligible to register to vote or to vote. Current law requires the clerk
of the circuit court to communicate the court's determinations, in writing, to the
election officials who are responsible for determining challenges to registration and
voting that may be brought against the person.
This bill requires the circuit court, no later than one business day after the date
of a determination by the court, to notify the Elections Commission of the court's
determination regarding incompetency and ineligibility to vote. Under the bill,
when the commission receives a determination of incompetency and ineligibility to
vote, the commission must, within one business day, change the status of the voter
subject to the determination to inactive on the official voter registration list, note on
the list that the voter is ineligible to vote, and notify the voter's municipal clerk of
the voter's change in status. The bill also provides that if a court reviews a
determination of ineligibility to vote and restores the voter's right the vote, upon
receipt of that determination, the commission must, within one business day, change
the voter's status on the official voter registration list to active, note on the list that
the voter is eligible to vote, and notify the municipal clerk of the voter's change in
status.
Verifications of voter citizenship status
Current law requires the administrator of the Elections Commission to enter
into an agreement with the secretary of transportation to match personally
identifiable information on the official voter registration list with the information
maintained by the Department of Transportation. Under this bill, the agreement
with the secretary of transportation must also provide the commission access to
personally identifiable information maintained by DOT in order to verify that
individuals on the official registration list are U.S. citizens. In addition, the bill
requires the commission to conduct the verifications as soon as practicable after the
effective date of the bill and immediately whenever an individual registers to vote
or modifies his or her registration.
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:
SB685,1
1Section 1. 5.05 (5g) of the statutes is created to read:
SB685,6,92 5.05 (5g) Notification of disqualified prospective jurors. If the commission
3receives a notification under s. 756.04 (11) (am), the commission shall examine the
4registration list to determine if any prospective juror identified in the notification is
5registered to vote or has voted. If the commission determines that a prospective juror
6who is registered to vote or has voted does not have the necessary elector
7qualifications or does not satisfy the residence requirements, the commission shall
8remove the person's name from the registration list and send notice to the person and
9to the district attorney or attorney general of the commission's action.
SB685,2 10Section 2 . 5.05 (12) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,6,1611 5.05 (12) Voter education. The commission may conduct or prescribe
12requirements for educational programs to inform electors about voting procedures,
13voting rights, and voting technology. The commission shall conduct an educational
14program for the purpose of educating electors who cast paper ballots, ballots that are
15counted at a central counting location, and absentee ballots
of the effect of casting
16excess votes for a single office.
SB685,3 17Section 3 . 5.056 of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,7,3 185.056 Matching program with secretary of transportation. The
19commission administrator shall enter into the agreement with the secretary of
20transportation specified under s. 85.61 (1) to match personally identifiable
21information on the official registration list maintained by the commission under s.
226.36 (1) and the information specified in s. 6.34 (2m) with personally identifiable
23information maintained by the department of transportation. The agreement shall
24require the department of transportation to provide the commission access to
25personally identifiable information maintained by the department of transportation

1in order to verify that individuals on the official registration list are U.S. citizens.
2The commission shall immediately verify the information on the list whenever an
3individual registers to vote or modifies his or her registration.
SB685,4 4Section 4 . 5.057 of the statutes is created to read:
SB685,7,11 55.057 Determination of ineligibility to vote due to incompetency. (1)
6(a) Upon receipt of a determination of ineligibility to vote under s. 54.25 (2) (c) 1. g.,
7the commission shall, no later than one business day after receiving the
8determination, change the status of the elector subject to the determination to
9inactive on the official registration list under s. 6.36, note on the list that the elector
10is ineligible to vote in accordance with s. 6.03 (3), and notify the elector's municipal
11clerk of the elector's change in status.
