Opinion El.Bd. 76-01

Use of a hall or room without charge need not be reported as an in-kind contribution if the hall or room is also provided without charge to non-political organizations.  (Issued to David M. Travis, February 18, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-02

Section 11.36, Stats., prohibits any officer or employee of this state from receiving from any other officer or employee of this state while on state time or engaged in his official duties any contribution or service which is primarily for a political purpose and not incidental to the officer’s or employee’s official duties.  (Issued to Thomas S. Smith, February 18, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-03

A separate, segregated fund may not agree with prospective contributors that their contributions will be given to the party or candidate of their choice.  (Issued to M. Scott Cisney, February 18, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-4

All statements and reports required by Ch. 11, Stats., to be verified may be sworn to before a town, village, city, or county clerk or their respective deputies, if any.  (Issued to John C. Oestreicher, February 18, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-05

Section 11.16(2), Stats., not violated by payroll deduction plan if corporation supplied fund with list of contributors and amounts contributed.  Corporation may transmit total payroll deduction in the form of a corporate check if list of names of contributors and amounts contributed is provided to fund.  (Issued to Richard S. Gallagher, February 18, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-06

Labor organizations which have incorporated are prohibited by sec. 11.38, Stats., from making political contributions or engaging in political activities other than as expressly permitted therein.  (Issued to John A. Lawton, March 17, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-07

Campaign funds may be utilized only for political purposes as defined in sec. 11.01(16), Stats.  (Issued to Tim Cullen, March 17, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-08

Petitions under sec. 9.20, Stats., to place an issue on the general election ballot may circulated prior to June 1 preceding the election.  (Issued to Roney L. Sorenson, April 21, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-09

Municipal clerks may not leave off the name of the ward when having ballots printed.  Candidates may elect not to use their first or middle initials on nomination papers or ballots.  Designations such as “Sr.,” “Jr.,” or “III” may be used on nomination papers or on ballots.  (Issued to Harold C. Dobberpuhl, April 21, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-10

Special registration deputies are not authorized to register voters at the polls.  Authority to do so rests solely with the inspectors.  (Issued to Raymond H. Ott, May 12, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-11

Recount; Effect of official’s failure to endorse ballot: Statutory provisions for setting aside improperly endorsed ballots on recount are consistent with case law and other statutes.  Secs. 9.01(1)(b)3 and 4., Stats.  (Issued to Ronald J. DeLain, July 21, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-12

Distribution of printed materials; “political purposes”: Questions of whether officeholder’s purchase and distribution of printed materials to constituents are subject to reporting and identification requirements and in violation of election bribery statute depends on whether intentions of distributor as to political office, content of materials, time and manner of distributions, pattern and frequency of distribution, and value of materials indicate purchase and distribution are for “political purposes.”  Secs. 11.01(16), 11.06, 11.30(2), 12.11, Stats.  (Issued to Richard A. Soletski, August 25, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-13

Contributions: Use of charge card for contributions over $50 is permissible where such use produces document identifying name of contributor and amount contributed.  Sec 11.16(2).  (Issued to Michael D. Regenfuss, August 25, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-14

Disclaimers; Political Advertising: Roadside billboards carrying political advertisements must carry disclaimers readable from the road; the party designing, printing, and erecting such billboards, and the source of the advertisement are each subject to the disclaimer requirement.  Sec. 11.30(2), Stats.  (Issued to Sandra Hafenbraedl, September 16, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd.  76-15

Corporate conduits: A corporation which acts solely as a conduit in collecting and transferring predetermined contributions of its members to a state organization does not violate the prohibition on contributions by corporations.  Sec. 11.38, Stats., Ops. El.Bd. 74-1, 75-6, 76-3, 76-6.  (Issued to Robert H. Friebert, December 17, 1976)

Opinion El.Bd. 76-16

Legislative newsletters and campaign finance laws: Campaign funds cannot be used to pay any part of the cost incurred for newsletters funded in any part by state funds; Use of state employees on state time to prepare newsletters intended primarily for political purposes in unlawful; Test established for determining whether a state-funded newsletter is primarily for political purposes.  Sec. 11.36, Stats., s. 11.33, Stats., Op.El.Bd. 76-2.  (Issued to David E. Clarenbach, December 18, 1976)