6.48 Challenging registration.

(1) General procedure.

(a) Any registered elector of a municipality may challenge the registration of any other registered elector by submitting to the municipal clerk or executive director of the board of election commissioners in cities of more than 500,000 population an affidavit stating that the elector is not qualified to vote and the reasons therefor. The clerk or director, upon receipt of the affidavit, shall mail a notification of the challenge to the challenged elector, at his or her registered address.

(b) The challenged and challenging electors shall appear before the municipal clerk within one week of notification or arrange under sub. (2) to appear before the board of election commissioners. The challenging elector shall make an affidavit answering any questions necessary to determine the challenged elector's qualifications. Judgment rests with the municipal clerk and decisions shall be rendered as soon as heard. If the clerk cannot resolve the issue or has reservations as to the answers, the clerk may require the challenging elector to take the oath under s. 6.925. If the challenged elector appears and contests any answer of the challenging elector, the clerk may require the challenged elector to take the oath under s. 6.94 and to answer any question necessary to determine the challenged elector's qualifications. If the challenging elector appears before the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners but the challenged elector fails to appear, such clerk or board may make the decision without consulting the challenged elector. If the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners does not sustain the challenge, the challenged elector's registration remains valid.

(c) If the challenging elector fails to appear before the municipal clerk within one week or in cities of more than 500,000 population fails to appear before the board of election commissioners under sub. (2) to answer questions and take the oath under s. 6.925, such clerk or board shall cancel the challenge.

(d) If the clerk determines that the challenged elector is not qualified, the clerk shall change the challenged elector's registration from eligible to ineligible status on the registration list and notify the inspectors for the ward or election district where the elector was registered.

(2) Special procedure in populous cities.

(a) In cities of more than 500,000 population, objections may be made before the board of election commissioners which shall sit on the last Wednesday before each election from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. to hear objections then made or deferred under sub. (1). If all the objections cannot then be determined, the commissioners shall sit during the same hours the next day.

(b) Upon appearing in person, objectors shall be examined, under oath, by the commissioners and testimony taken. Judgment rests with the board of election commissioners and decisions shall be rendered as soon as heard. All cases are heard and decided summarily. The commissioners shall determine whether the person objected to is qualified. If they determine that a person is not qualified, the executive director of the board of election commissioners shall change the elector from eligible to ineligible status on the registration list and shall notify the proper ward officials of the change immediately.

(3) Challenge based on incompetency. Section 6.03 (3) applies to any challenge which is made to registration based on an allegation that an elector is incapable of understanding the objective of the elective process and thereby ineligible for registration.

(4) Disqualification. The municipal clerk or board of election commissioners may not disqualify an elector under this section except upon the grounds and in accordance with the procedure specified in s. 6.325.

History: 1971 c. 304 s. 29 (2); 1973 c. 334; 1975 c. 85, 199; 1977 c. 394; 1979 c. 110; 1983 a. 484; 1985 a. 304; 1987 a. 391; 2003 a. 265.