Assembly Votes to Raise Campaign Contribution Limits

The Assembly has passed a bill making various changes in election, campaign finance, ethics, and lobbying laws. The bill passed on a bi-partisan voice vote and is now headed to the Senate.

Electronic Voter Registration

Under the bill, starting in 2015, people could register to vote and change their address on a secure internet site maintained by the Government Accountability Board (GAB) up to 20 days before an election if they have a valid Wisconsin’s driver’s license or identification card. The names would be checked against the state Department of Transportation’s database, and then a registrant’s electronic signature would be forwarded from DOT to the GAB. Elections officials would then send postcards to voters to verify their addresses. Registrations closer to an election would have to occur in clerks’ offices or at the polls, as they do now.

Proof of Residence

The bill adds to the list of documents that can be used for proof of residence when registering to vote cell phone bills and credit card statements. The bills must contain the elector’s current and complete name and address and be from not earlier than 90 days before the day the registration is made.

Election Officials

The bill would allow wards and municipalities to hire up to half of their poll workers from anywhere in the county instead of from just within that specific ward or municipality where the poll is located.

The bill would also require that when partisans are working at the polls, tasks that require two or more people must be done by people of the opposite party to the extent practical. The bill also provides that ballots should be secured by the chief inspector and, in addition, one other inspector of the opposite party affiliation.

Scheduling of Referenda

Local referenda would need to be scheduled concurrently with another regularly held election under the bill.

Recounts

The bill would increase the fees for recounts from $5 to $25 per ward, or $25 per municipality where no wards exist for candidates who lost by 0.5% or more. Candidates who lost by less than that still would not have to pay anything.

In addition, recounts will be able to be done by hand rather than machine without getting a court order specifying hand counting is allowable.

Campaign Finance

The bill makes numerous changes to the state’s campaign finance laws.

First, the bill increases the threshold amount committees, individuals, and groups can accept or spend without registering with the GAB. The bill increases the $25 threshold for registration by committees to $500 and increases the $25 threshold for registration by individuals to $1,000. In addition, the bill increases the $750 threshold for registration of referendum activity by groups and individuals to $2,500.
If passed, the bill would increase the amount individuals and committee can contribute to campaigns during an election cycle (includes both the primary and the regular election).

 

 

Individual Limits

Committee Limits

Existing Law

AB 225

Existing Law

AB 225

Governor

$10,000

$20,000

4% of the disbursement level in Wis. Stat. 11.31(1)

$87,000

Lt. Governor

$10,000

$20,000

$26,000

Sec. of State

$10,000

$20,000

$18,000

State Treasurer

$10,000

$20,000

$18,000

Attorney General

$10,000

$20,000

$44,000

State Superintendent

$10,000

$20,000

$18,000

Supreme Court Justice

$10,000

$20,000

$18,000

State Senator

$1,000

$2,000

$1,000

$2,000

State Representative

$500

$1,000

$500

$1,000

Court of Appeals Judge in a district that contains a county with a population >500,000

$3,000

$6,000

$3,000

$6,000

Court of Appeals Judge in a district that does not contain a county with a population >500,000

$2,500

$5,000

$2,500

$5,000

Circuit Court Judge in a circuit with >300,000 people

$3,000

$6,000

$3,000

$6,000

Circuit Court Judge in a circuit with <300,000 people

$1,000

$2,000

$1,000

$2,000

District Attorney in a prosecutorial unit with >300,000 people

$3,000

$6,000

$3,000

$6,000

District Attorney in a prosecutorial unit with <300,000 people

$1,000

$2,000

$1,000

$2,000

In addition, the cumulative limit for individuals, which has been $10,000 would raise to $20,000, and political parties will be able to accept more donations from committees. The size of the maximum contributions would be adjusted for inflation every two years based on the consumer price index.

 

The bill would replace percentage based limits on campaign contributions from committees with dollar amounts. Candidates for state or local office would not be able to accept more than the following amounts during any campaign cycle (primary and general combined) from (1) all political party and legislative campaign committees and (2) all other committees:

 

 

All Political Party & Legislative Campaign Committees

All Other Committees

Governor

$432,000

$971,000

Lt. Governor

$130,000

$292,000

Attorney General

$108,000

$486,000

Sec. of State

$87,000

$195,000

State Treasurer

$87,000

$195,000

State Superintendent

$87,000

$195,000

Supreme Court Justice

$87,000

$195,000

Court of Appeals Judge

$35,000

$78,000

Circuit Court Judge

$35,000

$78,000

State Senator

$14,000

$31,000

State Representative

$7,000

$16,000

District Attorney in a prosecutorial unit with <500,000 people

$35,000

$78,000

County Executive in a district with population >500,000

$54,000

$122,000

District Attorney in a district with population >500,000

$67,000

$146,000

County Supervisor in a district with population >500,000

$4,000

$8,000

Any other county-wide elective office, not including judicial candidates, in a district with population >500,000

$22,000

$49,000

Mayor in a first class city with population >500,000

$54,000

$122,000

City Attorney in a first class city with population >500,000

$34,000

$73,000

Any other City-Wide Elective Office in a first class city with population >500,000

$22,000

$49,000

Alderperson in a first class city whose jurisdiction or district has a population >500,000

$4,000

$8,000

Candidates for any local office whose jurisdiction or district has a population <500,000

An amount equal to the greater of the following: (1) $200; (2) 11% of the annual salary for the office sought, rounded to the nearest multiple of $25; or (3) 6 cents per inhabitant of the jurisdiction or district, not to exceed $9,000

An amount equal to the greater of the following: (1) $500; (2) 24% of the annual salary for the office sought, rounded to the nearest multiple of $25; or (3) 15 cents per inhabitant of the jurisdiction or district, not to exceed $20,000

These amounts would also be adjusted for inflation every two years.

 

Ethics Law

The bill would require legislators to complete two hours of GAB ethics training before taking the oath of office.

Former state public officials, other than legislators or legislative employees, would be banned from accepting compensation for trying to influence proposed state procurements.

Lobbying Law

The bill would extend the time frame during which lobbyists may make contributions, allowing contributions from the first day nomination papers may be circulated.

It also would require that lobbyists report activity related to state procurement decisions to the GAB in addition to their currently required reports on activity related to proposals, rules and bills. Other reporting requirements are also modified.

Lobbyists would be required to complete four hours of GAB ethics training before licensure.

The bill would also:

  • modify certain procedures related to indefinitely confined electors and electors requiring assistance
  • allow the GAB to set the space for signatures in the poll book
  • change how returns from combined wards are reported
  • alter some of the rules on internet activity
  • simplify the deadlines for filing finance reports with the GAB, allow for electronic signatures on those reports, and increase the $20 itemized reporting to $40
  • allow corporations or associations to give money to political parties for the purposes of buying or renting office space
  • increase the amount corporations or associations may expend
  • update the law governing conduits
  • allow the GAB to require a registrant to verify the source and amount of loans
  • modify the “50 Piece Rule” applicable to legislators