Wisconsin Senate Bill SB1130

Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/19/26
• Refer: 3/19/26
• Failed: 3/23/26

Caption

An Act to repeal 5.02 (22), 5.58, 8.05 (3), 8.05 (5), 8.11, 8.13, 10.02 (3) (b) 4., 10.06 (2) (b), 10.06 (2) (d), 10.06 (3) (as), 10.06 (3) (b), 11.0101 (33), 11.0204 (2), 11.0304 (2), 11.0504 (2), 11.0604 (2), 11.0704 (2), 11.0804 (2), 60.10 (1) (c) 2., 117.22 (2) (e) and 120.06 (7) (b); to renumber 60.10 (1) (c) 1. and 120.06 (7) (a); to renumber and amend 7.60 (4) (c); to amend 5.01 (4) (a), 5.01 (4) (b), 5.01 (4) (c), 5.01 (5), 5.02 (19), 5.02 (20r), 5.15 (6) (b), 5.60 (1) (ag), 5.64 (1) (ar) 1m., 5.64 (1) (ar) 2., 5.66 (1), 5.68 (5), 7.08 (1) (c), 7.10 (6), 7.50 (1) (b), 7.50 (1) (c), 7.50 (2) (intro.), 7.50 (2) (hm), 7.51 (4) (a), 7.51 (5) (a) 3., 7.53 (1) (a), 7.53 (2) (d), 7.53 (3) (a), 7.53 (3) (b), 7.60 (4) (a), 7.60 (4) (b), 7.70 (3) (a), 8.05 (4) (a), 8.10 (1), 8.17 (1) (a), 8.17 (4), 8.17 (5) (b), 8.50 (2) (a), 8.50 (2) (b), 8.50 (3) (a), 8.50 (3) (b), 10.01 (2) (d), 10.01 (2) (e), 10.02 (3) (intro.), 10.06 (1) (c), 10.06 (1) (e), 10.06 (3) (am), 10.06 (3) (bm), 10.06 (3) (f), 10.06 (4) (g), 11.0101 (29), 11.0204 (3) (a), 11.0304 (3) (a), 11.0504 (3) (a), 11.0604 (3) (a), 11.0804 (3) (a), 38.16 (3) (br) 1., 59.17 (7), 59.605 (3) (a) 1., 64.04 (2), 66.0602 (4) (a), 66.0619 (2m) (b), 66.0921 (2), 67.05 (6a) (a) 2. a., 67.05 (6m) (b), 67.12 (12) (e) 5., 77.994 (3) (b) 2. b., 119.08 (2), 120.06 (8) (a), 120.06 (8) (b), 120.06 (8) (c) (intro.), 120.06 (8) (d), 120.06 (8) (f), 120.06 (8) (g), 120.06 (8) (h), 120.06 (9) (a), 121.91 (3) (a) 1. and 995.20; to create 5.05 (1) (g), 5.20, 6.80 (2) (g), 7.60 (4) (c) 3., 7.60 (4) (c) 4., 7.62, 8.05 (1) (L), 10.02 (4), 11.0204 (3) (am), 11.0304 (3) (am), 11.0504 (3) (am), 11.0604 (3) (am), 11.0804 (3) (am), 20.510 (1) (ed) and 20.510 (1) (em) of the statutes; Relating to: ranked-choice voting, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

Summary

SB1130 would overhaul Wisconsin election law to require ranked-choice voting for most elections for federal, state, and local offices, while excluding recall elections. Under the bill, voters could rank candidates in order of preference, and ballots would be tabulated in rounds: if no candidate wins an initial majority, the lowest-performing candidate is eliminated and those voters’ next choices are redistributed until a winner emerges. The bill also establishes a separate ranked-choice process for multi-seat elections, including a threshold-based method and surplus-vote transfers, and it preserves write-in voting in ranked-choice contests. The bill would eliminate most traditional primary-election structures for offices covered by ranked-choice voting, while retaining partisan primaries, special primaries for partisan offices, and the presidential preference primary. It also revises ballot instructions, canvass procedures, election notices, recount-related provisions, and reporting requirements to fit the new voting method. In addition, it authorizes the Elections Commission to update equipment and software, implement secure technologies, and provide grants to counties and municipalities, and it appropriates funds for administration and public outreach/education on ranked-choice voting. The bill’s initial applicability date is the 2027 spring primary and spring election.

Impact

If enacted, SB1130 would substantially amend Wisconsin’s election statutes by replacing conventional plurality-style tabulation with ranked-choice voting rules in a broad range of elections and by creating new canvass and recount procedures to administer those elections. It would repeal or modify numerous statutes governing primaries, ballot formatting, canvassing, special elections, and election notices, and it would require local and state election officials to adapt equipment, software, and administrative practices. The bill would also affect candidates, voters, county and municipal clerks, school district officials, and the Elections Commission, while creating new state spending authority and grant funding for implementation.

Sentiment

Based on the bill’s structure and sponsorship, the measure appears to be supported by lawmakers interested in election reform and expanding ranked-choice voting, with a strong emphasis on implementation and voter education. No committee transcript or recorded vote history was provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, amendments, or formal opposition in the supplied materials. The bill text itself suggests a policy-driven, reform-oriented approach rather than a narrowly targeted technical change.

Contention

The main likely points of contention are the replacement of existing election and primary systems, the complexity of ranked-choice tabulation, and the cost and administrative burden of implementation. Potential concerns would fall on election administrators and local governments that must update equipment, software, training, and procedures, as well as on voters and candidates adjusting to a new ballot format and counting method. The bill also changes how tie votes, exhausted ballots, and multi-seat contests are handled, which could raise concerns among election officials and stakeholders about transparency, accuracy, and public understanding.