SB685,7,2412 (b) The commission shall include the elector determined to be ineligible to vote
13under s. 54.25 (2) (c) 1. g. on the ineligible elector list. If the elector's right to vote
14is restored, as provided under s. 54.64 (2) (c), after preparation of the ineligible
15elector list, the elector may vote at the elector's polling place on election day if the
16elector presents to the chief inspector documentation from the court under s. 54.64
17(2) (c) showing that the court has restored the elector's right to vote. If the elector
18presents such documentation to the chief inspector, the chief inspector shall note the
19elector's change in status on the ineligible elector list. If the elector is unable to
20present such documentation, the elector may cast a provisional ballot under s. 6.97,
21but the ballot shall not be counted unless the elector provides the documentation
22described under this paragraph to the polling place before the closing hour or to the
23office of the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners no later than 4 p.m.
24on the Friday after the election.
SB685,8,9
1(2) If under s. 54.64 (2) (a) a court subsequently reviews a determination of
2ineligibility to vote under s. 54.25 (2) (c) 1. g. and restores an elector's right to vote,
3as provided under s. 54.64 (2) (c), upon receipt of the reviewing court's determination,
4the commission shall, no later than one business day after receiving the
5determination, change the status of the elector subject to the determination to active
6on the official registration list under s. 6.36, note on the list that the elector is eligible
7to vote in accordance with s. 6.03 (3), and notify the elector's municipal clerk of the
8elector's change in status. The commission shall also remove the elector from the
9ineligible elector list.
SB685,5 10Section 5 . 5.84 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,9,511 5.84 (1) Where any municipality employs an electronic voting system which
12that utilizes automatic tabulating equipment, either at the polling place or at a
13central counting location,
the municipal clerk shall, on any day not more than 10
14days prior to the election day on which the equipment is to be utilized in an election,
15have the equipment tested to ascertain that it will correctly count the votes cast for
16all offices and on all measures. Public notice of the time and place of the test shall
17be given by the clerk at least 48 hours prior to the test by posting notice on the
18municipality's website if it has one and
by publication of a class 1 notice under ch.
19985 in one or more newspapers published within the municipality if a newspaper is
20published therein, otherwise in a newspaper of general circulation therein. The test
21shall be open to the public. The test shall be conducted by processing a preaudited
22group of ballots so marked as to record a predetermined number of valid votes for
23each candidate and on each referendum. The test shall include for each office one
24or more ballots which have votes in excess of the number allowed by law and, for a
25partisan primary election, one or more ballots which have votes cast for candidates

1of more than one recognized political party, in order to test the ability of the
2automatic tabulating equipment to reject such votes. If any error is detected, the
3municipal clerk shall ascertain the cause and correct the error. The clerk shall make
4an errorless count before the automatic tabulating equipment is approved by the
5clerk for use in the election.
SB685,6 6Section 6 . 5.84 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,9,127 5.84 (2) Before beginning the ballot count at each polling place or at the central
8counting location
, the election officials shall witness a test of the automatic
9tabulating equipment by engaging the printing mechanism and securing a printed
10result showing a zero count for every candidate and referendum. After the
11completion of the count, the ballots and programs used shall be sealed and retained
12under the custody of the municipal clerk in a secure location.
SB685,7 13Section 7 . 5.85 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,9,2514 5.85 (1) At any polling place at which an electronic voting system is utilized,
15the following procedures for receiving, counting, tallying, and return of the ballots
16shall be used. Whenever paper ballots are utilized at a polling place in combination
17with ballots employed in an electronic voting system, the paper ballots shall be
18deposited in a separate ballot box or boxes, according to the types of ballots used. For
19the purpose of transporting the ballots or the record of the votes cast, the municipal
20clerk shall provide a secure container for each polling place. At each polling place,
21the applicable portions of the procedure prescribed for initiating the canvass under
22s. 7.51 (1) and (2) shall be performed, except that no count of the ballots, except
23write-in votes and paper ballots used for absentee voting and other purposes
24authorized by law, may be performed at a polling place if a central counting location
25is designated for the counting of ballots at that polling place by the municipality
.
SB685,8
1Section 8. 5.85 (5) of the statutes is repealed.
SB685,9 2Section 9 . 5.86 of the statutes is repealed.
