Instructions for Completing the Declaration of Candidacy
All candidates seeking ballot status for election to school district office in the State of Wisconsin must properly
complete and file a Declaration of Candidacy. This form must be ON FILE with the proper school district clerk
no later than the deadline for filing nomination papers or the candidate's name will not appear on the ballot. A
facsimile will be accepted if the
FAX
copy is received by the school district clerk no later than the filing deadline
and the signed original declaration is received by the school district clerk with a postmark no later than the filing
deadline.
Information to be provided by the candidate:
Type or print your name on the first line.
The title of the office and any seat number or apportioned district for which you are seeking election
must be inserted on the second line.
Felony convictions: Your name cannot appear on the ballot if you have been convicted of a felony
in any court in the United States for which you have not been pardoned. Please see footnote on
page 1 for further information with respect to convictions for misdemeanors involving a violation of
public trust. These restrictions only apply to candidates for state and local office.
Your current address, including your municipality of residence for voting purposes, must be inserted on the
fourth line. This must include your entire mailing address (street and number, municipality where you
receive mail) and the name of the municipality in which you reside and vote (town, village, or city of ).
If your address changes before the election, an amended Declaration of Candidacy must be filed with the
School District Clerk. Wis. Stat. §.8.21.
Type or print your name on the fifth line as you want it to be printed on the official ballot. You may use your full
legal name, or any combination of first name, middle name, and initials, or nickname with last name.
Note: The Wisconsin Elections Commission has determined that, absent any evidence of an
attempt to manipulate the electoral process, candidates are permitted to choose any
form of their name, including nicknames, by which they want to appear on the ballot.
No titles are permitted. In addition, names such as “Red” or “Skip” are permitted, but
names which have an apparent electoral purpose or benefit, such as “Lower taxes,”
“None of the above” or “Lower Spending” are not permitted. It is also not permissible
to add nicknames in quotes or parentheses between first and last names. For
example, John “Jack” Jones or John (Jack) Jones are not acceptable, but John
Jones, Jack Jones or John Jack Jones are acceptable.
This form must be sworn to and signed in the presence of a notary public or other person authorized to
administer oaths, such as a county, municipal or school district clerk. Wis. Stat. §§ 8.21(2), 887.01(1).
Information to be provided by the person administering the oath:
The county where oath was administered.
The date the Declaration of Candidacy was signed and the oath administered.
The signature and title of the person administering the oath. If signed by a notary public, the date the
notary’s commission expires must be listed, and the notary seal is required.
All school district candidates must file this form with the appropriate school district clerk no later than the deadline
for filing nomination papers. Wis. Stats. §§ 8.10 (5), 8.15 (4)(b), 8.20 (6), 8.21, 8.50 (3)(a), 120.06 (6)(b).
