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Wisconsin Legislature: SB518: Bill Text
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SB518: Bill Text
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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-4995/1
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2025 SENATE BILL 518
October 9, 2025 - Introduced by Senators
Ratcliff
,
Dassler-Alfheim
,
L. Johnson
,
Keyeski
,
Larson
and
Spreitzer
, cosponsored by Representatives
Snodgrass
,
Andraca
,
Arney
,
Bare
,
Brown
,
Clancy
,
DeSmidt
,
Emerson
,
Johnson
,
Madison
,
McCarville
,
Moore Omokunde
,
Neubauer
,
Ortiz-Velez
,
Phelps
,
Roe
,
Stroud
and
Udell
. Referred to Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development.
SB518,1,2
1
An Act
to amend
5.25 (4) (a) and 5.25 (4) (d);
to create
6.82 (1) (c) of the
2
statutes;
relating to:
polling place accessibility.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Current law requires that each polling place be accessible to all individuals with disabilities. No later than June 30 of each odd-numbered year, the Elections Commission must submit a report on impediments to voting faced by the elderly and individuals with disabilities to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature. The commission must consult with appropriate advocacy groups representing the elderly and individuals with disabilities when preparing the report.
This bill requires the Elections Commission to establish an election day accessibility checklist for an election official to complete at each polling place to assess whether the polling place presents any limitations that may prevent individuals with disabilities from voting. The bill requires the election official to immediately notify the chief inspector or municipal clerk of any such limitations. The commission must establish the checklist before the 2027 spring election. In addition, the commission must periodically update the checklist no later than 12 months following the release of the report that the commission must submit to the legislature regarding impediments to voting faced by the elderly and individuals with disabilities.
Under current law, if an election inspector is informed that a voter is at the polling place entrance but unable to enter the polling place because of the voter’s disability, the inspector must allow the voter to receive assistance marking the voter’s ballot at the polling place entrance. This process is often referred to as “curbside voting.” The bill requires the Elections Commission to provide uniform instructions for the content and placement of signs notifying voters with disabilities that they may receive a ballot and voting assistance at the polling place entrance. The commission must publish the instructions before the 2027 spring election.
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:
SB518,1
1
Section
1
.
5.25 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB518,2,15
2
5.25
(4)
(a) Each polling place shall be accessible to all individuals with
3
disabilities. The commission shall ensure that the voting system used at each
4
polling place will permit all individuals with disabilities to vote without the need
5
for assistance and with the same degree of privacy that is accorded to nondisabled
6
electors voting at the same polling place.
The commission shall establish an
7
election day accessibility checklist for assessing whether a polling place presents
8
any limitations that may prevent individuals with disabilities from voting. On
9
election day, one election official at each polling place shall use the election day
10
accessibility checklist to assess the polling place and shall immediately notify the
11
chief inspector or municipal clerk of any such limitations. The commission shall
12
establish the election day accessibility checklist before the 2027 spring election and
13
periodically update the checklist no later than 12 months following the release of
14
the report under par. (d).
This paragraph does not apply to any individual who is
15
disqualified from voting under s. 6.03 (1) (a).
SB518,2
16
Section
2
.
5.25 (4) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB518,3,5
17
5.25
(4)
(d) No later than June 30 of each odd-numbered year, the commission
1
shall submit a report on impediments to voting faced by
the
elderly and
2
handicapped
individuals
with disabilities
to the appropriate standing committees
3
of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3). In preparing its report under this paragraph,
4
the commission shall consult with appropriate advocacy groups representing the
5
elderly and
handicapped populations
individuals with disabilities
.
SB518,3
6
Section
3
.
6.82 (1) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
SB518,3,11
7
6.82
(1)
(c) The commission shall provide uniform instructions for the content
8
and placement of signs notifying eligible electors with disabilities that they may
9
receive a ballot and voting assistance at the polling place entrance, as provided
10
under par. (a). The commission shall publish the uniform instructions before the
11
2027 spring election.
SB518,3,12
12
(end)
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true
proposaltext
/2025/related/proposals/sb518
proposaltext/2025/REG/SB518
proposaltext/2025/REG/SB518
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true
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