SB685,10 3Section 10 . 5.87 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,10,124 5.87 (1) If a central counting location is not utilized, the The procedure for
5tabulating the votes by the automatic tabulating equipment shall be under the
6direction of the chief inspector and shall conform to the requirements of the
7automatic tabulating equipment. If any ballot is not accepted by the automatic
8tabulating equipment, the election officials shall make a duplicate ballot to replace
9that ballot in the manner prescribed in s. 5.85 (3). All proceedings at the polling place
10and at any central counting location shall be open to the public, but no person, except
11those employed and authorized for the purpose, may touch any ballot, container,
12envelope, return, or equipment.
SB685,11 13Section 11 . 5.91 (17) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,10,1814 5.91 (17) Unless the ballot is counted at a central counting location, it It
15includes a mechanism for notifying an elector who attempts to cast an excess number
16of votes for a single office that his or her votes for that office will not be counted, and
17provides the elector with an opportunity to correct his or her ballot or to receive and
18cast a replacement ballot.
SB685,12 19Section 12 . 6.15 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,10,2420 6.15 (4) (a) Clerks holding new resident ballots shall deliver them to the
21election inspectors in the proper ward or election district where the new residents
22reside or, in municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, to the
23municipal board of absentee ballot canvassers when it convenes at a meeting
24convened
under s. 7.52 (1), as provided by s. 6.88 for absentee ballots.
SB685,13 25Section 13 . 6.15 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,11,6
16.15 (4) (b) During polling hours, or on the day before the election under s. 6.88
2(4),
the inspectors shall open each carrier envelope, announce the elector's name,
3check the affidavit for proper execution, and check the voting qualifications for the
4ward, if any. In municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52,
5the municipal board of absentee ballot canvassers shall perform this function at a
6meeting of the board of absentee ballot canvassers.
SB685,14 7Section 14 . 6.29 (2) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,11,228 6.29 (2) (am) The commission shall provide to each municipal clerk a list
9prepared for use at each municipal clerk's office showing the name and address of
10each person whose name appears on the list provided by the department of
11corrections under s. 301.03 (20m) as ineligible to vote, or whose registration status
12is inactive under s. 5.057 (1) (a),
on the date of the election, whose address is located
13in the municipality, and whose name does not appear on the registration list for that
14municipality. Prior to permitting an elector to register to vote under this subsection,
15the municipal clerk shall review the list. If the name of an elector who wishes to
16register to vote appears on the list, the municipal clerk shall inform the elector that
17the elector is ineligible to register to vote. If the elector maintains that he or she is
18eligible to vote in the election, the municipal clerk shall permit the elector to register
19to vote but shall mark the elector's registration form as “ineligible to vote per
20Department of Corrections
as a disqualified elector under s. 6.03." If the elector
21wishes to vote, the municipal clerk shall challenge the elector's ballot in the same
22manner as provided for inspectors who challenge ballots under s. 6.79 (2) (dm).
SB685,15 23Section 15 . 6.55 (2) (cs) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,12,1524 6.55 (2) (cs) The commission shall provide to each municipal clerk a list
25prepared for use at each polling place showing the name and address of each person

1whose name appears on the list provided by the department of corrections under s.
2301.03 (20m) as ineligible to vote, or whose registration status is inactive under s.
35.057 (1) (a),
on the date of the election, whose address is located in the area served
4by that polling place, and whose name does not appear on the poll list for that polling
5place. Prior to permitting an elector to register to vote under this subsection or s. 6.86
6(3) (a) 2., the inspectors or election registration officials shall review the list. If the
7name of an elector who wishes to register to vote appears on the list, the inspectors
8or election registration officials shall inform the elector or the elector's agent that the
9elector is ineligible to register to vote. If the elector or the elector's agent maintains
10that the elector is eligible to vote in the election, the inspectors or election
11registration officials shall permit the elector to register but shall mark the elector's
12registration form as “ineligible to vote per Department of Corrections as a
13disqualified elector under s. 6.03
." If the elector wishes to vote, the inspectors shall
14require the elector to vote by ballot and shall challenge the ballot as provided in s.
