WEC Prepares to Approve Candidate Ballot Access
MADISON, Wis. – The six members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission on Tuesday will approve ballot access for the Spring Election and Special Election in Senate District 8 following an intensive staff effort in the document review process that involved more than a dozen personnel and upwards of 150 hours of work.
In a public meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 10, WEC Commissioners will perform a final review of the required materials submitted by candidates seeking Spring and Special ballot access, and either approve or deny each candidate’s access to the ballot depending on if they have met the requirements. Candidate ballot access is not official until it is approved by the Commission. A total of 79 candidates for state offices registered for all offices on the ballot in the April election, 72 of whom filed nomination papers with the WEC.
State level candidates who file with the WEC must provide nomination papers, which include a minimum number of signatures of electors; a declaration of candidacy; a statement of economic interest; and a campaign registration statement. The materials must have been submitted by the appropriate deadlines and meet all filing requirements. The statement of economic interest and campaign registration statement are filed with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. Below are the minimum number of signatures required for candidates seeking election this Spring:
- Justice of the Supreme Court: 2,000-4,000
- Court of Appeals Judge and Circuit Court Judge in Milwaukee: 1,000-2,000
- State Senator: 400-800
- Circuit Court Judge: 200-400
In recent weeks, WEC staff – as they do during every election cycle – determined which candidates submitted all materials and reviewed them for sufficiency. During the review of nomination papers, staff review all headers, signatures, and circulator information to determine a final count of sufficient signatures. Staff make sure addresses are in the district and confirm that dates written by signers are within the circulation period.
Some of the reasons signatures may be deemed insufficient include missing or incomplete dates of signers; illegible information; signers live outside the district; or missing or incorrect information in the header.
For more information, see the WEC’s ballot access manual: Candidate Ballot Access Procedures: Nomination Papers | Wisconsin Elections Commission
To see which candidates have filed ballot access paperwork with the WEC at the following link: Candidate Tracking Reports | Wisconsin Elections Commission
Materials for the Jan. 10 meeting can be found at the following link: Wisconsin Elections Commission January 2023 Meeting | Wisconsin Elections Commission
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.