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SB1180: Bill Text
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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-5707/1
MPG:ads&cjs
2025 SENATE BILL 1180
March 19, 2026 - Introduced by Senator
Spreitzer
. Referred to Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development.
SB1180,1,4
1
An Act
to renumber and amend
8.15 (4) (a) and 8.40 (2);
to amend
8.04, 8.10
2
(1), 8.10 (2) (b), 8.10 (4) (b), 8.15 (2), 8.15 (5) (a), 8.20 (2) (a) and 8.20 (5);
to
3
create
8.15 (4) (a) 1. and 8.40 (2) (a) 1. of the statutes;
relating to:
circulating
4
or signing nomination papers and certain petitions.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, if a person signs nomination papers for two candidates for the same office in the same election, the earlier signature is valid and the later signature is invalid. In addition, current law provides that if a person circulates a nomination paper for two candidates for the same office in the same election at different times, the earlier paper is valid and the later paper is invalid. This bill eliminates those restrictions. Under the bill, a person may circulate or sign nomination papers for two or more candidates for the same office in the same election.
Also under current law, a person who circulates nomination papers or a petition for a recall election or referendum must certify that he or she knows that the signers are electors of the ward, aldermanic district, municipality, or county to which the nomination paper or petition relates. Current law also requires the circulator to certify that he or she knows the residences given by the signers. Under the bill, the circulator must certify that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the signers are all electors of the appropriate ward, aldermanic district, municipality, or county and that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the residences given by the signers are actual residences.
Finally, current law requires an individual who is circulating nomination papers to certify that he or she intends to support the candidate for whom the individual is circulating the papers. The bill eliminates that requirement.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB1180,1
1
Section
1
.
8.04 of the statutes is amended to read:
SB1180,2,7
2
8.04
Nomination paper signatures.
If any
A
person
signs
may sign
3
nomination papers for 2
or more
candidates for the same office in the same election
4
at different times, the earlier signature is valid and the later signature is invalid. If
5
any
. A
person
circulates a nomination paper
may circulate nomination papers
for 2
6
or more
candidates for the same office in the same election
at different times, the
7
earlier paper is valid and the later paper is invalid
.
SB1180,2
8
Section
2
.
8.10 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB1180,2,14
9
8.10
(1)
Candidates for office to be filled at the spring election shall be
10
nominated by nomination papers, or by nomination papers and selection at the
11
primary if a primary is held, except as provided for towns and villages under s. 8.05.
12
Unless designated in this section or s. 8.05, the general provisions pertaining to
13
nomination at the partisan primary apply
, including the certification requirements
14
under s. 8.15 (4) (a) and (am)
.
SB1180,3
15
Section
3
.
8.10 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB1180,2,17
16
8.10
(2)
(b) Each nomination paper shall have substantially the following
17
words printed at the top:
SB1180,3,8
18
I, the undersigned, request that the name of (insert candidate’s last name plus
1
first name, nickname or initial, and middle name, former legal surname, nickname
2
or middle initial or initials if desired, but no other abbreviations or titles), residing
3
at (insert candidate’s street address) be placed on the ballot at the (spring or
4
special) election to be held on (date of election) as a candidate so that voters will
5
have the opportunity to vote for (him or her) for the office of (name of office). I am
6
eligible to vote in the (name of jurisdiction or district in which candidate seeks
7
office).
I have not signed the nomination paper of any other candidate for the same
8
office at this election.
SB1180,4
9
Section
4
.
8.10 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB1180,3,15
10
8.10
(4)
(b) Only one signature per person for the same
office
candidate
is
11
valid. In addition to his or her signature, in order for the signature to be valid, each
12
signer of a nomination paper shall legibly print his or her name in a space provided
13
next to his or her signature and shall list his or her municipality of residence for
14
voting purposes, the street and number, if any, on which the signer resides, and the
15
date of signing.
SB1180,5
16
Section
5
.
8.15 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB1180,3,22
17
8.15
(2)
Only one signature per person for the same
office
candidate
is valid.
18
In addition to his or her signature, in order for the signature to be valid, each signer
19
of a nomination paper shall legibly print his or her name in a space provided next to
20
his or her signature and shall list his or her municipality of residence for voting
21
purposes, the street and number, if any, on which the signer resides, and the date of
22
signing.
SB1180,6
1
Section
6
.
8.15 (4) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 8.15 (4) (a) (intro.) and
2
amended to read:
SB1180,4,5
3
8.15
(4)
(a) (intro.) The certification of a qualified circulator
stating his or her
4
residence with street and number, if any,
shall appear at the bottom of each
5
nomination paper
, stating he or she
and shall state all of the following:
SB1180,4,7
6
2. That the circulator
personally circulated the nomination paper and
7
personally obtained each of the signatures
; he or she knows they
.
SB1180,4,10
8
3. That, to the best of the circulator’s knowledge, the signers
are electors of
9
the ward, aldermanic district, municipality
,
or county, as the nomination papers
10
require
; he or she knows they
.
SB1180,4,12
11
4. That the circulator knows the signers
signed the paper with full knowledge
12
of its content
; he or she knows their respective
.
SB1180,4,14
13
5. That, to the best of the circulator’s knowledge, the
residences given
; he or
14
she
by the signers are actual residences.