156.79 (2) (dm).
SB685,16 16Section 16 . 6.56 (3m) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,13,617 6.56 (3m) As soon as possible after all information relating to registrations
18after the close of registration for an election is entered on the registration list
19following the election under s. 6.33 (5) (a), the commission shall compare the list of
20new registrants whose names do not appear on the poll lists for the election because
21the names were added after the commission certified the poll lists for use at the
22election with the list containing the names transmitted to the commission by the
23department of corrections under s. 301.03 (20m) as of election day and with the
24names provided in the notices of ineligibility received under s. 54.25 (2) (c) 1. g
. If
25the commission finds that the name of any person whose name appears on the list

1transmitted under s. 301.03 (20m), or in a notice of ineligibility received under s.
254.25 (2) (c) 1. g.,
has been added to the registration list, the commission shall enter
3on the list the information transmitted to the commission under s. 301.03 (20m) or
4received under s. 54.25 (2) (c) 1. g.
and shall notify the district attorney for the county
5where the polling place is located that the person appears to have voted illegally at
6the election.
SB685,17 7Section 17 . 6.79 (2) (dm) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,13,148 6.79 (2) (dm) If the poll list indicates that the elector is ineligible to vote because
9the elector's name appears on the current list provided by the department of
10corrections under s. 301.03 (20m)
of ineligible electors, the inspectors shall inform
11the elector of this fact. If the elector maintains that he or she is eligible to vote in the
12election, the inspectors shall provide the elector with a ballot and, after the elector
13casts his or her vote, shall challenge the ballot as provided in s. 6.92 and treat the
14ballot in the manner provided in s. 6.95.
SB685,18 15Section 18 . 6.86 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,14,1516 6.86 (1) (b) Except as provided in this section, if application is made by mail,
17the application shall be received no later than 5 p.m. on the 5th day immediately
18preceding the election. If application is made in person, the application shall be
19made no earlier than 14 days preceding the election and no later than the Sunday
20preceding the election. No application may be received on a legal holiday. A
21municipality shall specify the hours in the notice under s. 10.01 (2) (e). The
22municipal clerk or an election official shall witness the certificate for any in-person
23absentee ballot cast. Except as provided in par. (c), if the elector is making written
24application for an absentee ballot at the partisan primary, the general election, the
25presidential preference primary, or a special election for national office, and the

1application indicates that the elector is a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1), the
2application shall be received by the municipal clerk no later than 5 p.m. on election
3day. If the application indicates that the reason for requesting an absentee ballot is
4that the elector is a sequestered juror, the application shall be received no later than
55 p.m. on election day. If the application is received after 5 p.m. on the Friday
6immediately preceding the election, the municipal clerk or the clerk's agent shall
7immediately take the ballot to the court in which the elector is serving as a juror and
8deposit it with the judge. The judge shall recess court, as soon as convenient, and
9give the elector the ballot. The judge shall then witness the voting procedure as
10provided in s. 6.87 and shall deliver the ballot to the clerk or agent of the clerk who
11shall deliver it to the polling place election inspectors of the proper ward or election
12district
or, in municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, to
13the municipal clerk as required in s. 6.88. If application is made under sub. (2) or
14(2m), the application may be received no later than 5 p.m. on the Friday immediately
15preceding the election.
SB685,19 16Section 19 . 6.87 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,14,2317 6.87 (6) The ballot shall be returned so it is delivered to the polling place
18election inspectors of the proper ward or election district no later than 8 p.m. on
19election day. Except in municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under
20s. 7.52, if the municipal clerk receives an absentee ballot on election day, the clerk
21shall secure the ballot and cause the ballot to be delivered to the polling place serving
22the elector's residence before 8 p.m. Any ballot not mailed or delivered as provided
23in this subsection may not be counted.
SB685,20 24Section 20 . 6.88 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,15,16
16.88 (1) When an absentee ballot arrives at the office of the municipal clerk,
2or at an alternate site under s. 6.855, if applicable, the clerk shall enclose it,
3unopened, in a carrier envelope which shall be securely sealed and endorsed with the
4name and official title of the clerk, and the words “This envelope contains the ballot
5of an absent elector and must be opened in the same room where votes are being cast
6at the polls during polling hours on election day or, in municipalities where absentee
7ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, stats., at a meeting of the municipal board of
8absentee ballot canvassers under s. 7.52, stats
only as provided by law." If the elector
9is a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1), or an overseas elector, regardless of
10whether the elector qualifies as a resident of this state under s. 6.10, and the ballot
11was received by the elector by facsimile transmission or electronic mail and is
12accompanied by a separate certificate, the clerk shall enclose the ballot in a
13certificate envelope and securely append the completed certificate to the outside of
14the envelope before enclosing the ballot in the carrier envelope. The clerk shall keep
15the ballot in the clerk's office or at the alternate site, if applicable until delivered, as
16required in sub. (2).
SB685,21 17Section 21 . 6.88 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,16,518 6.88 (2) When an absentee ballot is received by the municipal clerk prior to the
19delivery of the official ballots to the election officials of the ward in which the elector
20resides or, where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, to the municipal board
21of absentee ballot canvassers, the municipal clerk shall seal the ballot envelope in
22the carrier envelope as provided under sub. (1), and shall enclose the envelope in a
23package and deliver the package to the election inspectors of the proper ward or
24election district or, in municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s.
257.52, to the municipal board of absentee ballot canvassers when it convenes at a

1meeting convened
under s. 7.52 (1). When the official ballots for the ward or election
2district have been delivered to the election inspectors before the receipt of an
3absentee ballot, the clerk shall immediately enclose the envelope containing the
4absentee ballot in a carrier envelope as provided under sub. (1) and deliver it in
5person to the proper election officials.
SB685,22 6Section 22. 6.88 (4) of the statutes is created to read:
SB685,16,97 6.88 (4) (a) 1. The governing body of any municipality not specified in s. 7.52
8(1) (a) may provide by ordinance that absentee ballots received by the municipal clerk
9may be canvassed on the day before the election.
SB685,16,1210 2. Prior to enacting an ordinance under subd. 1., the municipal clerk shall
11notify the commission in writing of the proposed enactment and shall consult with
12the commission concerning administration of this subsection.
SB685,16,1513 (am) In any municipality having an ordinance under par. (a), subject to pars.
14(b) to (f), the election inspectors may convene a meeting to begin canvassing absentee
15ballots beginning at 7 a.m. on the day before the election.
SB685,16,2016 (b) The municipal clerk shall give at least 60 days' notice of a meeting under
17this subsection. Any member of the public has the same right of access to observe
18the proceedings at a meeting under this subsection that the individual would have
19under s. 7.41. The election inspectors may order the removal of any individual
20exercising the right to observe the proceedings if the individual disrupts the meeting.
SB685,17,721 (c) 1. At 7 a.m., noon, and 8 p.m. on the day before the election, and at 7 a.m.,
22noon, and 8 p.m. on election day, the municipal clerk or his or her designee or
23municipal board of election inspectors shall provide to the county clerk of the county
24in which the municipality is located or the county board of election inspectors a
25statement that shows the total number of absentee ballots returned to the

1municipality and the total number of absentee ballots the election inspectors have
2canvassed under this subsection. The county clerk or county board of election
3inspectors shall promptly post each statement on the website on which returns for
4the county are posted on election night under s. 7.60. In a municipality having a
5municipal board of election inspectors, the statement required under this paragraph
6shall also be posted on the website maintained by the municipal board of election
7inspectors. The statement may not include the names or addresses of any electors.
SB685,17,108 2. An absentee ballot shall be considered canvassed for purposes of subd. 1. only
9after all tasks have been completed in the canvassing process except for the tallying
10of votes.
