8.11 Spring primary.

(1) City.

(a) A primary may be held in any city for the nomination of candidates for city office. When a majority of all the members of the governing body of a city decide upon a spring primary for any specific election, they shall so provide not later than 3 days after the deadline for filing nomination papers.

(b) Any city may provide by charter ordinance, under s. 66.0101, that whenever 3 or more candidates file nomination papers for a city office, a primary to nominate candidates for the office shall be held.

(c) Whenever electors, equal to at least 10 percent of the vote for governor in the city at the last general election, file a petition conforming to the requirements of s. 8.40 with the city clerk requesting a primary within 3 days after the deadline for filing nomination papers, there shall be a primary for any specific election.

(d) When the number of candidates for any city office does not exceed twice the number to be elected to the office, no primary may be held for the office and the candidates' names shall appear on the ballot for the ensuing election.

(1m) Village.

(a) If a village has provided under s. 8.05 (4) (a) for the filing of nomination papers by candidates for village offices for a specific election, the governing body of the village may, no later than 3 days after the deadline for filing nomination papers, provide for nomination of candidates for village offices at the spring primary.

(b) Any village may provide by charter ordinance, under s. 66.0101, that whenever 3 or more candidates file nomination papers for a village office, a primary to nominate candidates for the office shall be held.

(c) Whenever the electors of a village, equal to at least 10 percent of the vote for governor in a village at the last general election, file a petition conforming to the requirements of s. 8.40 with the village clerk requesting a primary no later than December 1 preceding the spring election, there shall be a primary for any specific election.

(d) When the number of candidates for any village office does not exceed twice the number to be elected to the office, no primary may be held for the office and the candidates' names shall appear on the ballot for the ensuing election.

(2) Milwaukee county.

(a) A primary shall be held in counties having a population of 750,000 or more whenever there are more than twice the number of candidates to be elected to the office of comptroller.

(b) A primary shall be held in counties having a population of 750,000 or more whenever there are more than twice the number of candidates to be elected to any judicial office within the county or to the county board of supervisors from any one district.

(2m) First class city school board. A primary shall be held in 1st class cities whenever there are more than 2 candidates for member of the board of school directors at-large or from any election district in any year.

(3) State. A primary shall be held if more than 2 candidates file nomination papers for the office of state superintendent, for justice, for court of appeals judge in the same district or for judge of the same branch of circuit court.

(4) Primary exclusive. Those offices for which a primary has been held shall have only the names of candidates nominated at the primary appear on the official spring election ballot.

(5) County supervisors. A primary shall be held in an election for county board supervisor whenever 3 or more candidates file nomination papers.

History: 1973 c. 118 s. 7; 1973 c. 243; 1977 c. 187, 445, 449; 1979 c. 260, 311; 1983 a. 192, 484; 1985 a. 225, 304; 1989 a. 192, 290; 1999 a. 150 s. 672; 2007 a. 83; 2011 a. 62; 2017 a. 207 s. 5.