Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 3 R · 2 D cosponsors

SB 286 — Relating to: the number of signatures on nomination papers.

Last action — Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

56 added · 21 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Senate Bill 286 introduces a provision that blocks the counting of excess signatures collected by candidates if that surplus interferes with their opponents' ability to gather the required number of signatures for the same election. This change aims to ensure a level playing field among candidates, potentially preventing one candidate's excess efforts from harming others' chances to qualify for the ballot. It matters because it seeks to maintain fairness in the electoral process, making it easier for all candidates to compete fairly for public office.

→
Previous
Latest
- 2024 LEGISLATURE LRBa0749/1 JK&MPG:wlj SENATE AMENDMENT 1, TO SENATE BILL 286 November 9, 2023 - Offered by SenatoAMES.
- 2024 LEGISLATURE LRB-3008/1 JK:kms SENATE BILL 286 May 15, 2023 - Introduced by Senators J AMES, SPREITZER, CARPENTER , BALLWEG , CABRAL- GUEVARA , TAYLOR and T OMCZYK , cosponsored by Representatives ORTIZ-VELEZ , SORTWELL , SUBECK, A LLEN, C.
At the locations indicated, amend the bill as follows:
ANDERSON , A NDRACA, B ODDEN , BRANDTJEN , CABRERA, CONLEY , UNDRUM , GUSTAFSON, JOERS, MURPHY , INICKI, STUBBS and T ITT.
1.
Referred to Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection.
Page 2, line 7:
A N A CT to create 8.10 (7), 8.15 (9) and 8.20 (10) of the statutes;
after “signatures." insert “The filing official shall not count a candidate's supplemental signatures if the filing official determines that the number of supplemental signatures impeded the ability of the candidate's opponent to collect the required number of signatures for the same office.".
relating to:
2.
the number of signatures on nomination papers.
Page 2, line 14:
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau Under current law, generally, a candidate for a state or local office must file nomination papers in order to have his or her name on the ballot.
after “signatures." insert “The filing official shall not count a candidate's supplemental signatures if the filing official determines that the number of supplemental signatures impeded the ability of the candidate's opponent to collect the required number of signatures for the same office.".
The nomination papers must be signed by a certain number of voters residing in the jurisdiction of the office the candidate seeks.
3.
For example, a candidate for a statewide office at a spring election must collect at least 2,000, but no more than 4,000, valid signatures.
Page 2, line 21:
The filing official, typically the Elections Commission or a municipal clerk, must determine whether the candidate has collected a sufficient number of valid signatures to have his or her name on the ballot.
after “signatures." insert “The filing official shall not count a candidate's supplemental signatures if the filing official determines that the LRBa0749/1 - 2024 Legislature - 2 - JK&MPG:wlj number of supplemental signatures impeded the ability of the candidate's opponent to collect the required number of signatures for the same office.".
If the number of valid signatures is less than the minimum number required, the candidate is ineligible to have his or her name on the ballot.
Under this bill, if a candidate submits nomination papers with more than the maximum number of required signatures, but the filing official determines that the maximum number of required signatures does not result in a sufficient number of valid signatures, the filing official must review the additional signatures to the extent necessary to determine whether the candidate has collected a sufficient number of valid signatures to have his or her name on the ballot.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
- 2024 Legislature - 2 - LRB-3008/1 JK:kms SENATE BILL 286 SECTION 1 SECTION 1.
8.10 (7) of the statutes is created to read:
8.10 (7) If a candidate submits nomination papers with more than the maximum number of required signatures prescribed under sub.
(3), but the filing official determines that the maximum number of required signatures does not result in a sufficient number of valid signatures, the filing official shall review the additional signatures to the extent necessary to determine whether the candidate has collected a sufficient number of valid signatures.
SECTION 2.
8.15 (9) of the statutes is created to read:
8.15 (9) If a candidate submits nomination papers with more than the maximum number of required signatures prescribed under sub.
(6), but the filing official determines that the maximum number of required signatures does not result in a sufficient number of valid signatures, the filing official shall review the additional signatures to the extent necessary to determine whether the candidate has collected a sufficient number of valid signatures.
SECTION 3.
8.20 (10) of the statutes is created to read:
8.20 (10) If a candidate submits nomination papers with more than the maximum number of required signatures prescribed under sub.
(4), but the filing official determines that the maximum number of required signatures does not result in a sufficient number of valid signatures, the filing official shall review the additional signatures to the extent necessary to determine whether the candidate has collected a sufficient number of valid signatures.
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (2)

Action History

  1. Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. Available for scheduling

  3. Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  4. Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  5. Executive action taken

  6. Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator James

  7. Representative O'Connor added as a cosponsor

  8. Representative Penterman added as a cosponsor

  9. Public hearing held

  10. Representative Jacobson added as a cosponsor

  11. Representative Krug added as a cosponsor

  12. Read first time and referred to Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection

  13. Introduced by Senators James, Spreitzer, Carpenter, Ballweg, Cabral-Guevara, Taylor and Tomczyk; cosponsored by Representatives Ortiz-Velez, Sortwell, Subeck, Allen, C. Anderson, Andraca, Bodden, Brandtjen, Cabrera, Conley, Gundrum, Gustafson, Joers, Murphy, Sinicki, Stubbs and Tittl

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

7 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 125 not signed on

Sponsors (7)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (125)

125 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 125 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Subjects

elections
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 286?
SB 286 is sponsored by James, Jesse (Republican), Spreitzer, Mark (Democrat), Carpenter, Tim (Democrat), Ballweg, Cabral-Guevara, Rachael (Republican), Taylor, and Tomczyk, Cory (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 286?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 286?
Track SB 286 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on SB 286

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of SB 286

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →