Election Law in Wisconsin 2026

  • OnDemand seminar
  • Administrative Law
Up to 7.0 Credit Hours
View schedule and faculty
Election Law in Wisconsin 2026

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Election administration isn’t confined to polling places. Disputes over absentee voting, election procedures, or local decision-making can quickly escalate into statewide debates, investigations, and litigation. Attorneys who work with election officials or advise clients on public-facing disputes need a clear sense of what’s new, what’s unsettled, and what’s at stake.

Election Law in Wisconsin brings together practitioners and public officials to discuss how Wisconsin’s election system operates in practice and how recent developments will impact your work before, during, and after elections.

8:25 am
Welcome and Introduction

Michael P. Gallagher

8:30 am
Wisconsin Election Law Structure and Administration

Michael R. Haas

  • Primer to the Statutes governing the election administration structure
  • Discuss the roles of various election officials that will address the issues and conduct elections
9:20 am
Common Election Day Issues

Angela O’Brien Sharpe

  • Electioneering, unauthorized election-related material, bribery
  • Election observers and conduct (new admin rule!)
  • Weapons in the polling place, election threats
  • Election administration issues (absentee certificates, voting in person vs. absentee, estension of voting hours, election records)
  • Takeaways: election administrative complaints & planning before election day
10:10 am
Break
10:25 am
Wisconsin Election Bills in the Current Legislative Session

Katie L. Bender-Olson, Peggy J. Hurley

  • Discussion on legislation introduced in the current session including Act 47
  • Monday processing of absentee ballots, maintenance of voter lists, absentee voting issues
  • Significant changes to the administrative code relating to election observers
11:15 am
The Status of Redistricting in Wisconsin and Beyond

Moderator: Joseph T. Kreye Panelists: Douglas M. Poland, Lucas T. Vebber

  • The role of race in redistricting (VRA Section 2/US Const Equal Protection Clause)
  • The current state of Wisconsin law on criteria to be used in state legislative and congressional redistricting
  • Forum and venue in redistricting challenges
  • Proposed and possible statutory and constitutional reforms
  • New/emerging legal theories (e.g., anti-competitive gerrymandering)
12:05 pm
Lunch
1:05 pm
Federal v. State Administration of Elections

Michael P. Gallagher

  • Constitutional primacy of the states in regulating elections and choosing the manner of appointment of presidential electors
  • Congress’ role under the Elections Clause and amendments to the U.S. Constitution
  • Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other federal laws regulating elections
  • The President’s role, Executive Order 14248 and where it stands in the courts, and related developments
  • The SAVE Act
1:55 pm
Hot Topics in Election Law

Helen Brewer

  • Trends in state election legislation
  • Ballot measures on elections
  • Federal changes and implications for state law
  • Looking Ahead: 2026 elections
2:45 pm
Break
3:00 pm
Ayodabo, et al, v. City of Madison

Joseph T. Kreye

  • Background; underlying facts; Madison and WEC investigations
  • Complaint
  • Response
  • Court proceedings; case status
3:50 pm
Program Concludes

Program Chairs and Presenters

Michael P. Gallagher
Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau · Madison
Joseph T. Kreye
Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau · Madison

Presenters

7 total
Katie L. Bender-Olson
Wisconsin Legislative Council · Madison
Helen Brewer
National Conference of State Legislatures · Washington D.C.
Michael R. Haas
City of Madison · Madison
Peggy J. Hurley
Wisconsin Legislative Council · Madison
Angela O’Brien Sharpe
Wisconsin Elections Commission · Madison
Douglas M. Poland
Law Forward Inc. · Madison
Lucas T. Vebber
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty · Milwaukee

  • Advise election officials, municipalities, and public officials working under time constraints
  • Anticipate common election day issues before they escalate into complaints or investigations
  • Understand how federal law and Wisconsin election procedures interact when disputes arise
  • Stay current on legislative proposals and administrative rule changes affecting elections
  • Examine the latest redistricting developments and their potential implications
  • Election lawyers
  • Administrative lawyers
  • Government lawyers
  • Municipal lawyers
  • Municipal and county clerks
  • Anyone interested in Wisconsin election law

Book Bonus!

Wisconsin Attorney’s Desk Reference
Save 15% on the Wisconsin Attorney’s Desk Reference.* Save valuable time researching unfamiliar areas of law with easy-to-follow outlines covering 11 practice areas and 35 topics, complete with citations to key primary sources. Use discount code CA3956 when you order online or by calling (800) 728-7788.

*Discount applies to both print and digital Books Unbound editions of this title and cannot be applied to previous purchases. Offer valid through 12/31/27. For Books Unbound users, discount may be applied to purchase of individual Books Unbound title only and may not be used on the purchase of libraries. Discount cannot be combined with any other offers.

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