Investigations by the Elections Commission based on information provided by the Electronic Registration Information Center and municipalities indicating that Wisconsin registered voters may have voted more than once in the same election or that individuals voted in an election despite being disqualified from voting for certain reasons. (FE)

1. Request, obtain, and investigate information provided by ERIC indicating that individuals registered to vote in Wisconsin may have voted in another state in the same election or that individuals voted in an election who were disqualified from voting because of a felony conviction or because the individual has been adjudicated incompetent to vote.

2. If the commission finds probable cause to believe a voter voted more than once in the same election or voted in an election when the individual was disqualified from voting because of a felony conviction or because the individual has been adjudicated incompetent to vote, refer the matter to the appropriate district attorney and to the attorney general.

3. Submit a report to the legislature that describes in detail each such referral to a district attorney and the attorney general.

Also, under current law, after an election, each municipal clerk and municipal board of election commissioners is required to perform an audit to assure that no voter voted more than once in the election. If a municipal clerk or municipal board of election commissioners has good reason to believe that a voter voted more than once in an election, the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners is required to send the voter a letter regarding the matter and send a copy of the letter and subsequent information to the local district attorney and the Elections Commission.

This bill requires the commission to verify receipt by district attorneys of the required letters and information. The bill further provides that if, after investigation of the letter and information provided by a municipal clerk or municipal board of election commissioners, the commission determines that there is probable cause to believe that a voter voted more than once in the same election, the commission must refer the matter to the appropriate district attorney and to the attorney general.

Additionally, the bill requires the commission to initiate an investigation, without the filing of a sworn complaint, of information from ERIC or a municipal clerk or municipal board of election commissioners indicating a voter may have voted more than once in an election. Under current law, the commission may generally initiate an investigation relating to an election law violation only if a sworn complaint is filed with the commission alleging a violation.