Chapter 11, CAMPAIGN FINANCING

11.1105 Valuation. (1) Except as provided in s. 11.1111, for purposes of complying with a contribution limit under this section, the value of a contribution of any tangible or intangible item, other than money, is the item’s fair market value at the time that the individual or co…

11.1106 Conduit contributions. (1) For purposes of this chapter, a contribution released by a conduit to a committee is to be reported by the committee as a contribution from the individual who made the contribution and not as a contribution from the conduit. (2) A contribution o…

11.1107 Limitation on cash contributions. Every contribution of money exceeding $100 shall be made by negotiable instrument or evidenced by an itemized credit card receipt bearing on the face the name of the remitter. No committee required to report under this chapter may accept …

11.1108 Anonymous contributions. No committee may accept an anonymous contribution exceeding $10. If an anonymous contribution exceeds $10, the committee shall donate the contribution to the common school fund or to a charitable organization and report the donation as required un…

11.1109 In-kind contributions. Before making a contribution, as defined under s. 11.0101 (8) (a) 2., to a committee, the prospective contributor shall notify the candidate or candidate’s agent or the administrator or treasurer of the committee and obtain that individuals oral or …

11.1110 Return of contributions. (1) A committee required to report under this chapter may return a contribution at any time before or after it has been deposited. (2) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the subsequent return of a contribution deposited contrary to law does not c…

11.1111 Valuation of opinion poll results. (1) In this section: (a) “Election period” means any of the following: 1. The period beginning on December 1 and ending on the date of the spring election. 2. The period beginning on May 1 and ending on the date of the general election. …

11.1112 Corporations, cooperatives, and tribes. No foreign or domestic corporation, no association organized under ch. 185 or 193, no labor organization, and no federally recognized American Indian Tribe may make a contribution to a committee, other than an independent expenditur…

11.1113 Sole proprietors, partnerships, and limited liability companies. (1) SOLE PROPRIETORSHIPS. A contribution made to a committee by a sole proprietorship is considered a contribution made by the individual who is the sole proprietor and subject to the limits under this subch…

11.1114 Two candidate committees. (1) (a) A candidate who has established 2 candidate committees pursuant to s. 11.0202 (2) may transfer funds between the 2 committees as provided in this subsection. (b) The first candidate committee may transfer funds to the 2nd candidate commit…

11.1201 False reports and statements. No person may prepare or submit a false report or statement to the commission under this chapter. NOTE: This section is shown as amended eff. 12-1-27 by 2023 Wis. Act 126, as affected by 2025 Wis. Act 7, section 2. Prior to 12-1-27 it reads: …

11.1202 Earmarking. (1) The treasurer of a candidate committee may agree with a prospective contributor that a contribution is received to be used for a specific purpose not prohibited by law. That purpose may not include a disbursement to a committee to support or oppose another…

11.1203 Coordination. (1) No political action committee, independent expenditure committee, other person required to report under s. 11.1001, or individual may make an expenditure for express advocacy for the benefit of a candidate that is coordinated with that candidate, candida…

11.1204 Unlawful political contributions. (1) Subject to sub. (2), no person may, directly or indirectly, make any contribution other than from funds or property belonging to the person. No person may, directly or indirectly, give funds or property to another person for the purpo…

11.1205 Use of government materials by candidates. (1) (a) Except as provided in pars. (am) and (ar) and sub. (2), no person elected to state or local office who becomes a candidate for national, state, or local office may use public funds for the cost of materials or distributio…

11.1206 Travel by public officers. (1) No person may use any vehicle or aircraft owned by the state or by any local governmental unit for any trip which is exclusively for the purposes of campaigning to support or oppose any candidate for national, state, or local office, unless …

11.1207 Political solicitation involving public officials and employees restricted. (1) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), no person may solicit or receive from any state officer or employee or from any officer or employee of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Aut…

11.1208 Unlawful political disbursements and obligations. (1) No person may intentionally receive or accept anything of value, or any promise or pledge thereof, constituting a disbursement made or obligation incurred contrary to law. (2) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c…

11.1301 Defense fund authorized. (1) Any candidate or public official who is being investigated for, charged with, or convicted of a criminal violation of this chapter or ch. 12, or whose agent is so investigated, charged, or convicted, may establish a defense fund for disburseme…

11.1303 Attribution of political contributions, disbursements and communications; synthetic media. (1) No disbursement may be made anonymously and no contribution or disbursement may be made in a fictitious name or by one person or organization in the name of another. (2) (a) Eve…

11.1304 Duties of the ethics commission. The commission shall: (1) Prescribe forms for making the reports, statements, and notices required by this chapter. The commission shall make the forms available free of charge on the commission’s website. NOTE: Sub. (1) is shown as amende…

11.1305 Administrative termination and suspension. (1) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the commission or another filing officer may terminate any registrant under this chapter that has been exempt for more than 3 years from filing campaign reports pursuant to s. 11.0104. (b) …

11.1400 Civil penalties. (1) Any person who violates this chapter may be required to forfeit not more than $500 for each violation. (2) In addition to the penalty under sub. (1), any person who is delinquent in filing a report required by this chapter may be required to forfeit n…

11.1401 Criminal penalties; prosecution. bate, or advocacy; grassroots outreach or lobbying; nonpartisan voter registration or turnout efforts; or the rights of the media. SUBCHAPTER I History: 2015 a. 117. Campaign Finance in Wisconsin After Buckley. Anderson. 1976 WLR 816. GENE…