SB685,17,2411 (d) When the meeting of the election inspectors recesses on the day before the
12election, the election inspectors shall secure the automatic tabulating equipment,
13and the areas where the programmed media, memory devices, and absentee ballots
14are housed, with tamper-evident security seals in a double-lock location such as a
15locked cabinet inside a locked office. Before resuming the canvassing of absentee
16ballots on election day, the election inspectors shall check and record the status of
17each tamper-evident seal. The election inspectors shall immediately notify the
18commission of any evidence of tampering. If the election inspectors discover evidence
19of tampering with respect to automatic tabulating equipment, the canvass may not
20resume until the equipment is replaced and the replacement equipment is tested as
21provided in s. 5.84, except that public notice need not be provided 48 hours prior to
22the test. If the election inspectors discover evidence of tampering under this
23paragraph, the commission shall verify the accuracy of the absentee ballot count in
24the municipality in the election by doing all of the following:
SB685,18,3
11. Ordering the municipality to conduct a recount after the election of all
2absentee ballots cast in the municipality in the election. The commission's order
3shall establish procedures for the recount consistent with s. 9.01.
SB685,18,54 2. Auditing the election equipment in the same manner as audits are conducted
5under s. 7.08 (6).
SB685,18,76 (e) Votes on absentee ballots canvassed under this subsection may not be tallied
7until after the polls close on election day.
SB685,18,118 (f) No person may intentionally act in a manner that would give him or her the
9ability to know or to provide information on the tallied results from the ballots
10canvassed under this subsection before the polls close on election day. Whoever
11intentionally violates this paragraph is guilty of a Class I felony.
SB685,18,1312 (g) An ordinance under par. (a) may not take effect less than 60 days before an
13election.
SB685,23 14Section 23 . 7.03 (1) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
SB685,24 15Section 24 . 7.15 (1) (cm) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,19,716 7.15 (1) (cm) Prepare official absentee ballots for delivery to electors requesting
17them, and except as provided in this paragraph, send an official absentee ballot to
18each elector who has requested a ballot by mail, and
to each military elector, as
19defined in s. 6.34 (1), and overseas elector who has requested a ballot by mail,
20electronic mail, or facsimile transmission, no later than the 47th 45th day before
21each partisan primary, presidential preference primary, special primary or election,
22and general election and no later than the 21st day before each other primary and
23election if the request is made before that day
; otherwise, the municipal clerk shall
24send or transmit an official absentee ballot within one business day of the time the
25military or overseas elector's request for such a ballot is received. The clerk shall

1send or transmit an absentee ballot for the presidential preference primary to each
2elector who has requested that
to all other electors requesting a ballot no later than
3the 47th 21st day before the presidential preference primary or election if the request
4is made before that day, or, if the request is not made before that day, within one
5business day of the time the request is received. For purposes of this paragraph,
6“business day" means any day from Monday to Friday, not including a legal holiday
7under s. 995.20.
SB685,25 8Section 25. 7.15 (16) of the statutes is created to read:
SB685,19,199 7.15 (16) Election night reporting. (a) At 9 p.m. on election night, and every
10hour thereafter until the canvass is complete, the municipal clerk or his or her
11designee shall provide to the county clerk of the county in which the municipality is
12located a statement that shows the total number of ballots, including absentee
13ballots, cast at the municipality in the election, the total number of ballots, including
14absentee ballots, that have been canvassed, and the total number of ballots,
15including absentee ballots, that remain to be canvassed. The county clerk shall
16promptly post each statement on the website on which the county posts returns on
17election night under s. 7.60. In a 1st class city, the municipal clerk shall post the
18statement required under this subsection on the clerk's website. The statement may
19not include the names or addresses of any electors.
SB685,19,2220 (b) An absentee ballot may be considered canvassed for purposes of par. (a) only
21after all tasks have been completed in the canvassing process except for the tallying
22of votes.
SB685,26 23Section 26 . 7.37 (12) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,20,224 7.37 (12) Canvassers. The election inspectors shall constitute the board of
25canvassers of their polling place and in that capacity shall perform the duties under

1s. 7.51, except as otherwise designated by the municipal clerk under ss. s. 5.85 and
25.86
.
