Article III, Wisconsin Constitution

Wisconsin Constitution
Preamble
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Article III of the Wisconsin Constitution is entitled Suffrage and consists of seven sections, three of which have been repealed.

Section 1

Text of Section 1: Electors Section 1 (1) In this section: (a) "Local office" means any elective office other than a state or national office. (b) “National office" means the offices of president and vice president of the United States, U.S. senator, and representative in congress. (c) “Referendum" means an election at which an advisory, validating, or ratifying question is submitted to the electorate. (d) “State office" means the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, state superintendent of public instruction, justice of the supreme court, court of appeals judge, circuit court judge, state senator, state representative to the assembly, and district attorney. Section 1 (2) Only a United States citizen age 18 or older who is a resident of an election district in this state is a qualified elector of that district who may vote in an election for national, state, or local office or at a statewide or local referendum. Section 1m (1) No qualified elector may cast a ballot in any election unless the elector presents valid photographic identification that verifies the elector’s identity and that is issued by this state, the federal government, a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state, or a college or university in this state. The legislature shall by law establish acceptable forms of photographic identification, and the legislature may by law establish exceptions to the requirement under this subsection. (2) A qualified elector who is unable to present valid photographic identification on election day shall be permitted to cast a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot may not be counted unless the elector presents valid photographic identification at a later time and place as provided by the legislature by law.

1881 J.R. 26 A, 1882 J.R. 5, 1882 c. 272, vote Nov. 1882; 1905 J.R. 15, 1907 J.R. 25, 1907 c. 661, vote Nov. 1908; 1931 J.R. 91, 1933 J.R. 76, vote Nov. 1934; 1983 J.R. 30, 1985 J.R. 14, vote April 1986, vote Nov. 2024.

Section 2

Text of Section 2: Implementation Laws may be enacted: (1) Defining residency. (2) Providing for registration of electors. (3) Providing for absentee voting. (4) Excluding from the right of suffrage persons: (a) Convicted of a felony, unless restored to civil rights. (b) Adjudged by a court to be incompetent or partially incompetent, unless the judgment specifies that the person is capable of understanding the objective of the elective process or the judgment is set aside. (5) Subject to ratification by the people at a general election, extending the right of suffrage to additional classes.

1983 J.R. 30, 1985 J.R. 14, vote April 1986.

Section 3

	Text of Section 3: Secret Ballot All votes shall be by secret ballot.

1983 J.R. 30, 1985 J.R. 14, vote April 1986.

Section 4

	Text of Section 4: Residence Saved

Repealed April 1986; see 1983 J.R. 30, 1985 J.R. 14, vote April 1986.

Section 5

	Text of Section 5: Military Stationing Does Not Confer Residence

Repealed April 1986; see 1983 J.R. 30, 1985 J.R. 14, vote April 1986.

Section 6

	Text of Section 6: Exclusion from Suffrage

Repealed April 1986; see 1983 J.R. 30, 1985 J.R. 14, vote April 1986.

Section 7

Text of Section 7: Private donations and grants; designated election officials. (1) No state agency or officer or employee in state government and no political subdivision of the state or officer or employee of a political subdivision may apply for, accept, expend, or use any moneys or equipment in connection with the conduct of any primary, election, or referendum if the moneys or equipment are donated or granted by an individual or nongovernmental entity. (2) No individual other than an election official designated by law may perform any task in the conduct of any primary, election, or referendum.

Amendments

• Added with the approval of Question 1 and Question 2 on April 2, 2024.

See also

• State constitution
• Constitutional article
• Constitutional amendment
• Constitutional revision
• Constitutional convention
• Amendments
  • Initiated constitutional amendment
  • Legislatively-referred constitutional amendment
  • Publication requirements for proposed state constitutional amendments
  • Rules about constitutional conventions in state constitutions
  • State constitutional articles governing state legislatures

External links

Suggest a link

• Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wisconsin Constitution"
• Wisconsin Historical Society, "Turning Points of Wisconsin History: The State Constitutions of 1846 and 1848"

Additional reading

• Stark, Jack. (2011). The Wisconsin State Constitution, New York, New York: Oxford University Press
• Janik, Erika. (2010). A Short History of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Historical Society Press
• Stark, Jack. (1997). The Wisconsin State Constitution: A Reference Guide, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing