Senate Bill 34
Withdrawal of candidacy for certain offices filled at the general election and providing a penalty. (FE)
Topics: Elections, Elections Commission, Legislature: Criminal Penalties, Joint Review Committee on
Stopped before the full Senate voted
The recommended passing it, but the full Senate never voted on it. The last day for votes this session was Mar 19, 2026. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Feb 12, 2025
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Senate never voted on it.
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 35. That version became law.
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Current law provides that any person seeking an elective office who files nomination papers and qualifies to appear on the ballot may not decline nomination. The person’s name must appear on the ballot except in the case of death.
Under this bill, a person who files nomination papers with the Elections Commission for an office to be filled at the general election nevertheless does not qualify to appear on the ballot at the partisan primary or general election, and the person’s name is prohibited from appearing on the ballot, if before the last day provided in current law for the Elections Commission to certify candidates’ names to the counties for the partisan primary or general election, the person files a sworn statement with the commission attesting that the person withdraws his or her candidacy. Under current law, independent candidates for president and vice president and candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, the state senate and assembly, governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, and district attorney file such nomination papers with the commission. The bill includes all of those offices except district attorney. The bill also requires the Elections Commission to establish and implement a process by which the commission verifies the authenticity of such sworn statements filed with the commission.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill additionally requires that a person withdrawing his or her candidacy for for national or statewide office pay a fee of $1,000 to the Elections Commission. A person withdrawing his or her candidacy for an office that is not elected statewide must pay a fee of $250 to the commission.
Under the bill, a person who intentionally makes or files a false statement withdrawing a person’s candidacy is guilty of a Class G felony, the penalty for which is a fine not to exceed $25,000 or imprisonment not to exceed 10 years, or both.
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.
Who's behind it
Van Wanggaard, a Republican, is its .
18 more lawmakers .
See all 19 names Hide the names
Author (1)
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (18)
- Dave Armstrong · Republican, Assembly
- Lindee Brill · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Chanz Green · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Karen Hurd · Republican, Assembly
- Joel Kitchens · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Amanda Nedweski · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
- Shae Sortwell · Republican, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
- Ron Tusler · Republican, Assembly
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.
How lawmakers voted
There were 2 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Licensing vote on an amendment
Passed, 4 to 1 · Oct 10, 2025
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 4, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Licensing vote to recommend it
Passed, 3 to 2 · Oct 10, 2025
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Oct 10, 2025
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.
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Oct 10, 2025
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 4, Noes 1” (the official wording)
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Sep 18, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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Feb 21, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 12, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.
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Feb 12, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 12, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senator Wanggaard; cosponsored by Representatives Steffen, Armstrong, Brill, Brooks, Dittrich, Green, Gundrum, Hurd, Kitchens, Knodl, Kreibich, Murphy, Mursau, Nedweski, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk, Sortwell and Tusler
- Feb 12, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs
- Feb 21, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 16, 2025 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Wanggaard
- Sep 18, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Oct 8, 2025 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Oct 10, 2025 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 4, Noes 1
- Oct 10, 2025 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Oct 10, 2025 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
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.
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. 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.
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote