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Statutes > Wisconsin > 6 > 6.55

6.55

6.55 Polling place registration; voting by certification.

6.55(2)

(2)

6.55(2)(a)

(a)

6.55(2)(a)1.

1. Except where the procedure under par. (c) or (cm) is employed, any person who qualifies as an elector in the ward or election district where he or she desires to vote, but has not previously filed a registration form, or was registered at another location, may request permission to vote at the polling place for that ward or election district, or at an alternate polling place assigned under s. 5.25 (5) (b). When a proper request is made, the inspector shall require the person to execute a registration form prescribed by the board. The registration form shall be completed in the manner provided under s. 6.33 (2) and shall contain all information required under s. 6.33 (1), together with the following certification:
"I, ...., hereby certify that, to the best of my knowledge, I am a qualified elector, having resided at .... for at least 10 days immediately preceding this election, and I have not voted at this election."

6.55(2)(a)2.

2. If a change of address is made from outside the municipality, the municipal clerk shall file the notice required under s. 6.40 (1) (a) 3.

6.55(2)(b)

(b) Upon executing the registration form under par. (a), the elector shall provide proof of residence under s. 6.34. If the elector cannot provide proof of residence, the information contained in the registration form shall be corroborated in a statement that is signed by any elector who resides in the same municipality as the registering elector and that contains the current street address of the corroborating elector. The corroborator shall then provide proof of residence as provided in s. 6.34. If the elector is registering to vote in the general election and the elector presents a valid driver's license issued by another state, the inspector or deputy shall record on a separate list the name and address of the elector, the name of the state, and the license number and expiration date of the license. The signing by the elector executing the registration form and by any corroborator shall be in the presence of the special registration deputy or inspector who shall then print his or her name on and sign the form, indicating that the deputy or inspector has accepted the form. Upon compliance with this procedure, the elector shall be permitted to cast his or her vote, if the elector complies with all other requirements for voting at the polling place.

6.55(2)(c)

(c)

6.55(2)(c)1.

1. As an alternative to registration at the polling place under pars. (a) and (b), the board of election commissioners, or the governing body of any municipality may by resolution require a person who qualifies as an elector and who is not registered and desires to register on the day of an election to do so at another readily accessible location in the same building as the polling place serving the elector's residence or at an alternate polling place assigned under s. 5.25 (5) (b), instead of at the polling place serving the elector's residence. In such case, the municipal clerk shall prominently post a notice of the registration location at the polling place. The elector who desires to register shall execute a registration form as prescribed under par. (a) and provide proof of residence as provided under s. 6.34. If the elector cannot provide proof of residence, the information contained in the registration form shall be corroborated in the manner provided in par. (b). If the elector is registering to vote in the general election and the elector presents a valid driver's license issued by another state, the municipal clerk, deputy clerk, or special registration deputy shall record on a separate list the name and address of the elector, the name of the state, and the license number and expiration date of the license. The signing by the elector executing the registration form and by any corroborator shall be in the presence of the municipal clerk, deputy clerk or special registration deputy. The municipal clerk, the deputy clerk, or the special registration deputy shall then print his or her name and sign the form, indicating that the clerk, deputy clerk, or deputy has accepted the form. Upon proper completion of registration, the municipal clerk, deputy clerk or special registration deputy shall serially number the registration and give one copy to the elector for presentation at the polling place serving the elector's residence or an alternate polling place assigned under s. 5.25 (5) (b).

6.55(2)(c)2.

2. Upon compliance with the procedures under subd. 1., the municipal clerk or deputy clerk shall issue a certificate addressed to the inspectors of the proper polling place directing that the elector be permitted to cast his or her vote if the elector complies with all requirements for voting at the polling place. The clerk shall enter the name and address of the elector on the face of the certificate. If the elector's registration is corroborated, the clerk shall also enter the name and address of the corroborator on the face of the certificate. The certificate shall be numbered serially and prepared in duplicate. The municipal clerk shall preserve one copy in his or her office.

