School Board Elections: Resources

A significant change has occurred regarding the effective date of 2023 Wisconsin Act 126. As originally enacted into law, 2023 Act 126 required local candidate committees and other committees that register with a local filing officer to begin registering and filing their campaign finance reports with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. This change from local filing to centralized filing with the Commission was previously scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025.

On June 9, 2025, Governor Evers signed 2025 Wisconsin Act 7. This new Act amends the effective date of 2023 Act 126. The provisions of 2023 Act 126 related to registration and reporting now take effect on December 1, 2027. As a result of 2025 Act 7, local candidates and other committees that have been registering their committees and filing reports with school board clerks will continue to do so until December 1, 2027.

These resources have been updated for the 2027 Spring Election.

1.  Sample Form for Giving Notification of Refusal to Accept Board Member Salary (a sample from WASB’s Policy Resource Guide)

2.  Sample Communications from School Districts to Municipal Clerks Regarding the Status of Write-In Candidates

3.  Sample Documents Relating to the School District Board of Canvassers (Appointment Notices, Appointment Acceptance/Declination Form, Oath of Office, Open Meetings Law Notice)

4.  Coming Soon!  Samples for Giving Public Notice of Incumbent Noncandidacy Decisions and Notice of Related Elections Matters under Wisconsin Law: Sample Notices that Address Section 120.06(6)(b)3m of the Wisconsin Statutes and Sections EL 2.07(3)(c), EL 2.07(3)(j), EL 2.08(2)(c) and EL 2.08(2)(j) of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, including the following:

• • SAMPLE “NOTICE OF INCUMBENTS WHO HAVE FILED A NOTIFICATION OF NONCANDIDACY”
  • SAMPLE “NOTICE THAT NO INCUMBENTS HAVE FILED A NOTIFICATION OF NONCANDIDACY”
    (This is an optional notice that is not required by state law.)
  • SAMPLE “NOTICE OF DISTRICT-SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE ELECTRONIC FILING OF DOCUMENTS WHEN FILING CHALLENGES, RESPONSES, AND REBUTTALS UNDER CHAPTER EL 2 OF THE WISCONSIN ADMINISTRATIVE CODE”   (For purposes of the local administration of Chapter EL 2 challenges, all school districts need to have a publicly-available set of instructions for electronic filing.)
  • SAMPLE “NOTICE OF INCUMBENT NONCANDIDACY, 72-HOUR EXTENSION OF SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE FILING DEADLINE, MODIFIED DEADLINES RELATED TO CHALLENGES TO CERTAIN CANDIDATE PAPERS, AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE ELECTRONIC FILING OF DOCUMENTS THAT RELATE TO SUCH CHALLENGES” (This notice is required only if an incumbent’s non-candidacy for the Spring Election triggers a 72-hour extension of the candidate filing deadline for the applicable school board seat’s ballot contest.)

The information presented in these documents are a product of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, Inc. These documents are intended to provide general information, with commentary, as a service to WASB members. The materials and information provided in these document are not intended as, and should not be relied upon, as legal advice. If needed, legal advice regarding any topic, issue, district-specific situation or incident should be obtained from the school district’s designated legal counsel.