SB1180,4,16
15
6. That the circulator
knows each signer signed on the date stated opposite his
16
or her name
; and, that he or she,
.
SB1180,4,20
17
7. That
the circulator
,
is a qualified elector of this state, or if not a qualified
18
elector of this state, is a U.S. citizen age 18 or older who, if he or she were a resident
19
of this state, would not be disqualified from voting under s. 6.03
; that he or she
20
intends to support the candidate; and that he or she
.
SB1180,4,22
21
8. That the circulator
is aware that falsifying the certification is punishable
22
under s. 12.13 (3) (a).
SB1180,5,2
23
(am)
The
circulator
certification under par. (a)
shall indicate the date that
he
1
or she
the circulator
makes the certification next to his or her signature. The
2
certification may be made by the candidate or any qualified circulator.
SB1180,7
3
Section
7
.
8.15 (4) (a) 1. of the statutes is created to read:
SB1180,5,4
4
8.15
(4)
(a) 1. The circulator’s residence with street and number, if any.
SB1180,8
5
Section
8
.
8.15 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB1180,5,7
6
8.15
(5)
(a) Each nomination paper shall have substantially the following
7
words printed at the top:
SB1180,5,16
8
I, the undersigned, request that the name of (insert candidate’s last name plus
9
first name, nickname or initial, and middle name, former legal surname, nickname
10
or middle initial or initials if desired, but no other abbreviations or titles) residing
11
at (insert candidate’s street address) be placed on the ballot at the (general or
12
special) election to be held on (date of election) as a candidate representing the
13
(name of party) so that voters will have the opportunity to vote for (him or her) for
14
the office of (name of office). I am eligible to vote in (name of jurisdiction or district
15
in which candidate seeks office).
I have not signed the nomination paper of any
16
other candidate for the same office at this election.
SB1180,9
17
Section
9
.
8.20 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB1180,5,19
18
8.20
(2)
(a) Nomination is by nomination papers. Each nomination paper
19
shall have substantially the following words printed at the top:
SB1180,6,6
20
I, the undersigned, request that the name of (insert candidate’s last name plus
21
first name, nickname or initial, and middle name, former legal surname, nickname
22
or middle initial or initials if desired, but no other abbreviations or titles), residing
23
at (insert candidate’s street address) be placed on the ballot at the (general or
1
special) election to be held on (date of election) as a candidate [(representing the
2
(name of party)) or (representing the principle(s) of (statement of principles))] so
3
that voters will have the opportunity to vote for (him or her) for the office of (name
4
of office). I am eligible to vote in the (name of jurisdiction or district in which
5
candidate seeks office).
I have not signed the nomination paper of any other
6
candidate for the same office at this election.
SB1180,10
7
Section
10
.
8.20 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB1180,6,14
8
8.20
(5)
Only one signature per person for the same
office
candidate
is valid.
9
In addition to his or her signature, in order for the signature to be valid, each signer
10
shall legibly print his or her name in a space provided next to his or her signature
11
and shall list his or her municipality of residence for voting purposes, the street and
12
number, if any, on which the signer resides, and the date of signing. Signers of each
13
nomination paper shall reside in the same jurisdiction or district which the
14
candidate named therein will represent, if elected.
SB1180,11
15
Section
11
.
8.40 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 8.40 (2) (a) (intro.) and
16
amended to read:
SB1180,6,20
17
8.40
(2)
(a) (intro.) The certification of a qualified circulator
stating his or her
18
residence with street and number, if any,
shall appear at the bottom of each
19
separate sheet of each petition specified in sub. (1)
, stating that he or she
and shall
20
state all of the following:
SB1180,6,22
21
2. That the circulator
personally circulated the petition and personally
22
obtained each of the signatures
; that the circulator knows that they
.
SB1180,7,2
1
3. That, to the best of the circulator’s knowledge, the signers
are electors of
2
the jurisdiction or district in which the petition is circulated
; that
.
SB1180,7,4
3
4. That
the circulator knows that
they
the signers
signed the paper with full
4
knowledge of its content
; that the circulator knows their respective
.
SB1180,7,6
5
5. That, to the best of the circulator’s knowledge, the
residences given
; that
by
6
the signers are actual residences.
SB1180,7,8
7
6. That
the circulator knows that each signer signed on the date stated
8
opposite his or her name
; that
.
SB1180,7,12
9
7. That
the circulator is a qualified elector of this state, or if not a qualified
10
elector of this state, that the circulator is a U.S. citizen age 18 or older who, if he or
11
she were a resident of this state, would not be disqualified from voting under s. 6.03
;
12
and that
.
SB1180,7,14
13
8. That
the circulator is aware that falsifying the certification is punishable
14
under s. 12.13 (3) (a).
SB1180,7,16
15
(b)
The
circulator
certification under par. (a)
shall indicate the date that
he or
16
she
the circulator
makes the certification next to his or her signature.
SB1180,12
17
Section
12
.
8.40 (2) (a) 1. of the statutes is created to read:
SB1180,7,18
18
8.40
(2)
(a) 1. The circulator’s residence with street and number, if any.
SB1180,7,19
19
(end)
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