SB 121

Currently, if candidates have been certified to appear on a ballot, the board of

canvassers may only count write-in votes for candidates who have filed registration

statements. This bill requires that a write-in candidate must file a registration

statement no later than noon on the Friday before the election.

Under current law, if a municipal clerk receives valid provisional or absentee

ballots by 4 p.m. on the Friday after an election, the board of canvassers must

reconvene no later than 9 a.m. on the Monday after the election to count the valid

provisional and absentee ballots and shall adjust the election returns. The bill

provides that the board of canvassers need not reconvene if the municipal clerk

certifies that he or she has received no provisional or absentee ballots from the time

that the board of canvassers completed the initial canvass and 4 p.m. on the Friday

after the election.

Currently, when nomination papers are not used to nominate a candidate for

a town or village elective office, the governing body must hold a caucus sometime

between the first Tuesday and the last Tuesday in January. The bill provides that

the governing body may hold a caucus between January 2 and January 15.

Under current law, electors in a city and village may sign and submit a petition

to the common council or village board to pass an ordinance or resolution or to submit

the ordinance or resolution to the electors in the next spring or general election that

is at least six weeks from the date on which the council or board must act on the

petition. Under the bill, the ordinance or resolution must be submitted to the electors

at the next election that is at least 70 days from the date on which the council or board

must act.

The bill removes language related to an elector affixing a sticker to a ballot.

Under current law, if a school board election is held in conjunction with a state,

county, municipal, or judicial election, the school board election must take place at

the same polling place, and the municipal election hours apply. This bill provides

that a school board referendum held in conjunction with a state, county, municipal,

or judicial election is subject to the same procedures.