Vetoed by Governor Tony Evers

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires election administrators allow election observers to be no more than 3 feet away from voter registration tables.

Highlights:

• Authorizes the chief inspector or municipal clerk to restrict the location of any individual exercising the right to certain areas within a polling place, the clerk's office, or alternate site. The chief inspector or municipal clerk will designate observation areas for election observers. The observation areas will be no more than 3 feet from the table at which electors announce their name and address to be issued a voter number at the polling place, office, or alternate site and not more than 3 feet from the table at which a person may register to vote at the polling place, office, or alternate site (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires the municipal clerk, chief inspector, and board of canvassers to provide election observers uniform and nondiscriminatory access to all stages of the election process, including the certification of election technologies, absentee voting in person, canvassing, elector appeals, vote tabulation, and recounts (Sec. 2.a).

• Requires an individual who is observing an election process to wear a badge with the name of the individual and the name of the organization, if any, the individual is representing (Sec. 2.b).

• Prohibits an election observer from wearing any campaign material advocating voting for or against a candidate or for or against any position on a ballot question (Sec. 2-2.a).

• Specifies an election observer who violates this subdivision may be expelled by the municipal clerk, chief inspector, or board of canvassers (Sec. 2-2.b).

• Prohibits an election observer from interfering with any elector in the preparation or casting of the elector's ballot or hinder or prevent the performance of the duties of any election official. An election observer who violates this subdivision is subject to a forfeiture not to exceed $500 (Sec. 2-3).

• Establishes an election observer who violates s. 7.41 (4m) (b) 2. a. more than once is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires election administrators allow election observers to be no more than 3 feet away from voter registration tables.

Highlights:

• Authorizes the chief inspector or municipal clerk to restrict the location of any individual exercising the right to certain areas within a polling place, the clerk's office, or alternate site. The chief inspector or municipal clerk will designate observation areas for election observers. The observation areas will be no more than 3 feet from the table at which electors announce their name and address to be issued a voter number at the polling place, office, or alternate site and not more than 3 feet from the table at which a person may register to vote at the polling place, office, or alternate site (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires the municipal clerk, chief inspector, and board of canvassers to provide election observers uniform and nondiscriminatory access to all stages of the election process, including the certification of election technologies, absentee voting in person, canvassing, elector appeals, vote tabulation, and recounts (Sec. 2.a).

• Requires an individual who is observing an election process to wear a badge with the name of the individual and the name of the organization, if any, the individual is representing (Sec. 2.b).

• Prohibits an election observer from wearing any campaign material advocating voting for or against a candidate or for or against any position on a ballot question (Sec. 2-2.a).

• Specifies an election observer who violates this subdivision may be expelled by the municipal clerk, chief inspector, or board of canvassers (Sec. 2-2.b).

• Prohibits an election observer from interfering with any elector in the preparation or casting of the elector's ballot or hinder or prevent the performance of the duties of any election official. An election observer who violates this subdivision is subject to a forfeiture not to exceed $500 (Sec. 2-3).

• Establishes an election observer who violates s. 7.41 (4m) (b) 2. a. more than once is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text