In this post, I asked “Is it really legal to offer alcohol to get someone to sign a recall petition in Wisconsin?” In response, Michael Haas, staff counsel to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, send along the following via email:

I am responding to your invitation on ElectionLaw Blog to weigh in on our statement quoted in the Huffington Post regarding recall committees allegedly offering free drinks to entice individuals who sign recall petitions. Wisconsin Statute section 12.11 essentially prohibits any person from offering or giving, or from receiving, anything of value in order to induce an elector to go to or refrain from going to the polls; to vote or refrain from voting; or to vote or refrain from voting for or against a particular person or referendum. The statute also specifically applies to the signing of nomination papers, but is silent regarding the signing of recall petitions. As stated in the article, we merely confirmed that Wisconsin Statutes do not prohibit the offering or payment of anything of value to induce individuals to sign recall petitions, but we discourage that activity. We are not aware of any confirmed cases where that has occurred in relation to the recall petitions being circulated against Wisconsin legislators. The Legislature could certainly prohibit it as it has done with regard to nomination papers.

Very interesting. Don’t try this in California, where secton 18603 of the Elections Code makes this illegal.