Incorporation referendum procedure
Wis. Stat. § 66.0211
in effect(1) Order. The circuit court’s order for an incorporation referendum shall specify the voting place and the date of the referendum, which shall be not less than 6 weeks from the date of the order, and name 3 inspectors of election. If the order is for a city incorporation referendum the order shall further specify that 7 alderpersons shall be elected at large from the proposed city. The city council at its first meeting shall determine the number and boundaries of wards in compliance with s. 5.15 (1) and (2), and the combination of wards into aldermanic districts. The number of alderpersons per aldermanic district shall be determined by charter ordinance.
(2) Notice of referendum. Notice of the referendum shall be given by publication of the order of the circuit court in a newspaper having general circulation in the territory. Publication shall be once a week for 4 successive weeks. The first publication may not be more than 4 weeks before the referendum.
(3) Return. An incorporation referendum shall be conducted in the same manner as an annexation referendum under s. 66.0217 (7) to the extent applicable except that the ballot shall contain the words “For a city [village]” and “Against a city [village]”. The inspectors shall make a return to the circuit court.
(4) Costs. If the referendum is against incorporation, the costs of the election shall be borne by the towns involved in the proportion that the number of electors of each town within the territory proposed to be incorporated, voting in the referendum, bears to the total number of electors in the territory voting in the referendum. If the referendum is for a village or city, the costs shall be charged against the municipality in the apportionment of town assets.
(5) Certification of incorporation. If a majority of the votes in an incorporation referendum are cast in favor of a village or city, the clerk of the circuit court shall certify the fact to the secretary of administration and supply the secretary of administration with a copy of a description of the legal boundaries of the village or city and the associated population and a copy of a plat of the village or city. Within 10 days of receipt of the description and plat, the secretary of administration shall forward 2 copies to the department of transportation and one copy each to the department of administration and the department of revenue. The secretary of administration shall issue a certificate of incorporation and record the certificate.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/66.0211Fetched: 10/7/2026