6.55(2)(c)3.

3. The elector, at the time he or she appears to vote at the polling place, shall deliver the certificate issued under subd. 2. to the inspectors.

6.55(2)(cm)

(cm) If an elector who is not registered wishes to obtain a confidential listing under s. 6.47 (2), the elector shall register at the office of the municipal clerk of the municipality where the elector resides. Upon completion of registration, the municipal clerk or a deputy clerk shall serially number the registration form and issue a voting identification card to the elector under s. 6.47 (3). The elector may vote at the polling place serving his or her residence by presenting the identification card or by providing his or her name and identification serial number to the inspectors.

6.55(2)(cs)

(cs) The board shall provide to each municipal clerk a list prepared for use at each polling place showing the name and address of each person whose name appears on the list provided by the department of corrections under s. 301.03 (20m) as ineligible to vote on the date of the election, whose address is located in the area served by that polling place, and whose name does not appear on the poll list for that polling place. Prior to permitting an elector to register to vote under this subsection or s. 6.86 (3) (a) 2., the inspectors or special registration deputies shall review the list. If the name of an elector who wishes to register to vote appears on the list, the inspectors or special registration deputies shall inform the elector or the elector's agent that the elector is ineligible to register to vote. If the elector or the elector's agent maintains that the elector is eligible to vote in the election, the inspectors or special registration deputies shall permit the elector to register but shall mark the elector's registration form as "ineligible to vote per Department of Corrections." If the elector wishes to vote, the inspectors shall require the elector to vote by ballot and shall challenge the ballot as provided in s. 6.79 (2) (dm).

6.55(2)(d)

(d) A registered elector who has changed his or her name but resides at the same address, and has not notified the municipal clerk under s. 6.40 (1) (c), shall notify the inspector of the change before voting. The inspector shall then notify the municipal clerk at the time when materials are returned under s. 6.56 (1). If an elector has changed both a name and address, the elector shall register at the polling place or other registration location under pars. (a) and (b).

6.55(3)

(3)

6.55(3)(a)

(a) Any qualified elector in the ward or election district where the elector desires to vote whose name does not appear on the registration list but who claims to be registered to vote in the election may request permission to vote at the polling place for that ward or election district. When the request is made, the inspector shall require the person to give his or her name and address. If the elector is not at the polling place which serves the ward or election district where the elector resides, the inspector shall provide the elector with directions to the correct polling place. If the elector is at the correct polling place, the elector shall complete registration as provided in sub. (2).

6.55(3)(b)

(b) Prior to permitting an elector to vote under this subsection, the inspectors shall review the list provided by the board under sub. (2) (cs). If the name of the elector appears on the list, the inspectors shall inform the elector that he or she is ineligible to vote at the election. If the elector maintains that he or she is eligible to vote in the election, the inspectors shall permit the elector to vote, but shall require the elector to vote by ballot, and shall challenge the ballot as provided in s. 6.79 (2) (dm).

6.55(5)

(5) Any person who violates this section may be punished as provided in ss. 12.13 (3) (g) and 12.60 (1) (b).

6.55(6)

(6) The governing body or board of election commissioners of any municipality may provide by resolution that any of the registration duties of inspectors under sub. (2) shall be carried out in the municipality by special registration deputies appointed by the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners at any polling place or other registration location whenever the clerk or board of election commissioners determines that the registration process provided for in that subsection will be facilitated thereby. The deputies shall be specially appointed by the clerk or board of election commissioners for one election only to conduct elector registration only.

6.55 - ANNOT.

History: 1971 c. 304 s. 29 (2); 1973 c. 222; 1975 c. 85, 93, 199, 200; 1977 c. 394, 427; 1979 c. 311; 1981 c. 44 s. 3; 1981 c. 202 s. 23; 1983 a. 484; 1985 a. 304; 1987 a. 391; 1989 a. 31, 192; 1999 a. 49, 186; 2003 a. 265; 2005 a. 451; 2007 a. 96.