Wisconsin Legislative Council
ACT MEMO
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Prepared by: Peggy Hurley, Senior Staff Attorney March 26, 2024
2023 Wisconsin Act 124
[2023 Assembly Bill 298]
Polling Place Closures
2023 WISCONSIN ACT 124
Current law requires polling places to be established at least 30 days prior to an election. Under the act,
generally a polling place so established may not be closed on or within 30 days of an election day unless
all of the following occur:
The majority of the members-elect of the governing body of the municipality where the polling place
is located makes a finding of emergency.
The majority of the members-elect of the governing body of the municipality and the municipal
clerk approve the closure.
The municipal clerk does all of the following:
o Posts public notice of the closure on the municipality’s website or, if the municipality does not
maintain a website, posts notices in at least three different locations within the municipality
reasonably calculated to notify the most residents.
o Publishes a notice in a newspaper notifying the public of the closure. Under the act, the type of
notice depends on how much time is available before the election.
o Stations a person at or as near as possible to the closed location to notify all electors of the
closure and of their new polling location.
o In a municipality establishing one polling place only, establishes a new polling location
approved by the majority of the members-elect of the governing body and the municipal clerk.
Under the act, if a municipality has established more than one polling place, under no circumstances
may more than 50 percent of that municipality’s polling places be closed on or within 30 days of an
election day.
Additionally, under the act, a municipality may not discontinue the use of an established polling place
after an election and more than 30 days before an election without the approval of the municipality’s
governing body and after a public hearing at which the public has an opportunity to present testimony
on the proposed discontinuation.
Effective date: March 23, 2024
For a full history of the bill, visit the Legislature’s bill history page.
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