Wis. Stat. § 8.15 — WI Code / Chapter 8 / Section 8.15
Nominations for partisan primary.
Status: in_force

(1) Nomination papers may be circulated no sooner than April 15 preceding the general election and may be filed no later than 5 p.m. on June 1 preceding the partisan primary, except as authorized in this subsection. If an incumbent fails to file nomination papers and a declaration of candidacy by 5 p.m. on June 1 preceding the partisan primary, all candidates for the office held by the incumbent, other than the incumbent, may file nomination papers no later than 72 hours after the latest time prescribed in this subsection. No extension of the time for filing nomination papers applies if the incumbent files written notification with the filing officer or agency with whom nomination papers are filed for the office which the incumbent holds, no later than 5 p.m. on the 2nd Friday preceding the latest time prescribed in this subsection for filing nomination papers, that the incumbent is not a candidate for reelection to his or her office, and the incumbent does not file nomination papers for that office within the time prescribed in this subsection. Only those candidates for whom nomination papers containing the necessary signatures acquired within the allotted time and filed before the deadline may have their names appear on the official partisan primary ballot.

(1m) If, under sub. (1) , an incumbent holding local office files written notification that the incumbent is not a candidate for reelection to his or her office or fails to file a declaration of candidacy within the time prescribed in sub. (1) , the officer or body with whom the declaration of candidacy is required to be filed shall promptly provide public notice of that fact on the officer’s or body’s Internet site or, if the officer or body does not maintain an Internet site, by posting notices in at least 3 different locations within the jurisdiction that the officer or body serves.

(2) Only one signature per person for the same office is valid. In addition to his or her signature, in order for the signature to be valid, each signer of a nomination paper shall legibly print his or her name in a space provided next to his or her signature and shall list his or her municipality of residence for voting purposes, the street and number, if any, on which the signer resides, and the date of signing.

(3) All signers on each separate nomination paper for all state offices, county offices, and the offices of U.S. senator and representative in congress shall reside in the jurisdiction or district which the candidate named on the paper will represent, if elected.

(4)

(a) The certification of a qualified circulator who is a qualified elector of this state stating his or her residence with street and number, if any, shall appear at the bottom of each nomination paper, stating he or she personally circulated the nomination paper and personally obtained each of the signatures; he or she knows they are electors of the ward, aldermanic district, municipality or county, as the nomination papers require; he or she knows they signed the paper with full knowledge of its content; he or she knows their respective residences given; he or she knows each signer signed on the date stated opposite his or her name; and, that he or she, the circulator, is a qualified elector of this state; that he or she intends to support the candidate; and that he or she is aware that falsifying the certification is punishable under s. 12.13 (3) (a) . The circulator shall indicate the date that he or she makes the certification next to his or her signature. The certification may be made by the candidate or any qualified circulator.

(b) Nomination papers shall be accompanied by a declaration of candidacy under s. 8.21 . If a candidate for state or local office has not filed a registration statement under s. 11.0202 (1) (a) at the time he or she files nomination papers, the candidate shall file the statement with the papers. A candidate for state office shall also file a statement of economic interests with the ethics commission under s. 19.43 (4) no later than 4:30 p.m. on the 3rd day following the last day for filing nomination papers under sub. (1) , or no later than 4:30 p.m. on the next business day after the last day whenever that candidate is granted an extension of time for filing nomination papers under sub. (1) .

(5)

(a) Each nomination paper shall have substantially the following words printed at the top:

(b) Each candidate shall include his or her mailing address on the candidate’s nomination papers.

(6) The number of required signatures on nomination papers shall be as follows:

(a) For statewide offices, not less than 2,000 nor more than 4,000 electors.

(b) For representatives in congress, not less than 1,000 nor more than 2,000 electors.

(c) For state senators, not less than 400 nor more than 800 electors.

(d) For representatives to the assembly, not less than 200 nor more than 400 electors.

(dm) For district attorneys, not less than 500 nor more than 1,000 electors in prosecutorial units over 100,000 population and not less than 200 nor more than 400 electors in prosecutorial units of 100,000 population or less.

(e) For county offices, not less than 500 nor more than 1,000 electors in counties over 100,000 population and not less than 200 nor more than 400 electors in counties of 100,000 population or less.

(7) A candidate may not run in more than one party primary at the same time. No filing official may accept nomination papers for the same person in the same election for more than one party. A person who files nomination papers as the candidate of a recognized political party may not file nomination papers as an independent candidate for the same office at the same election.

(8) Nomination papers shall be filed:

(a) For state offices and the offices of U.S. senator and representative in congress, in the office of the commission.

(b) For county offices, in the office of the county clerk or board of election commissioners.

(9) If a candidate submits nomination papers with more than the maximum number of required signatures prescribed under sub. (6) , but the filing official determines that the maximum number of required signatures does not result in a sufficient number of valid signatures, the filing official shall review the additional signatures to the extent necessary to determine whether the candidate has collected a sufficient number of valid signatures.

History: 1971 c. 304 ss. 13 , 29 (1) , (2); 1973 c. 334 s. 57 ; 1977 c. 107 , 427 ; 1979 c. 249 , 260 , 311 ; 1983 a. 29 , 484 ; 1985 a. 304 ; 1989 a. 31 ; 1993 a. 140 , 213 , 266 ; 1999 a. 182 ; 2001 a. 109 ; 2005 a. 451 ; 2007 a. 1 ; 2011 a. 32 , 75 ; 2013 a. 160 ; 2015 a. 117 ; 2015 a. 118 ss. 99 , 266 (10) ; 2017 a. 365 s. 111 ; 2017 a. 366 ; 2021 a. 33 ; 2023 a. 125 ; 2025 a. 126 .