117.20 Referendum procedures.

(1)

(a) Except as provided in par. (b), if a referendum is required under ss. 117.08 to 117.11, it shall be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November following receipt of the petition or adoption of the resolution under s. 117.08 (3) (a), 117.09 (3) (a), 117.10 (3) (a) or 117.11 (4) (a). If a referendum is required under s. 117.105 (3), it shall be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in the 2nd November following receipt of the petition or adoption of the resolution under s. 117.105 (1). If a referendum is required under s. 117.105 (4m), it shall be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November following the date an order is issued by the board under s. 117.105 (4m) (c).

(b)

1. If the alternative timeline under s. 117.08 (5) (a) is used and a referendum is required, it shall be held on the first Tuesday in April following receipt of the petition or adoption of the resolution under s. 117.08 (3) (a).

2. If the alternative timeline under s. 117.08 (5) (b) is used and a referendum is required, it shall be held on the 2nd Tuesday in September following receipt of the petition or adoption of the resolution under s. 117.08 (3) (a).

(2) The clerk of each affected school district shall publish notice, as required under s. 8.55, in the territory of that school district. The procedures for school board elections under s. 120.06 (9), (11), (13), and (14) apply to a referendum held under this section. The school board and school district clerk of each affected school district shall each perform, for that school district, the functions assigned to the school board and the school district clerk, respectively, under those subsections. The form of the ballot shall correspond to the form prescribed by the elections commission under ss. 5.64 (2) and 7.08 (1) (a). The clerk of each affected school district shall file with the secretary of the commission a certified statement prepared by the school district board of canvassers of the results of the referendum in that school district.

History: 1989 a. 114; 1997 a. 286; 2003 a. 265; 2007 a. 1; 2009 a. 307; 2015 a. 118; 2017 a. 59.