AB 35 Wisconsin Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Relating to: withdrawal of candidacy for certain offices filled at the general election and providing a penalty. (FE)

AB 35 requires candidates for most Wisconsin offices (excluding district attorney) to formally withdraw their candidacy by specific deadlines before elections. To withdraw, candidates must file a sworn statement with the election commission and pay a fee ($1,000 for statewide/national offices, $250 for local offices). The law also penalizes false withdrawal statements as a Class G felony, with the commission required to verify the authenticity of all sworn statements. This law directly affects candidates who wish to withdraw from races but does not apply to district attorney candidates.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Oct 2025
Assembly Passage
Jun 2025
Senate Passage
Oct 2025
Signed into Law
Oct 2025
Introduced Feb 17, 2025 Signed Oct 31, 2025
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
36
Key actions
7
Committee
4
Amendments
5
Oct 31, 2025
Signed into law
Report approved by the Governor on 10-31-2025. 2025 Wisconsin Act 43
lower
Oct 20, 2025
Introduced
LRB correction (Assembly Amendment 1)
lower
Oct 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 19, Noes 14
upper
Oct 14, 2025
Amended
Senate Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 15
upper
Oct 14, 2025
Introduced
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senators Larson, Carpenter, Dassler-Alfheim, Drake, Habush Sinykin, Hesselbein, L. Johnson, Keyeski, Pfaff, Ratcliff, Roys, Smith, Spreitzer, Wall and Wirch
upper
Oct 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2
upper
Jun 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read a third time and passed
lower
Jun 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Assembly Amendment 1 adopted
lower
May 7, 2025
Committee
Referred to committee on Rules
lower
May 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Campaigns and Elections, Ayes 6, Noes 0
lower
May 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Campaigns and Elections, Ayes 5, Noes 0
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Introduced
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Steffen
lower
Feb 17, 2025
Introduced
Introduced by Representatives Steffen, Armstrong, Brill, Brooks, Dittrich, Green, Gundrum, Hurd, Kitchens, Knodl, Kreibich, Murphy, Mursau, Nedweski, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk, Sortwell and Tusler; cosponsored by Senator Wanggaard
lower
18 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors