Wisconsin 2025 Regular Session Status: Introduced 1 R cosponsors

SB 34 — Relating to: withdrawal of candidacy for certain offices filled at the general election and providing a penalty. (FE)

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

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

This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced February 12, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Prognosis

Advancing 38% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • Introduced

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 19 sponsors

    1 primary, 18 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

An Act to create 8.35 (1m), 12.13 (3) (ag) and 12.60 (1) (am) of the statutes;

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

75 added · 56 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendments to Senate Bill 34 change the process for withdrawing candidacy for certain political offices. Previously, individuals could not decline their nomination once they filed to run, but the updated bill allows candidates to withdraw their names by submitting a sworn statement before a specified deadline. Additionally, the penalty for withdrawing has increased from a fine of $1,000 to a fine of $2,500, depending on the office in question. This matters because it adds clarity to the withdrawal process and raises the stakes financially for candidates who choose to step back from the election.

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Previous
Latest
- 2026 LEGISLATURE LRBa0127/1 MPG:cdc SENATE AMENDMENT 1, TO SENATE BILL 34 April 16, 2025 - Offered by SenaANGGAARD .
CORRECTED COPY - 2026 LEGISLATURE LRB-1342/1 MPG:klm SENATE BILL 34 February 12, 2025 - Introduced by Senator W ANGGAARD , cosponsored by Representatives TEFFEN , ARMSTRONG , B RIL, BROOKS , DITTRICH, GREEN , GUNDRUM , H URD , K ITCHENS, K NODL, K REIBICH, M URPHY , M URSAU , NEDWESKI , O'CONNOR , PIWOWARCZYK , SORTWELL and T USLER.
At the locations indicated, amend the bill as follows:
Referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.
A N A CT to create 8.35 (1m), 12.13 (3) (ag) and 12.60 (1) (am) of the statutes;
relating to:
withdrawal of candidacy for certain offices filled at the general election and providing a penalty.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau 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 - 2026 Legislature - 2 - LRB-1342/1 MPG:klm SENATE BILL 34 S ECTION 1 process by which the commission verifies the authenticity of such sworn statements filed with the commission.
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.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
8.35 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
8.35 (1m) (a) A person who files nomination papers with the commission for an office other than district attorney to be filled at the general election does not qualify under sub.
(1) to appear on the ballot at the partisan primary or general election, and the person’s name shall not appear on the ballot, if, before the June 10 preceding the partisan primary or before the 4th Tuesday in August preceding the general election, the person does all of the following:
Page 2, line 5:
Files a sworn statement with the commission on a form prescribed by the commission attesting that the person withdraws his or her candidacy.
after Xif,Y insert Xno later than the 7th business dayY.
Page 2, line 6:
Pays a fee of $1,000 to the commission if the person is a candidate for national or statewide office.
after XorY insert Xno later than the 7th business dayY.
Page 2, line 8:
Pays a fee of $250 to the commission if the person is a candidate for an office not elected statewide.
delete lines 8 and 9 and substitute:
- 2026 Legislature - 3 - LRB-1342/1 MPG:klm SENATE BILL 34 S ECTION 1 (b) The commission shall establish and implement a process by which the commission verifies the authenticity of sworn statements filed with the commission under par.
X1.
(a) 1.
Files with the commission the sworn statement and identity verification required under par.
SECTION 2.
(b).Y.
12.13 (3) (ag) of the statutes is created to read:
4.
12.13 (3) (ag) Intentionally make or file a false statement withdrawing a person’s candidacy under s.
Page 2, line 10:
8.35 (1m) (a) 1.
delete X$1,000Y and substitute X$2,500Y.
SECTION 3.
5.
12.60 (1) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
Page 2, line 11:
12.60 (1) (am) Whoever violates s.
delete that line and substitute Xgovernor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, U.S.
12.13 (3) (ag) is guilty of a Class G felony.
senator, or, with respect to the general election, president and vice president of the United States.Y.
END )
6.
Page 2, line 12:
Show all 69 changed rows (29 more)
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delete the material beginning with X$250Y and ending with - 2026 Legislature - 2 - LRBa0127/1 MPG:cdc XstatewideY on line 13, and substitute X$500 to the commission if the person is a candidate for U.S.
representative in congressY.
7.
Page 3, line 1:
delete lines 1 to 3 and substitute:
X4.
Pays a fee of $250 to the commission if the person is a candidate for state senate or representative to the assembly.
(b) 1.
Each person withdrawing his or her candidacy under par.
(a) shall complete and file with the commission a sworn statement, which shall be notarized and made under oath, on a form prescribed by the commission attesting that the person withdraws his or her candidacy and that verifies the person[s identity, as provided in this paragraph.
The form shall include a space for the candidate to state his or her reasons for withdrawing from candidacy, the date of completion of the form, the candidate[s printed name, the candidate[s signature, and the signature of the witness under subd.
2.
2.
The candidate[s completion of the form required under subd.
1.
shall be personally witnessed by a county clerk, county sheriff, or municipal chief of police in this state, who shall verify the candidate[s identity by means of an operator[s license issued under ch.
343, an identification card issued under s.
343.50, an identification card issued by a U.S.
uniformed service, or a U.S.
passport, except that the identify of a candidate for president or vice president who is not a resident of this state may be verified by means of a driver's license or identification card issued by the candidate[s state of residence in lieu of such license or identification issued by this state.
A copy of the candidate[s license, identification, or passport shall be submitted to the commission with the form required under subd.
1.
(c) A candidate[s withdrawal of his or her candidacy prior to the partisan - 2026 Legislature - 3 - LRBa0127/1 MPG:cdc primary or general election shall not alter the ballot order of the remaining candidates if upon the candidate[s compliance with pars.
(a) and (b) the commission has already determined the ballot arrangement for the partisan primary or general election.
(d) No later than the 5th business day before the June 10 preceding the partisan primary or before the 4th Tuesday in August preceding the general election, the commission shall notify the county clerk in each affected county of any person who has withdrawn his or her candidacy by complying with pars.
(a) and (b).
(e) A presidential candidate[s withdrawal of his or her candidacy under pars.
(a) and (b) constitutes a withdrawal of that candidate[s joint ticket for president and vice president of the United States.Y.
(END )
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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 Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  4. Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 4, Noes 1

