2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
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2021 SENATE BILL 446
July 7, 2021 - Introduced by Senators SMITH, ROYS, AGARD, CARPENTER and WIRCH,
cosponsored by Representatives SNODGRASS, SHELTON, HINTZ, ANDERSON,
ANDRACA, BALDEH, BILLINGS, BROSTOFF, CABRERA, CONLEY, CONSIDINE, DRAKE,
EMERSON, HEBL, HESSELBEIN, NEUBAUER, POPE, SHANKLAND, SINICKI, STUBBS,
SUBECK and VRUWINK. Referred to Committee on Elections, Election Process
Reform and Ethics.
1 AN ACT to amend 6.28 (1) (b); and to create 6.28 (2m) of the statutes; relating
2 to: voter registration at high schools.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Prior to 2011 Wisconsin Act 240, state law required that all public high schools
be used for voter registration for enrolled students and members of the high school
staff. Prior law also authorized voter registration to take place at a private high
school or a tribal school that operates high school grades if requested by the principal.
This bill reinstates those provisions.
Under the bill, the municipal clerk must notify the school board of each school
district in which the municipality is located that high schools will be used for voter
registration. The school board and the clerk then appoint at least one qualified voter
at each high school to be a special school registration deputy. The bill allows students
and staff to register at the school on any day that classes are regularly held. The
deputies promptly forward the registration forms to the clerk and the clerk adds
qualified voters to the registration list. The clerk may reject a registration form, but
the clerk must notify the registrant and inform the registrant of the reason for being
rejected. Under the bill, a form completed by an individual who will be 18 years of
age before the next election and who is otherwise qualified to vote must be filed in
such a way so that the individual is automatically registered to vote when the
individual is 18.
Finally, the bill allows a principal of a private high school or tribal school that
operates high school grades to request that the municipal clerk appoint a qualified
voter at the school to be a special school registration deputy. Under the bill, the clerk
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SENATE BILL 446
must appoint a special school registration deputy if the clerk determines that the
private high school or tribal school has a substantial number of students residing in
the municipality.
For further information see the local 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:
1 SECTION 1. 6.28 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
2 6.28 (1) (b) All applications for registration corrections and additions may be
3 made throughout the year at the office of the city board of election commissioners,
4 at the office of the municipal clerk, at the office of the county clerk, or at other
5 locations provided by the board of election commissioners or the common council in
6 cities over 500,000 population or by either or both the municipal clerk, or the common
7 council, village or town board in all other municipalities and may also be made
8 during the school year at any high school by qualified persons under sub. (2m) (a).
9 An elector who wishes to obtain a confidential listing under s. 6.47 (2) shall register
10 at the office of the municipal clerk of the municipality where the elector resides.
11 SECTION 2. 6.28 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:
12 6.28 (2m) AT HIGH SCHOOLS. (a) Public high schools shall be used for
13 registration for enrolled students and members of the high school staff.
14 (b) The municipal clerk of each municipality shall notify the school board of
15 each school district in which the municipality is located that high schools shall be
16 used for registration pursuant to par. (a). The school board and the municipal clerk
17 shall agree upon the appointment of at least one qualified elector at each high school
18 as a special school registration deputy. The municipal clerk shall appoint such
19 person as a school registration deputy and explain the person's duties and
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SENATE BILL 446 SECTION 2
1 responsibilities. Students and staff may register at the high school on any day that
2 classes are regularly held. The school registration deputies shall promptly forward
3 properly completed registration forms to the municipal clerk of the municipality in
4 which the registering student or staff member resides. The municipal clerk, upon
5 receiving such registration forms, shall add all those registering electors who have
6 met the registration requirements to the registration list. The municipal clerk may
7 reject any registration form and shall promptly notify the person whose registration
8 is rejected of the rejection and the reason therefor. A person whose registration is
9 rejected may reapply for registration if he or she is qualified. The form of each high
10 school student who is qualified and will be eligible to vote at the next election shall
11 be filed in such a way that when a student attains the age of 18 years the student is
12 registered to vote automatically. Each school board shall assure that the principal
13 of every high school communicates elector registration information to students.
14 (c) The principal of any private high school or of any tribal school, as defined
15 in s. 115.001 (15m), that operates high school grades that has a substantial number
16 of students residing in a municipality may request the municipal clerk to appoint a
17 special school registration deputy in accordance with par. (b). Students and staff
18 may register at the high school on any day that classes are regularly held. The clerk
19 shall appoint a special school registration deputy in the high school if the clerk
20 determines the school to have a substantial number of students residing in the
21 municipality.
22 (END)


Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 6.28(1)(b), 6.28