State officials and candidates file Statements of Economic Interests for public inspection when they are nominated, appointed, or elected to a new position, and continue to update them annually. Members and employees of the State of Wisconsin Investment Board must also file additional quarterly reports of economic transactions with the Ethics Commission. A statement identifies a filer's, and his or her immediate family's, employers, investments, real estate, commercial clients, and creditors. The purpose of the statement is to disclose the official's or candidate's financial relationships. Approximately 2,500 state public officials and candidates for state office file statements of economic interests on an annual basis.

A list of the positions of state public officials required to file Statements of Economic Interests is available here: https://ethics.wi.gov/Resources/ETH-1402.pdf. Candidates running for any of the elected positions on the list must also file an SEI to be placed on the ballot.

Newly appointed state officials must file within 21 days of assuming office. Nominees must file within 21 days of their nomination. State officials that are leaving their position must file within 21 days of their end date. Candidates must file within 3 days of the deadline for filing nomination papers. State officials update their Statements annually on or before April 30, reporting their economic interests for the preceding calendar year. 

 

You may file your SEI electronically by following the directions below, or contact Ethics Commission staff to request a paper or pdf copy of the SEI form. Once you have filed your SEI online, you will receive an email confirmation. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact Ethics staff.

  1. Login to the site https://sei.wi.gov .
    • If your password does not work or your account is locked, you can always click FILE YOUR SEI and then Forgot/Reset your password. A new link will emailed to you, and when you click on that link, you can log in by entering your email and a new password twice.
  2. You may be asked to reset your password. The new password must have one letter, one number, and one symbol, and be at least 6 characters long. Click Reset.
  3. From the Menu bar, click FILE YOUR SEI.
  4. Click your name in the Active Officials list.
  5. Verify that your contact and position information are correct.
  6. Click the "STEP 3: FILE SEI" Tab.
    • Click "Start SEI" to create a record for the current year, or if the current year is already listed, use the green button to "Edit SEI".
    • If you are filing a final SEI because you are leaving office, find the filing record labeled as "Final" for that calendar year. This will allow you to enter information current as of the date you left office.
    • At the bottom of each screen, there is a green button that saves and steps you forward. Please verify the information on each screen, and then hit the green button.
    • In the final screen, you must check the "Certify" checkbox before you will see the "Submit" button.
  7. Once you have filed your SEI, you will receive an email confirmation. If you do not receive a confirmation, please contact our office to ensure the SEI has been filed.

For additional help, please read the full instruction manual or contact our office.

SEI System Instruction Manual


 

EMPLOYERS: Any employer from which the official or a member of his or her immediate family received income of $1,000 or more.

BUSINESSES: Any partnership, corporation, proprietorship, firm, franchise, or other business or enterprise in which the official or a member of his or her immediate family owned a 10% or greater interest.

REAL ESTATE: Any real estate located in Wisconsin in which the person required to file or a member of his or her immediate family held, directly or indirectly, a 10% or greater interest valued at $5,000 or more.  Officials do not have to list their principal residence.

CUSTOMERS, CLIENTS, AND TENANTS: Any source from which the businesses and real estate of the person required to file or members of his or her immediate family received $10,000 or more of payments, excluding (a) a corporation's sources of income unless the corporation is a service corporation or an "S" corporation under the Internal Revenue Code, ((b) an individual unless the individual was a lobbyist, and (c) a decedent's estate).

GIFTS: Any individual or organization from which the person required to file received entertainment or gifts having a total value over $50, excluding gifts from relatives.

HONORARIA AND EXPENSES: Any individual or organization from which the person required to file received lodging, transportation, meals, expenses, or honoraria having a value over $50, for the presentation of a talk, participation in a meeting, or a published work about issues affecting state government or state agencies.

OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME: Any source not already identified from which the official or a member of his or her immediate family received income of $1,000 or more during the preceding year, including honoraria not elsewhere reported, Social Security payments, retirement benefits, directors' fees, commissions, and proceeds from the sale of real estate.

SECURITIES: Any business, organization, or Wisconsin governmental entity in which the official or a member of his or her immediate family owned securities, including stocks, bonds, limited partnerships, and commodity futures contracts, valued at $5,000 or more. As of 2023, mutual funds and money market funds do NOT have to be reported. 

OFFICES AND DIRECTORSHIPS: Any business or organization (other than a charitable, political, non-profit social or community service organization; trust; or federal, state, or local government or governmental agency) in which the official or a member of his or her immediate family was an officer or director.

REPRESENTATION OF ORGANIZATIONS: Any business or organization (other than a charitable, political, non-profit social or community service organization; trust; or federal, state, or local government or governmental agency) for which the official or a member of his or her immediate family was an authorized representative or legal agent.

CREDITORS: Any creditor to whom the official or a member of his or her immediate family owed $5,000 or more.

Statements of Economic Interests  (SEIs) filed by appointed and elected officials are retained for three years beyond when the individual leaves office and is no longer required to file an SEI. 

SEIs filed by unsuccessful candidates are retained for three years from the election date.

The Ethics Commission may issue a monetary settlement offer to an official who files his or her SEI more than 15 days after the due date.  If an official fails to file his or her SEI within 30 days of the due date, state statute requires the Ethics Commission and the official's agency to withhold any paychecks, per diems, or expense reimbursement until the official has filed their SEI.

Candidates who fail to file their SEI will not be granted ballot access.

The Ethics Commission has created a Standard Settlement Schedule and Waiver Policy for Statements of Economic Interests - more information is available here: https://ethics.wi.gov/Pages/Enforcement/SettlementSchedules.aspx.

If you wish to view a Statement of Economic Interests for one or more officials, please complete the form ETH-2: Request to Examine SEIs, and submit it to the Ethics Commission staff.

Under the Request to View SEI's tab, you can view a list of state officials that have Statement of Economic Interests on file with the Ethics Commission.

NOTE: Most officials will file statements online - please contact Ethics Commission staff if you are having trouble logging into the site.

If you want a blank, fillable Statement of Economic Interests (SEI) form, click here: https://ethics.wi.gov/Pages/Ethics/FormsAndInstructions.aspx 
For detailed instructions on completing an  Statement of Economic Interests (SEI), click here: https://ethics.wi.gov/Pages/Ethics/FormsAndInstructions.aspx 

For instructions on logging and entering your statement using this site, click here: https://ethics.wi.gov/Resources/SEIDataEntryUserManual.pdf

If you have additional questions or need assistance using this site, please contact the Ethics Commission Staff at ethics@wi.gov or (608) 266-8123.