AB 869

This bill makes various changes in laws relating to voter registration and proof

of residence for voting. Currently, with the exception of individuals who are defined

as "military electors" under state law and new or former residents voting for

president and vice president, all eligible electors of this state must register in order

to vote in an election in this state. The registration period for each election ends on

the 20th day before that election, but an eligible elector may register to vote in an

election after that date at the office of the municipal clerk or board of election

commissioners of the municipality where he or she resides or at the polling place

serving his or her residence by providing specified proof of residence. In order to

register, an individual must provide his or her name, residence location, citizenship,

date of birth, age, and the number of a valid Wisconsin driver's license or the last four

digits of his or her social security number. An individual must also affirm that he

or she: 1) has resided in his or her ward (or municipality if not divided into wards)

for at least 28 consecutive days; 2) has not been convicted of a felony for which he or

she has not been pardoned and has not completed his or her sentence; 3) is not

disqualified on any other ground from voting; and 4) is not registered to vote at any

other location. The burden is on the elector to initiate registration and, if the elector's

name, address, or eligibility changes, to initiate any change in registration required

to maintain a valid registration.

This bill makes it the responsibility of the Government Accountability Board

(GAB) to use all feasible means to facilitate the registration of all eligible electors of

this state who are subject to a registration requirement and to maintain the

registration of all eligible electors for so long as they remain eligible, except as the

law specifically requires electors to take some action to confirm or continue their

registrations. Under the bill, GAB must attempt to facilitate the initial registration

of all eligible electors in accordance with the bill's requirements and procedures no

later than July 1, 2019. To assist with its responsibility, the bill directs GAB and the

Department of Transportation (DOT) to enter into an agreement for the purpose of

transferring specified personally identifiable information in DOT's records to GAB.

The bill requires GAB to maintain the confidentiality of any information that GAB

obtains under the agreement and allows a driver's license or identification card

applicant to "opt out" of DOT's transfer of this information to GAB. Under the bill,

once GAB obtains all the information required under current law to complete an

elector's registration, GAB adds the elector's name to the statewide registration list.

The information then becomes accessible on the Internet. No registration of an

elector that is added to the list by GAB is valid until the elector confirms with GAB,

on a form prescribed by GAB, that all the information pertaining to his or her

registration is correct and accurate as of the date of the confirmation. The bill

permits an elector to confirm a registration by any of the following means: 1) by

electronic means on the Internet using a secure procedure prescribed by GAB; 2) by