Assembly Bill 800 proposes significant changes to the absentee ballot canvassing process in Wisconsin, allowing municipal boards of absentee ballot canvassers to begin their work the day before an election. The bill requires that canvassing starts no earlier than 7 a.m. and concludes by 10 p.m. on election day, with a mandatory recess by 8 p.m. the day before. It also stipulates that results from early canvassed absentee ballots cannot be disclosed until after the polls close, imposing penalties for premature disclosure. Additionally, municipalities without a board of absentee ballot canvassers are permitted to process absentee ballots under similar conditions, emphasizing the need for security measures such as tamper-evident seals.

The bill further amends existing procedures by requiring municipal clerks to provide at least 60 days' notice for meetings of the canvassing board, replacing the previous 48-hour notice requirement. It mandates that absentee ballots and tabulating equipment be secured with tamper-evident seals, and any tampering must be reported to the Elections Commission, which will order a recount and audit if necessary. The bill also establishes that votes on absentee ballots cannot be tallied until after polls close, with intentional disclosure of results before this time classified as a Class I felony. Lastly, the process for counting absentee ballots is revised to ensure legal compliance before entering counts on the poll list, with separate lists maintained for ballots from electors not found on the poll list.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 5.84(1), 5.84, 6.15(4)(a), 6.15, 6.15(4)(b), 6.86(1)(b), 6.86, 6.87(6), 6.87, 6.88(1), 6.88, 6.88(2), 7.52(2), 7.52