Section 6.855. Alternate absentee ballot site.

 

(1)  The governing body of a municipality may elect to designate a site other than the office of the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners as the location from which electors of the municipality may request and vote absentee ballots and to which voted absentee ballots shall be returned by electors for any election. The designated site shall be located as near as practicable to the office of the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners and no site may be designated that affords an advantage to any political party. An election by a governing body to designate an alternate site under this section shall be made no fewer than 14 days prior to the time that absentee ballots are available for the primary under s. 7.15 (1) (cm) , if a primary is scheduled to be held, or at least 14 days prior to the time that absentee ballots are available for the election under s. 7.15 (1) (cm) , if a primary is not scheduled to be held, and shall remain in effect until at least the day after the election. If the governing body of a municipality makes an election under this section, no function related to voting and return of absentee ballots that is to be conducted at the alternate site may be conducted in the office of the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners.

(2)  The municipal clerk or board of election commissioners shall prominently display a notice of the designation of the alternate site selected under sub. (1) in the office of the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners beginning on the date that the site is designated under sub. (1) and continuing through the period that absentee ballots are available for the election and for any primary under s. 7.15 (1) (cm) . If the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners maintains a Web site on the Internet, the clerk or board of election commissioners shall post a notice of the designation of the alternate site selected under sub. (1) on the Web site during the same period that notice is displayed in the office of the clerk or board of election commissioners.

(3)  An alternate site under sub. (1) shall be staffed by the municipal clerk or the executive director of the board of election commissioners, or employees of the clerk or the board of election commissioners.

(4)  An alternate site under sub. (1) shall be accessible to all individuals with disabilities.

2005 a. 451 .

Note

In One Wisconsin Now et al. v. Thomsen et al, 15-cv-324, the United States District Court, Western District of Wisconsin ordered that “the restriction limiting municipalities to one location for in-person absentee voting is unconstitutional." Appeal pending 9-20-16. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1