Election legislation roundup: Wisconsin State Senate

By

Mercedes Yanora

As of Oct. 29, Ballotpedia has tracked 24 election-related bills in the Wisconsin State Senate since the beginning of the year. Of the 24, Ballotpedia tracked four from Oct. 23-29. Democrats sponsored all four bills. The bills are below:   

  • WI SB548: Automatic voter registration, deceptive election practices, voter intimidation and suppression, voter rights, polling place posting and language requirements, election manual requirements, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty (FE), Reps. Jimmy Anderson (D), Deb Andraca (D), Marisabel Cabrera (D), David Considine (D), Dora Drake (D), Jodene Emerson (D), Jenna Jacobson (D), Tod Ohnstad (D), Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D), Lori Palmeri (D), Melissa Ratcliff (D), Katrina Shankland (D), and Lisa Subeck (D), and Sens. Dianne Hesselbein (D), Jeffrey Smith (D), Mark Spreitzer (D), Lena Taylor (D), and Robert Wirch (D).
    • “This is an omnibus-style election policy bill affecting a number of different policy areas. As introduced, this bill:
      • Requires the department of transportation to electronically transfer voter information to the commission on a continuous bases, but at least monthly.
      • Authorizes voters whose rights to: voting materials in another language, posting of the Voter Bill of Rights, a public election manual, or who are threatened or coerced to refrain from voting to sue for injunctive relief when there is a violation or proposed violation.
      • Furnishes that notifications must be provided in another language when there is a requirement to provide materials in another language, and that election authorities must coordinate with a foreign-language voter advocacy organizations when there is a foreign language requirement, and work to ensure that an election official at the polling place speaks the language.
      • Establishes a Voter Bill of Rights delineating citizens’ rights to vote, have access to voter education materials, get help when a voter has a disability, access a new ballot if a voter makes an error, cast a provisional ballot in certain circumstances, right to vote free from intimidation, and right to report fraudulent activity to an election official.
      • Allows election officials to use an alternative means of providing information to voters, other than posting information, if officials determine that the method is at least as effective as posting information.”
      • Click the hyperlinked bill number above for more information.
  • WI SB551: Voter registration forms and information provided to certain high school students (FE), Reps. Jimmy Anderson (D), Deb Andraca (D), Samba Baldeh (D), Mike Bare (D), Marisabel Cabrera (D), Sue Conley (D), Jodene Emerson (D), Kalan Haywood (D), Francesca Hong (D), Jenna Jacobson (D), Alex Joers (D), Supreme Moore Omokunde (D), Lori Palmeri (D), Melissa Ratcliff (D), Daniel Riemer (D), Katrina Shankland (D), Kristina Shelton (D), Christine Sinicki (D), Lee Snodgrass (D), Shelia Stubbs (D), and Lisa Subeck (D), and Sens. Melissa Agard (D), Tim Carpenter (D), Dianne Hesselbein (D), La Tonya Johnson (D), Christopher Larson (D), Kelda Roys (D), Jeffrey Smith (D), Mark Spreitzer (D), and Robert Wirch (D).
    • “As introduced, this bill directs school boards to ensure that high school students who become eligible to vote are provided with a voter registration form and nonpartisan materials on the role of a citizen and importance of voting.”
  • WI SB561: Automatic voter registration (FE), Reps. Clinton Anderson (D), Jimmy Anderson (D), Deb Andraca (D), Mike Bare (D), Ryan Clancy (D), Dora Drake (D), Jodene Emerson (D), Kalan Haywood (D), Francesca Hong (D), Jenna Jacobson (D), Alex Joers (D), Darrin Madison (D), LaKeshia Myers (D), Greta Neubauer (D), Supreme Moore Omokunde (D), Lori Palmeri (D), Melissa Ratcliff (D), Daniel Riemer (D), Christine Sinicki (D), Shelia Stubbs (D), and Robyn Vining (D), and Sens. Melissa Agard (D), Dianne Hesselbein (D), Christopher Larson (D), Kelda Roys (D), Jeffrey Smith (D), Mark Spreitzer (D), and Lena Taylor (D).
    • “As introduced, this bill:
      • Requires the department of transportation to electronically transfer voter information to the elections commission on a continuous basis, but at least monthly, and lists required information, such as date of birth, license number, and the like.
      • Outlines procedures for the commission to verify voter information, resolve duplicates, verify eligibility, and contact the voter for additional information.
      • Requires the commission to send a notice to the registering voter informing the voter that they have been registered with instructions for removing themselves from the registration list, changing an address, or obtaining a confidential listing.
      • Requires the commission to mail anyone whose name is removed from the voter registration list (unless the commission is updating a duplicate, removing a deceased voter, or the like) a notice regarding their changed status.
      • Sets a deadline of July 1, 2027, for implementation of this act.”
      • Click the hyperlinked bill number above for more information.
  • WI SJR80: Reserving to the people the power of referendum to reject acts of the legislature and the power of initiative to propose and approve at an election laws and constitutional amendments (first consideration), Reps. Jimmy Anderson (D), Deb Andraca (D), Samba Baldeh (D), Mike Bare (D), Sue Conley (D), David Considine (D), Jodene Emerson (D), Jenna Jacobson (D), Alex Joers (D), Tod Ohnstad (D), Lori Palmeri (D), Melissa Ratcliff (D), Katrina Shankland (D), Kristina Shelton (D), Christine Sinicki (D), and Lee Snodgrass (D), and Sens. Dianne Hesselbein (D), La Tonya Johnson (D), Christopher Larson (D), and Jeffrey Smith (D).
    • “As introduced, this bill:
      • Proposes a constitutional amendment reserving the right of initiative and referendum powers for voters, including the right to rejecting a legislative act through referendum.
      • Provides that a referendum petition rejecting a legislative act requires signatures from at least 4% of voters who voted in the last gubernatorial election, and must be filed with the commission within 90 days of the publication of the act.
      • Submits that the referendum must be held at the general election occurring 120 days after signature verification and requires a majority vote.
      • Submits that no act passed by the legislature may take effect until 120 days after passage.
      • Codifies that voters may propose initiatives or constitutional amendments by petition initiative.”
      • Click the hyperlinked bill number above for more information.

During the week of Oct. 23-29, Ballotpedia tracked 11 Senate election-related bills nationally. As of Oct. 29, Ballotpedia has tracked 1,206 Senate bills nationally. Ballotpedia tracked the most Senate bills this year in the New York State Senate with 165, while Ballotpedia tracked the fewest Senate bills in the Vermont State Senate with two. 

As of Oct. 29, Ballotpedia has tracked 548 Senate bills in Democratic trifectas and 478 Senate bills in Republican trifectas. A trifecta is when one political party holds the governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. Ballotpedia has tracked 180 Senate bills in states where neither party holds trifecta control.

The Wisconsin Senate is scheduled to be in session from Jan. 3 to Dec. 31 this year. In 2022, Ballotpedia tracked 36 Senate bills related to election administration. One of these bills passed both chambers and was enacted into law. Wisconsin is a divided government, meaning neither party holds trifecta control.

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