11.20 Filing requirements.

11.20

11.20 Filing requirements.

11.20(1)

(1) All reports required by s. 11.06 which relate to activities which promote or oppose candidates for state office or statewide referenda and all reports under s. 11.08 shall be filed with the board. All reports required by s. 11.06 which relate to activities which promote or oppose candidates for local office or local referenda shall be filed with the appropriate filing officer under s. 11.02, except reports filed under s. 11.08.

11.20(2)

(2) Preprimary and preelection reports under s. 11.06 (1) shall be received by the appropriate filing officer no earlier than 14 days and no later than 8 days preceding the primary and the election.

11.20(2m)

(2m) Election reports under s. 11.12 shall be received by the appropriate filing officer no earlier than 23 days and no later than 30 days after each special election, unless a continuing report is required to be filed under sub. (4) on or before the 30th day after the special election.

11.20(3)

(3)

11.20(3)(a)

(a) A candidate or personal campaign committee of a candidate at a primary shall file a preprimary and preelection report. If a candidate for a nonpartisan state office at an election is not required to participate in a primary, the candidate or personal campaign committee of the candidate shall file a preprimary report at the time prescribed in sub. (2) preceding the date specified in s. 5.02 (20) or (22) for the holding of the primary, were it to be required.

11.20(3)(b)

(b) A candidate or personal campaign committee of a candidate at an election shall file a preelection report.

11.20(3)(bm)

(bm) A candidate or personal campaign committee of a candidate at a special election shall file a postelection report whenever the report is required to be filed under sub. (2m).

11.20(3)(c)

(c) A registered committee or individual other than a candidate or personal campaign committee making or accepting contributions, making disbursements or incurring obligations in support of or in opposition to one or more candidates for office at a primary, or supporting or opposing other committees or individuals who are engaging in such activities, shall file a preprimary and preelection report.

11.20(3)(d)

(d) A registered committee or individual other than a candidate or personal campaign committee making or accepting contributions, making disbursements or incurring obligations in support of or in opposition to one or more candidates for office at an election, or supporting or opposing other committees or individuals who are engaging in such activities, shall file a preelection report.

11.20(3)(f)

(f) A contribution, disbursement or obligation in support of or in opposition to a candidate at a primary which is made, accepted or incurred during the period covered by the preprimary report is considered to be made, accepted or incurred in support of or in opposition to that candidate at the primary, regardless of whether the candidate is opposed at the primary.

11.20(3)(g)

(g) A contribution, disbursement or obligation in support of or in opposition to a candidate at an election which is made, accepted or incurred during the period covered by the preelection report is considered to be made, accepted or incurred in support of or in opposition to that candidate at the election, regardless of whether the candidate is opposed at the election.

11.20(3)(h)

(h) A registrant who or which makes, accepts or incurs a contribution, disbursement or obligation in support of or in opposition to a candidate at a primary during the period covered by the preprimary report shall file both the preprimary and preelection reports, regardless of whether the registrant engages in such activity during the period covered by the preelection report.

11.20(3)(i)

(i) Notwithstanding pars. (c) and (d), a registrant other than a candidate, personal campaign committee or political party committee who or which makes, accepts or incurs a contribution, disbursement or obligation in support of or in opposition to a candidate at a primary during the period covered by the preelection report, but does not engage in such activity during the period covered by the preprimary report, is not required to file a preprimary report.

11.20(3)(j)

(j) Notwithstanding pars. (c) and (d), a registrant other than a candidate, personal campaign committee or political party committee who or which makes, accepts or incurs a contribution, disbursement or obligation in support of or in opposition to a candidate at an election during the period covered by the report which follows the preelection report, but does not engage in such activity during the period covered by the preelection report, is not required to file a preelection report.

11.20(3)(k)

(k) A registered group or individual making or accepting contributions, making disbursements or incurring obligations in support of or in opposition to a referendum appearing on a primary ballot shall file a preprimary and preelection report.

11.20(3)(L)

(L) A registered group or individual making or accepting contributions, making disbursements or incurring obligations in support of or in opposition to a referendum appearing on an election ballot shall file a preelection report.

