Senate Bill 361 proposes significant changes to Wisconsin's partisan primary elections by allowing voters to split their tickets, enabling them to select candidates from multiple parties for different offices, including the governor and lieutenant governor, while still voting for independent candidates. This change aims to enhance voter choice and flexibility, with implementation set for the 2026 partisan primary. The bill also includes the repeal of existing statutes that restrict voters to a single party's candidates and amends various sections to clarify that voters may choose candidates regardless of their political affiliation, thereby modernizing the electoral process in Wisconsin.

Additionally, the bill introduces amendments to existing election laws concerning proof of residence for electors registering by mail or electronically, specifying that proof is required unless the elector is military or overseas. It mandates that ballots requested via facsimile or electronic mail must include a signed request in the return envelope and clarifies that the witness for the ballot cannot be a candidate. The bill also makes several deletions and insertions to refine the nomination and voting processes, including stipulations about the timing of candidate lists and the counting of write-in votes, ensuring that the candidates receiving the most votes for governor and lieutenant governor will be recognized as the party's joint candidates on the official ballot.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 5.02(16m), 5.02, 5.35(6)(b), 5.35, 5.51(7), 5.51, 5.62(1), 5.62, 5.62(2), 5.62(3), 5.655(1), 5.655, 5.81(4), 5.81, 5.84(1), 5.84, 5.91(1), 5.91, 5.91(3), 5.91(6), 6.80(2)(am), 6.80, 6.80(2)(f), 6.87(4)(b)1, 6.87, 7.08(2)(b), 7.08, 7.50(1)(d), 7.50, 7.50(2)(g), 8.16(1), 8.16, 8.16(6), 8.16(7)