Election legislation roundup: Wisconsin State Senate

By

Mercedes Yanora

As of Dec. 3, Ballotpedia has tracked 31 election-related bills in the Wisconsin State Senate since the beginning of the year. Of the 31, Ballotpedia tracked one from Nov. 27-Dec. 3. Republicans sponsored the bill. The bill is below:   

  • WI SB736: Postelection audits by the Legislative Audit Bureau and providing a penalty (FE), Reps. Scott Allen (R), Elijah Behnke (R), Ty Bodden (R), Janel Brandtjen (R), Joy Goeben (R), David Murphy (R), Jerry O’Connor (R), Nik Rettinger (R), and Chuck Wichgers (R), and Sen. Cory Tomczyk (R).
    • “As introduced, this bill requires the county clerk shall deliver or transmit the certified statement regarding the general election–detailing the names, party or principle designation, if any, and number of votes received by each candidate–to the legislative audit bureau no later than 14 days after the general election. The bill also requires any certified corrected copy of the canvass statement be provided to the elections commission and the legislative audit bureau or to secretary of the technical college district board.”

During the week of Nov. 27-Dec. 3, Ballotpedia tracked 34 Senate election-related bills nationally. As of Dec. 3, Ballotpedia has tracked 1,250 Senate bills nationally. Ballotpedia tracked the most Senate bills this year in the New York State Senate with 169, while Ballotpedia tracked the fewest Senate bills in the Vermont State Senate with two. 

As of Dec. 3, Ballotpedia has tracked 564 Senate bills in Democratic trifectas and 495 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 191 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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