SB 366 — Relating to: polling place closures.

- 2024 LEGISLATURE LRBs0222/1LRB-3052/1 JK:cjs/amn/skwMPG:skw SENATE SUBSTITUTEBILL AMENDMENT366 1,July TO13, SENATE2023 BILL- 366Introduced Januaryby 5,Senators 2024T -AYLOR, OfferedJACQUE by, SenatorBALLWEG and T AYLOR.OMCZYK , cosponsored by Representatives S ORTWELL , ORTIZ-VELEZ, BALDEH , BEHNKE , GUNDRUM , GUSTAFSON , KITCHENS, MOSES , MYERS, KRUG , TEFFEN and S TUBBS.

Referred to Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection.

and to create 5.25 (3) (a) 1.1., 2.

toand 5.,3., 5.25 (3) (b),(b) 5.25 (3) (c) and 5.25 (3) (d)(c) of the statutes;

Additionally, the bill prohibits a municipality from closing any polling place within 30 days before an election unlesswithout theboth majority of the members-electhead of the governing body makes a finding of emergency, both the majoritymunicipality of the members-elect of the governing body and the municipal clerk approveapproving the closure,closures and without the municipal clerk doesdoing all of the followingfollowing: 1.

Posts1. public notice of the closure on the municipality's website or, if the municipality does not maintain a website, posts notices in at least three different locations within the municipality reasonably calculated to notify the most residents.

Posting public notice of the closures on the municipality's website or, if the municipality does not maintain a website, posting notices in at least 3 different locations within the municipality reasonably calculated to notify the most residents.

PublishesPublishing three notices in a newspaper likely to give notice in the area notifying the public of the closure.closures.

PublishesPublishing two notices or one notice in a newspaper likely to give notice in the area if time does not permit publication of three notices.

LRBs0222/1Additionally, under the bill, if after an election and more than 30 days before the next election, a municipality wishes to discontinue a polling place location, the municipality's governing body may approve the discontinuation only after a public - 2024 Legislature - 2 - JK:cjs/amn/skwLRB-3052/1 4.MPG:skw SENATE BILL 366 hearing at which the public has an opportunity to present testimony on the proposed discontinuation.

Designates a proper person who shall be stationed at or as near as possible to the closed location to notify all electors of the closure and of their new polling location.

5.

In a municipality establishing one polling place only, establishes a new polling location approved by the majority of the members-elect of the governing body and the municipal clerk.

Additionally, under the bill, if after an election and more than 30 days before the next election, a municipality wishes to discontinue a polling place location, the municipality's governing body may approve the discontinuation only after a public hearing at which the public has an opportunity to present testimony on the proposed discontinuation.

5.25 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 5.25 (3) (a) (intro.) and amended to read:

5.25 (3) (a) (intro.) Polling places shall be established for each election at least 30 days before the election.election.Subject to par.

Subject(b), no polling place so established in a municipality may be closed to par.voters on election day without the approval of both the head of the governing body of the municipality and the municipal clerk and without the municipal clerk doing all of the following:

(b), no polling place so established in a municipality may be closed to voters on election day unless the majority of the members-elect, as defined in s.

66.10015 (1) (bs), of the governing body of the municipality makes a finding of emergency, both the majority of the members-elect of the governing body of the municipality and the municipal clerk approve the closure, and the municipal clerk does all of the following:

5.25 (3) (a) 1.1., 2.

toand 5.3.

5.255.25(3) (3) (a) 1.

PostsPosting public notice of the closureclosures on the municipality's website or, if the municipality does not maintain a website, postsby posting notices in at least 3 different locations within the municipality reasonably calculated to notify the most residents.

PublishesPublishing a class 3 notice under ch.

985 notifying the public of the closure.closures.

PublishesPublishing a class 2 or class 1 notice undernotifying ch.the public of the closures if time does not permit publication of a class 3 notice.

985 notifying the public of the closure if time does not permit publication of a class 3 notice.

LRBs0222/1 - 2024 Legislature - 3 - JK:cjs/amn/skw SECTION 2 4.

Designates a proper person who shall be stationed at or as near as possible to the closed location to notify all electors of the closure and of their new polling location.

5.

In a municipality establishing one polling place only, establishes a new polling location approved by the majority of the members-elect of the governing body and the municipal clerk.

5.25 (3) (b) Under no circumstance may a municipality close more than one-half of its polling places within 30 days before an election,election. except as provided in par (a) 5.

5.25 (3) (c) After an election and more than 30 days before the next election, the location of a polling place in a municipality may not be discontinued without the LRB-3052/1 - 2024 Legislature - 3 - MPG:skw SECTION 4 SENATE BILL 366 approval of the municipality's governing body after a public hearing at which the public has an opportunity to present testimony on the proposed discontinuation.

SECTION 5.

5.25 (3) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

5.25 (3) (d) Nothing in this subsection alters the authority of the election inspectors to adjourn to another location for voting on election day under s.

7.37 (1).