Unlawful political disbursements and obligations
Wis. Stat. § 11.1208
in effect(1) No person may intentionally receive or accept anything of value, or any promise or pledge thereof, constituting a disbursement made or obligation incurred contrary to law.
(2)
(a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), a committee may not make a disbursement or incur an obligation for the committee’s or an individual’s strictly personal use.
(b) A committee may accept contributions and make disbursements from a campaign depository account for any of the following:
1. For the purpose of making disbursements in connection with a campaign for national office.
2. For payment of civil penalties incurred by the committee under this chapter but not under any other chapter.
3. For the purpose of making a donation to a charitable organization or the common school fund.
4. For payment of the expenses of nonpartisan campaigns to increase voter registration or participation.
(c) A candidate committee may accept contributions and make disbursements from a campaign depository account for payment of inaugural expenses of an individual who is elected to state or local office. Inaugural expenses paid from contributions made to the campaign depository account are reportable under s. 11.0204 (1) as disbursements and are subject to the limits under s. 11.1101.
(3) No contributions to or disbursements from a committee’s depository account may be invested for the purpose of producing income unless the investment is in direct obligations of the United States and of agencies and corporations wholly owned by the United States, commercial paper maturing within one year from the date of investment, preferred shares of a corporation, or securities of an investment company registered under the federal investment company act of 1940 (15 USC 80a) and registered for public offer and sale in this state of the type commonly referred to as a “money market fund”.
(4) No person may make or accept a contribution, make a disbursement, make an expenditure, or incur an obligation in violation of 11 CFR 110.20 and 52 USC 30121.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/11.1208Fetched: 10/7/2026