Vote NO, Wisconsin!
/Special to the Speakeasy by Jane Benson
Vote NO on the April WI State Ballot Referendums!
Absentee ballots are hitting mailboxes for WI voters now for the April 2 Spring General Election. There are 2 "sneaky" ballot referendum questions on the ballot. They are actually parts of a constitutional amendment designed to go around Gov. Evers' veto because they can't pass as bills that cross his desk. The recommendation from the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, the ACLU and other organizations is to vote NO on both questions. Here's how the questions are worded and why to vote no.
Question 1 - Use of Private Funds in Election Administration
Shall section 7(1) of article III of the constitution be created to provide that private donations and grants may not be applied for, accepted, expended, or used in connection with the conduct of any primary, election, or referendum?
Why Vote NO on Question 1?
Elections need to be fully funded, and often state and federal funding are not enough. This amendment reduces the options for municipal governments looking for outside sources of funding for elections without providing alternative resources. This change will shift the burden even further onto tax payers.
This change will have a negative impact on the voter experience and could lead to long lines and wait times at polling places, fewer polling places, longer waits for election night results, and more due to lack of funding.
This change does not belong in our constitution. If the legislature wants to make this change, they should work with the governor to do so in a way that ensures our elections are fully funded.
Vote No on question 1 to ensure our clerks have the support and money they need to keep our elections running smoothly and securely.
Question 2 - Election Officials
Shall section 7(2) of article III of the constitution be created to provide that only election officials designated by law may perform tasks in the conduct of primaries, elections, and referendums?
Why Vote No on Question 2?
Elections are a lot of work. Clerks rely on a whole host of outside experts, volunteers, and community members to make sure our elections are run smoothly and the results are accurate.
Voter education organizations, like the League of Women Voters, play a critical role in informing the public about their right to vote. This proposed change to our constitution ties the hands of our election officials from getting the outside support they need for our elections to function.
This change does not belong in our constitution. If the legislature wants to make this change, they should work with the governor to do so in a way that ensures our clerks are able to get the support they need to run our elections.
Vote No to question 2 to ensure our clerks have the support they need to run our elections and voters have the support they need to make informed decisions for our state.
Don't Be Fooled!
If you're seeing a pattern of more "ballot referendums" that really change our state constitution, believe what you see. While Republicans took away our rights in 2023 to have ballot referendums at the county and municipal levels, they are abusing ballot referendums themselves at the state level to make elections harder for clerks and voters alike.
Please vote NO on the 2 state ballot referendums.
Tell your family and friends!