11.07

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11.07 Designation of agent by nonresident individuals, committees and groups.

11.07(1)

(1) Every nonresident committee making contributions and every nonresident individual or committee making disbursements to support or oppose the election or nomination of a candidate at an election exceeding $25 cumulatively in a calendar year within this state, and every nonresident group making contributions and every nonresident group or individual making disbursements to support or oppose a particular vote at a referendum exceeding $750 cumulatively in a calendar year within this state, shall file name, mailing and street address and the name and the mailing and street address of a designated agent within the state with the office of the secretary of state. An agent may be any adult individual who is a resident of this state. After any change in the name or address of such agent the new address or name of the successor agent shall be filed within 30 days. Service of process in any proceeding under this chapter or ch. 12, or service of any other notice or demand may be made upon such agent.

11.07(3)

(3) The secretary of state shall keep a record of all processes, notices, and demands served upon the secretary of state under this section that shows the date and hour of service and the date of mailing. The certificate of the secretary of state that a summons and complaint, notice of object of action, or any notice or demand required or permitted by law was served upon the secretary of state and that the same was mailed by the secretary of state as required by law, shall be evidence of service upon the secretary of state. If the address of the individual, committee, or group is not known or readily ascertainable, mailing is dispensed with, and a copy of the process shall be published as a class 1 notice, under ch. 985, in the county in which the last-known registered agent was located or, if unknown, in Dane County.

11.07(6)

(6) For purposes of this section, a nonresident individual or organization is one who or which does not maintain an office or street address within the state.

11.07(2)

(2) During any period within which any individual or organization under sub. (1) fails to appoint or maintain in this state a registered agent, or whenever any such registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be found at the street address listed on the registration, the secretary of state shall be an agent and representative of such individual or organization upon whom any process, notice or demand may be served. Service on the secretary of state of any such process, notice or demand against any such individual or organization shall be made by delivering to and leaving with the secretary of state, or with any clerk having charge of the secretary’s office, duplicate copies of such process, notice or demand. If any process, notice or demand is served on the secretary of state, he or she shall immediately cause one of such copies to be forwarded by registered mail, addressed to such individual, committee or group at its mailing address as the same appears in the records of the secretary of state. The time within which the defendant may demur or answer does not start to run until 10 days after the date of such mailing.

11.07(4)

(4) Nothing in this section limits or affects the right to serve any process, notice or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon a nonresident individual or organization in any other manner permitted by law.

11.07(5)

(5) Any campaign treasurer or individual who knowingly receives a contribution made by an unregistered nonresident in violation of this section may not use or expend such contribution but shall immediately return it to the source or at the option of the campaign treasurer or individual, donate the contribution to a charitable organization or to the common school fund.