11.20(4)

(4) Continuing reports under s. 11.06 (1) by committees or individuals supporting or opposing candidates for office, including committees of a political party, and by individuals, groups or corporations supporting or opposing a referendum shall be received by the appropriate filing officer no earlier than January 1 and no later than January 31; and no earlier than July 1 and no later than July 20. Individuals, committees, groups and corporations to which s. 11.055 (1) applies shall pay the fee imposed under that subsection with their continuing reports filed in January of each year.

11.20(4m)

(4m) An individual who or committee which supports or opposes an effort to circulate and file a petition to recall an officer shall file a report with the appropriate filing officer no later than 30 days after registration of the petitioner for recall of the officer under s. 9.10 (2) (d), if the petition has not been offered for filing within 5 days of that date, and no later than 5 days after a petition is offered for filing demanding the recall of the officer.

11.20(5g)

(5g) Notwithstanding sub. (3), a personal campaign committee which is not formed to support or oppose a candidate in a partisan primary or election need only comply with sub. (3) for purposes of a partisan primary and election if it makes a disbursement for the purpose of influencing the outcome of that primary or election in a form other than a contribution which is reported by the recipient.

11.20(5r)

(5r) Notwithstanding sub. (3), a personal campaign committee which is not formed to support or oppose a candidate in a nonpartisan primary or election need only comply with sub. (3) for the purposes of a nonpartisan primary or election if it makes a disbursement for the purpose of influencing the outcome of that primary or election in a form other than a contribution which is reported by the recipient.

11.20(7)

(7) In the event that any report is required to be filed under this section on a nonbusiness day, it may be filed on the next business day thereafter.

11.20(8)

(8) Reports filed under subs. (2), (4), and (4m) shall include all contributions received and transactions made as of the end of:

11.20(8)(a)

(a) The 15th day preceding the primary or election in the case of the preprimary and preelection report.

11.20(8)(b)

(b) December 31 in the case of the continuing report required by January 31.

11.20(8)(c)

(c) June 30 in the case of the continuing report required by July 20.

11.20(8)(d)

(d) Five days preceding the deadline for filing of the report in the case of the report required under sub. (4m).

11.20(8)(e)

(e) The 22nd day following the special election in the case of the postelection report required under sub. (2m).

11.20(9)

(9) Except as provided in ss. 11.05 (2r) and 11.19 (2), the duty to file reports under this section continues until a termination report is filed in accordance with s. 11.19.

11.20(10)

(10)

11.20(10)(a)

(a) Where a requirement is imposed under this section for the filing of a financial report which is to be received by the appropriate filing officer no later than a certain date, the requirement may be satisfied either by actual receipt of the report by the prescribed time for filing at the office of the filing officer, or by filing a report with the U.S. postal service by first class mail with sufficient prepaid postage, addressed to the appropriate filing officer, no later than the date provided by law for receipt of such report.

11.20(10)(b)

(b) In any case where the postal service is employed by a person subject to a filing requirement as the agent for transmittal of a report, the burden is upon such person to show that a report has been filed with the postal service.

11.20(10)(c)

(c) It is presumed until the contrary is established that the date shown by the postal service cancellation mark on the envelope containing the report is the date that it was deposited in the mail.

11.20(11)

(11) All reports required by this chapter shall be open to public inspection.

11.20(12)

(12) If a candidate is unopposed in a primary or election, the obligation to file the reports required by this chapter does not cease. Except as provided in ss. 11.05 (2r) and 11.19 (2), a registrant who makes or receives no contributions, makes no disbursements or incurs no obligations shall so report on the dates designated in subs. (2) and (4).

11.20(13)

(13) In the event of failure of a candidate or treasurer to file a report or statement required by this chapter by the time prescribed by law, action may be commenced against the candidate, the campaign treasurer, or the candidate's personal campaign committee, if any, or any combination of them.

11.20 - ANNOT.

History: 1973 c. 334; 1975 c. 93, 199; 1979 c. 328 ss. 58, 82 to 92, 146; 1981 c. 314 s. 146; 1983 a. 183, 491, 538; 1985 a. 303 ss. 32m to 37, 88; 1987 a. 370; 1989 a. 192; 1995 a. 16 s. 2; 1997 a. 27; 2001 a. 103, 109; 2003 a. 321; 2005 a. 177.

11.20 - ANNOT.

Cross Reference: See also s. GAB 6.04, Wis. adm. code.