  5. Executive action taken

  6. Public hearing held

  7. Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Wanggaard

  8. Fiscal estimate received

  9. Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

  10. 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

Sponsors

  • Steffen · Cosponsor
  • Armstrong · Cosponsor
  • Brill · Cosponsor
  • Brooks · Cosponsor
  • Dittrich · Cosponsor
  • Green · Cosponsor
  • Gundrum · Cosponsor
  • Hurd · Cosponsor
  • Kitchens · Cosponsor
  • Knodl · Cosponsor
  • Kreibich · Cosponsor
  • Murphy · Cosponsor
  • Mursau · Cosponsor
  • Nedweski · Cosponsor
  • O'Connor · Cosponsor
  • Piwowarczyk · Cosponsor
  • Sortwell · Cosponsor
  • Tusler · Cosponsor
  • Van Wanggaard · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 18 co-sponsors · 113 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (18)

  • Steffen
  • Armstrong
  • Brill
  • Brooks
  • Dittrich
  • Green
  • Gundrum
  • Hurd
  • Kitchens
  • Knodl
  • Kreibich
  • Murphy
  • Mursau
  • Nedweski
  • O'Connor
  • Piwowarczyk
  • Sortwell
  • Tusler

Not signed on (113)

113 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 113 →

"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.

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elections
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 34 do?
An Act to create 8.35 (1m), 12.13 (3) (ag) and 12.60 (1) (am) of the statutes;
Who sponsors SB 34?
SB 34 is sponsored by Steffen, Armstrong, Brill, Brooks, Dittrich, Green, Gundrum, Hurd, Kitchens, Knodl, Kreibich, Murphy, Mursau, Nedweski, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk, Sortwell, Tusler, and Wanggaard, Van (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 34?
This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced February 12, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 34?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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