The clerk of the jurisdiction conducting an election is responsible for publishing or posting election notices for their respective jurisdictions.
All notices that are required to be posted in the polling place must also be posted in 18pt font.
Sample Notices
The Type A Notice of the Spring Election and Presidential Preference Vote to be held on Aril 2, 2024, contains the required information regarding the election and must be published by the county clerks on the 4th Tuesday in November preceding the election.
The Type A Notice of the General Election to be held on November 5, 2024, contains the required information regarding the election and must be published by the county clerks on the 2nd Tuesday in April preceding the election.
The Type C Notice of Referendum must be published the day before the Spring Election. Whenever a weekly newspaper is used for publication, the notice shall appear in the newspaper's closest issue preceding the election. You may choose to publish the Type C Notice on Saturday or Sunday preceding the election, if you determine that more effective notice will be given.
A copy of the Type C Notice must be provided to municipal clerks for posting at each polling place on Election Day.
The Type A Notice is an “announcement” that an election will occur in the near future. The Type A Notice lists the offices up for election and the current incumbents.
Dates of Publication
For a spring election when municipal or school district candidates are to be elected - published on the 4th Tuesday of November preceding the spring election.
For a special election for municipal office – published at least 40 days preceding the primary and election. (Modify the sample notice to indicate “Special Election” and reflect applicable dates.)
For municipal or school district referendum – Published on the 4th Tuesday preceding the primary or election at which the referendum will appear.
The Type B Notice provides instructions to electors on the procedures for voting a ballot and also includes a sample ballot.
Date of Publication
The Type B Notice is published the day before the primary and election, or if a weekly paper is used, in the closest preceding issue. The Type B Notice is also posted at the polling place on election day along with two sample ballots.
The Type C Notice is different from the Type A Notice of Referendum. It includes the resolution that directed the referendum, as well as an explanatory statement which describes the effect of a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote.
DATE OF PUBLICATION
The Type C Notice is published the day before the primary or election at which the referendum will appear, or if a weekly paper is used, in the closest preceding issue. The Type C Notice is also posted at the polling place on election day.
The Type D Notice is published for any regularly-scheduled* or special primary or election at which municipal, federal, state, county, municipal or school district or referenda appear on the ballot.
DATE OF PUBLICATION
The Type D Notice is published the day before the primary and election, or if a weekly paper is used, in the closest preceding issue. The Type D Notice is also posted at the polling place on election day.
The Type E Notice informs the public of the times and locations where absentee voting is conducted for any regularly-scheduled* or special primary or election at which federal, state, county, municipal or school district offices or referenda appear on the ballot.
DATE OF PUBLICATION
The Type E Notice is published on the 4th Tuesday preceding a primary or election.
POSTING IN LIEU OF PUBLICATION
- Towns and villages may post the above notices in lieu of publication if no newspaper is published in municipality (Wis. Stat. 10.05). Posting must be done in at least three locations in municipality or in one physical location and the municipal website (Wis. Stat. 985.02(2)(a)).
- The notice of the Voting Equipment Public Test is a Class I legal notice and is required to be published (Wis. Stats. 5.84(1) and 985.07(1)).
- For notices required to be published within one week of the primary or election (Types B, C and D), posting must be done at least one week before the election.
- For all other notices (Types A and E) - posting must be done no later than the required publication date.
- Posting can be used to supplement publication.
- The same manner of notification must be used for all notices pertaining to an election.
- When changing the manner of noticing (changing from posting to publishing or vice versa) notice of the change must be given in the manner used before the change.
*Regularly scheduled elections are:
"Spring Primary" - nonpartisan primary held on the 3rd Tuesday in February - s.5.02(22), Stats.
"Spring Election" - nonpartisan election held on the 1st Tuesday in April - s.5.02(21), Stats.
"Partisan Primary" - primary held on the 2nd Tuesday in August - s.5.02(12s), Stats.
"General Election" - election held in even-numbered years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November - s.5.02(5), Stats.
Combining Notices and Costs
County, municipal, and school district clerks may combine election notices where the notices contain identical information and when the levels of government share the same official newspaper. The costs for these combined notices can be prorated between jurisdictions.