SB685,27 3Section 27 . 7.51 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB685,20,204 7.51 (1) Canvass procedure. Immediately after the polls close the inspectors
5except any inspector appointed under s. 7.30 (1) (b) shall proceed to canvass publicly
6all votes received at the polling place. In any municipality where an electronic voting
7system is used, the municipal governing body or board of election commissioners may
8provide or authorize the municipal clerk or executive director of the board of election
9commissioners to provide for the adjournment of the canvass to one or more central
10counting locations for specified polling places in the manner prescribed in subch. III
11of ch. 5. No central counting location may be used to count votes at a polling place
12where an electronic voting system is not employed.
The canvass , whether conducted
13at the polling place or at a central counting location,
shall continue without
14adjournment until the canvass of all ballots cast and received on or before election
15day is completed and the return statement is made or, in municipalities where
16absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, until the canvass of all absentee ballots
17cast and received on or before election day is completed and the return statement for
18those ballots is made. The inspectors shall not permit access to the name of any
19elector who has obtained a confidential listing under s. 6.47 (2) during the canvass,
20except as authorized in s. 6.47 (8).
SB685,28 21Section 28 . 7.52 (1) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 7.52 (1) (a) 1. and
22amended to read:
SB685,21,1523 7.52 (1) (a) 1. The governing body of any municipality may provide by ordinance
24that, in lieu of canvassing absentee ballots at polling places under s. 6.88, the
25municipal board of absentee ballot canvassers designated under s. 7.53 (2m) shall,

1at each election held in the municipality, canvass all absentee ballots received by the
2municipal clerk by 8 p.m. on election day. Prior to enacting an ordinance under this
3subsection subdivision, the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners of the
4municipality shall notify the elections commission in writing of the proposed
5enactment and shall consult with the elections commission concerning
6administration of this section. At Except as provided under par. (h), at every election
7held in the municipality following enactment of an ordinance under this subsection
8subdivision, the board of absentee ballot canvassers shall, any time after the opening
9of the polls and before 10 p.m. on election day,
publicly convene at 7 a.m. on the day
10before the election
to count the begin the canvass of absentee ballots for the
11municipality and may not recess until 8 p.m. on that day, or at such time when there
12are no further absentee ballots to be processed on that day, whichever is earlier, at
13which time the meeting shall recess; the meeting shall reconvene at 7 a.m. on election
14day and continue until all absentee ballots received by the municipal clerk by 8 p.m.
15on election day have been canvassed
.
SB685,21,22 162. The municipal clerk shall give at least 48 hours' 60 days' notice of any the
17meeting under this subsection. Any member of the public has the same right of
18access to a meeting of the municipal board of absentee ballot canvassers under this
19subsection that the individual would have under s. 7.41 to observe the proceedings
20at a polling place. The board of absentee ballot canvassers may order the removal
21of any individual exercising the right to observe the proceedings if the individual
22disrupts the meeting.
SB685,29 23Section 29 . 7.52 (1) (d) to (h) of the statutes are created to read:
SB685,22,1124 7.52 (1) (d) 1. At 7 a.m., noon, and 8 p.m. on the day before the election, and
25at 7 a.m., noon, and 8 p.m. on election day, the municipal clerk or his or her designee

1or municipal board of election inspectors shall provide to the county clerk of the
2county in which the municipality is located or the county board of election inspectors
3a statement that shows the total number of absentee ballots returned to the
4municipality and the total number of absentee ballots the municipal board of
5absentee ballot canvassers has canvassed under this subsection. The county clerk
6or county board of election inspectors shall promptly post each statement on the
7website on which returns for the county are posted on election night under s. 7.60.
8In a municipality having a municipal board of election inspectors, the statement
9required under this paragraph shall also be posted on the website maintained by the
10municipal board of election inspectors. The statement may not include the names
11or addresses of any electors.
SB685,22,1412 2. An absentee ballot shall be considered canvassed for purposes of subd. 1. only
13after all tasks have been completed in the canvassing process except for the tallying
14of votes.
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