Assembly Bill 178
Applications for absentee ballots. (FE)
Stopped in committee
It had a but no committee vote, so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Mar 23, 2021
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 15, 2022: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
It sat with the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections.
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Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Subject to an exception for certain voters at residential care facilities and qualified retirement homes, current law prohibits a municipal clerk from issuing an absentee ballot to a voter, including in person at the municipal clerk's office, unless the voter submits a written application for the absentee ballot. Current law does not prescribe a specific form of written application for requesting absentee ballots.
This bill requires the Elections Commission to prescribe the form and instructions of the absentee ballot application. The bill requires the absentee ballot application to be separate and distinct from the certificate envelope in which voters are required to seal and submit absentee ballots, the outer portion of which includes certifications of both the voter and a witness. Additionally, the bill requires that the application require the voter to certify facts establishing that he or she is eligible to vote in the election and must include at least all of the following information:
Read the full summary Show less
1. The voter's municipality and county of residence.
2. The voter's name, date of birth, and contact information, including as applicable the voter's telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address.
3. The street address of the voter's legal voting residence.
4. The election at which the voter intends to vote absentee.
5. Whether the voter is a military or overseas voter.
6. The voter's confidential identification serial number if the the voter has obtained a confidential listing for purposes of voting.
7. The lawful method by which the voter prefers to receive the absentee ballot.
8. Whether the voter is a hospitalized voter.
Who's behind it
12 lawmakers are its . All 12 are Republicans.
12 more lawmakers .
See all 24 names Hide the names
Authors (12)
- James Edming · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- John Jagler · Republican, Senate
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Scott Krug · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Adam Neylon · Republican, Assembly
- Ken Skowronski · Republican, Assembly
- John Spiros · Republican, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
- Nancy VanderMeer · Republican, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (12)
- Dave Armstrong · Republican, Assembly
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- Julian Bradley · Republican, Senate
- Alberta Darling · Republican, Senate
- Mary Felzkowski · Republican, Senate
- Dan Feyen · Republican, Senate
- André Jacque · Republican, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Jerry Petrowski · Republican, Senate
- Duey Stroebel · Republican, Senate
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
- Eric Wimberger · Republican, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
Versions and amendments
Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.
What happened
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Mar 15, 2022
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Jun 9, 2021
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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May 18, 2021
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Apr 27, 2021
The committee held a public hearing.
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Mar 23, 2021
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections.
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Mar 23, 2021
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Steffen, Edming, Gundrum, Jagler, Knodl, Krug, Murphy, Neylon, Skowronski, Spiros, VanderMeer and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Darling, Ballweg, Bradley, Felzkowski, Feyen, Jacque, Nass, Petrowski, Stroebel, Wanggaard and Wimberger
- Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Campaigns and Elections
- Apr 27, 2021 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- May 18, 2021 · Assembly
Representative Armstrong added as a coauthor
- Jun 9, 2021 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Steffen
- Jun 9, 2021 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 15, 2022 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate