Chapter 6, THE ELECTORS

6.02 Qualifications, general. (1) Every U.S. citizen age 18 or older who has resided in an election district or ward for 28 consecutive days before any election where the citizen offers to vote is an eligible elector. (2) Any U.S. citizen age 18 or older who moves within this sta…

6.03 Disqualification of electors. (1) The following persons shall not be allowed to vote in any election and any attempt to vote shall be rejected: (a) Any person who is incapable of understanding the objective of the elective process or who is under guardianship, unless 6.56 6.…

6.05 Election day age determines elector’s rights. Any person who will be 18 years old on or before election day is entitled to vote if the person complies with this chapter. History: 1971 c. 336 s. 37; 1981 c. 390 s. 252; 1991 a. 316.

6.06 Information for uniformed service members. The commission is the agency designated by this state under 42 USC 1973ff-1 to provide information regarding voter registration and absentee balloting procedures to absent members of the uniformed services and overseas voters with r…

6.10 Elector residence. Residence as a qualification for voting shall be governed by the following standards: (1) The residence of a person is the place where the person’s habitation is fixed, without any present intent to move, and to which, when absent, the person intends to re…

6.15 New residents; presidential voting. (1) QUALIFICATIONS. Any person who was or who is an eligible elector under ss. 6.02 and 6.03, except that he or she has been a resident of this state for less than 28 consecutive days prior to the date of the presidential election, is enti…

6.18 Former residents. If ineligible to qualify as an elector in the state to which the elector has moved, any former qualified Wisconsin elector may vote an absentee ballot in the ward of the elector’s prior residence in any presidential election occurring within 24 months after…

6.20 Absent electors. Any qualified elector of this state who registers may vote by absentee ballot under ss. 6.84 to 6.89. History: 1985 a. 304; 2003 a. 265.

6.21 Deceased electors. When by due proof it appears to the inspectors or, in municipalities where absentee ballots are canvassed under s. 7.52, when by due proof it appears to the board of absentee ballot canvassers that a person casting an absentee ballot at an election has die…

6.22 Absentee voting for military electors. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section, except as otherwise provided: (a) “Member of the merchant marine” means an individual, other than a member of a uniformed service or an individual employed, enrolled or maintained on the Great Lakes or …

6.24 Federal overseas voting. (1) DEFINITION. In this section, except as otherwise provided, “overseas elector” means a U.S. citizen who is not disqualified from voting under s. 6.03, who has attained or will attain the age of 18 by the date of an election at which the citizen pr…

6.25 Write-in absentee ballot. (1) (a) Any individual who qualifies as a military elector under s. 6.22 (1) (b) and who transmits an application for an official absentee ballot for any election, including a primary election, no later than the latest time specified for the elector…

6.27 Elector registration required. Each elector shall register under this chapter before voting in any election, except as authorized under ss. 6.15, 6.18, and 6.22. History: 1973 c. 334 s. 57; 1977 c. 394; 1979 c. 260, 355; 1983 a. 484; 1985 a. 304; 1989 a. 192; 2003 a. 265. Hi…

6.275 Registration and voting statistics. (1) Except as provided in par. (f), no later than 30 days after each primary and election at which a state or national office is filled or a statewide referendum is held, including any special election, the municipal clerk or board of ele…

6.276 Federal absentee voting statistics. (1) In this section, “military elector” has the meaning given in s. 6.34 (1). (2) Within 30 days after each general election, each municipal clerk shall transmit to the commission a report of the number of absentee ballots transmitted by …

6.28 Where and when to register. (1) REGISTRATION DEADLINE; LOCATIONS. (a) Except as authorized in ss. 6.29, 6.55 (2), and 6.86 (3) (a) 2., registration in person for an election closes at 5 p.m. on the 3rd Wednesday preceding the election. Registrations made by mail under s. 6.3…

6.29 Late registration in person. (1) No names may be added to a registration list for any election after the close of registration, except as authorized under this section or s. 6.55 (2) or 6.86 (3) (a) 2. Any person whose name is not on the registration list but who is otherwis…

6.30 How to register. (1) IN PERSON. An elector shall apply for registration in person, except as provided under subs. (4) and (5) and s. 6.86 (3) (a) 2. (4) BY MAIL. Any eligible elector may register by mail on a form prescribed by the commission and provided by each municipalit…

6.32 Verification of certain registrations. (1) Upon receipt of a registration form that is submitted by mail under s. 6.30 (4) or by electronic application under s. 6.30 (5), the commission or municipal clerk shall examine the form for sufficiency. (2) If the form is insufficien…

6.325 Disqualification of electors. No person may be disqualified as an elector unless the municipal clerk, board of election commissioners or a challenging elector under s. 6.48 demonstrates beyond a reasonable doubt that the person does not qualify as an elector or is not prope…

6.33 Registration forms; manner of completing. (1) The commission shall prescribe the format, size, and shape of registration forms. All nonelectronic forms shall be printed and each item of information shall be of uniform font size, as prescribed by the commission. Except as oth…

6.34 Proof of residence required. (1) In this section, “military elector” means a member of a uniformed service on active duty who, by reason of that duty, is absent from the residence where the member is otherwise qualified to vote; a member of the merchant marine, as defined in…

6.35 Filing registration forms. (1) Under the direction of the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners, the original registration forms shall be filed in one of the following ways, except as provided in subs. (1m) and (2): (a) In alphabetical order of the electors’ nam…

6.36 Official registration list. (1) (a) The commission shall compile and maintain electronically an official registration list. The list shall contain all of the following: 1. The name and address of each registered elector in the state. 2. The elector’s date of birth. 3. The wa…

6.45 Access to registration list. (1) After the deadline for revision of the registration list, the municipal clerk shall make copies of the list for election use. (1m) The registration list and any supplemental lists which are prepared at polling places or other registration loc…

6.46 Poll lists; copying. (1) Poll lists shall be preserved by the municipal clerk until destruction or other disposition is authorized under s. 7.23. (2) Poll lists shall be open to public inspection, except as provided in s. 6.47. The municipal clerk shall furnish upon request …

6.47 Confidentiality of information relating to victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking. (1) In this section: (ag) “Domestic abuse victim service provider” means an organization that is certified by the department of children and families as eligible to receive gra…

6.48 Challenging registration. (1) GENERAL PROCEDURE. (a) Any registered elector of a municipality may challenge the registration of any other registered elector by submitting to the municipal clerk or executive director of the board of election commissioners in cities of more th…

6.50 Revision of registration list. (1) No later than June 15 following each general election, the commission shall examine the registration records for each municipality and identify each elector who has not voted within the previous 4 years if qualified to do so during that ent…

6.54 Failure to register; rights. No name may be added to the registration list after the close of registration, but any person whose name is not on the registration list but who is otherwise a qualified elector is entitled to vote at the election upon compliance with s. 6.29 or …

6.55 Polling place registration; voting by certification. (2) (a) Except where the procedure under par. (c) or (cm) is employed, any person who qualifies as an elector in the ward or election district where he or she desires to vote, but has not previously filed a registration fo…

6.56 Verification of voters not appearing on list. (1) The list containing the names of persons voting under ss. 6.29 and 6.55 (2) shall be returned together with all forms and certificates to the municipal clerk. (3) Upon receipt of the list under sub. (1), the municipal clerk o…

6.57 Registration list for special elections. The municipal clerk of each municipality where a special election is held nonconcurrently with a regularly scheduled election shall obtain a copies of the current registration list from the commission for use in the special election. …

6.76 Time off for voting. (1) Any person entitled to vote at an election is entitled to be absent from work while the polls are open for a period not to exceed 3 successive hours to vote. The elector shall notify the affected employer before election day of the intended absence. …

6.77 Place for voting. (1) An elector may vote only at the polling place for his or her residence designated by the governing body or board of election commissioners. (2) Whenever territory which was formerly a part of one municipality becomes a part of another municipality, an e…

6.78 Poll hours. (1m) The polls at every election shall be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. (4) Any elector waiting to vote, whether within the polling booth or in the line outside the booth at the time the polls officially close, shall be permitted to vote. History: 1985 a. 304; 19…

6.79 Recording electors. (1m) SEPARATE POLL LISTS. The municipal clerk may elect to maintain the information on the poll list manually or electronically. If the clerk elects to maintain the list electronically, an election official at each election ward shall be in charge of and …

6.80 Mechanics of voting. (1) VOTING BOOTH OR MACHINE USE. Only one individual at a time is permitted to occupy a voting booth or machine, except that an elector who is a parent or guardian may be accompanied by the elector’s minor child or minor ward, and an elector who qualifie…

6.82 Assisting electors. (1) RECEIPT OF BALLOT AT POLL ENTRANCE. (a) When any inspectors are informed that an eligible elector is at the entrance to the polling place who as a result of disability is unable to enter the polling place, they shall permit the elector to be assisted …

6.84 Construction. (1) LEGISLATIVE POLICY. The legislature finds that voting is a constitutional right, the vigorous exercise of which should be strongly encouraged. In contrast, voting by absentee ballot is a privilege exercised wholly outside the traditional safeguards of the p…

6.85 Absent elector; definition. (1) An absent elector is any otherwise qualified elector who for any reason is unable or unwilling to appear at the polling place in his or her ward or election district. (2) Any otherwise qualified elector who changes residence within this state …

6.855 Alternate absentee ballot site. (1) The governing body of a municipality may elect to designate a site other than the office of the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners as the location from which electors of the municipality may request and vote absentee ballo…

6.86 Methods for obtaining an absentee ballot. (1) (a) Any elector of a municipality who is registered to vote whenever required and who qualifies under ss. 6.20 and 6.85 as an absent elector may make written application to the municipal clerk of that municipality for an official…

6.865 Federal absentee ballots. (1) In this section, “military elector” has the meaning given under s. 6.34 (1). (2) A federal postcard registration and absentee ballot request form may be used to apply for an absentee ballot under s. 6.86 (1) if the form is completed in such man…

6.869 Uniform instructions. The commission shall prescribe uniform instructions for municipalities to provide to absentee electors. The instructions shall include the specific means of electronic communication that an absentee elector may use to file an application for an absente…

6.87 Absent voting procedure. (1) Upon proper request made within the period prescribed in s. 6.86, the municipal clerk or a deputy clerk authorized by the municipal clerk shall write on the official ballot, in the space for official endorsement, the clerk’s initials and official…

6.875 Absentee voting in certain residential care facilities and retirement homes. (1) In this section: (ab) “Adult family home” means a facility that is certified or licensed to operate as an adult family home under s. 50.032 or 50.033. (ae) “Community-based residential facility…

6.88 Voting and recording the absentee ballot. (1) When an absentee ballot arrives at the office of the municipal clerk, or at an alternate site under s. 6.855, if applicable, the clerk shall enclose it, unopened, in a carrier envelope which shall be securely sealed and endorsed …

6.89 Absent electors list public. The municipal clerk shall keep a list of all electors who make application for an absent elector’s ballot and who have voted under the absent elector provisions giving the name, address and date of application. The list shall be open to public in…

6.92 Inspector making challenge. (1) Except as provided in sub. (2), each inspector shall challenge for cause any person offering to vote whom the inspector knows or suspects is not a qualified elector or who does not adhere to any voting requirement under this chapter. If a pers…