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The State and Local Tap: Wisconsin voters to decide spring elections

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April 3, 2021Issue No. 248

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Week in review
On tap next week

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Here's what happened in State and local politics last week.

State Politics: The Week in Review

Ballot Measures Update

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Tuesday, March 30

Tim O’Brien sworn in to Indiana House of Representatives

  • Tim O’Brien (R) was sworn in to represent District 78 in the Indiana House of Representatives on March 30 . Republican precinct committee members selected him to represent the district in a caucus on March 29. O’Brien replaces Holli Sullivan (R), who was recently appointed as Indiana's new secretary of state. Sullivan, who had represented the district since 2014, was appointed secretary of state on March 16.
  • O’Brien defeated Alfonso Vidal and Sean Selby to win the caucus vote. He will serve the remainder of Sullivan’s term, and the office will be up for regular election in November 2022. At the time of his appointment, O’Brien worked as a realtor for F.C. Tucker Emge.
  • The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Indiana General Assembly. After O’Brien’s appointment, the current partisan breakdown of the chamber is 71 Republicans and 29 Democrats.

Wednesday, March 31

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee nominates Sabina Matos as lieutenant governor

  • Governor Dan McKee (D) nominated Providence City Council President Sabina Matos as lieutenant governor on March 31. McKee selected a new lieutenant governor after he was sworn in as governor on March 2. Then-lieutenant governor McKee replaced Gina Raimondo (D) as governor when she resigned to become U.S. secretary of commerce.
  • Matos is the president of the Providence City Council. She was elected to the council in 2010, re-elected in 2018, and elected president in 2019.
  • According to NBC, around 80 people applied for the position. Upon selecting Matos, McKee said, “I was looking for someone to be a true governing partner...someone who shares my commitment to supporting our 39 cities and towns and our small businesses, and that's exactly what I found in Sabina.” If confirmed by the Rhode Island Senate, Matos will be Rhode Island’s first lieutenant governor who is a person of color.

Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down state's face-covering requirement

  • The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on March 31 that Gov. Tony Evers (D) overstepped his authority when he declared several states of emergency since the start of the pandemic without input from the legislature. In the majority opinion, Justice Brian Hagedorn wrote that under the relevant state statute, only a joint resolution from the legislature could extend a state of emergency beyond 60 days. Evers first declared a state of emergency in March 2020. The ruling invalidated Wisconsin’s emergency order, which included the statewide mask mandate. The mask requirement took effect on Aug. 1, 2020.
  • Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) lifted the state’s mask requirement on March 30. The requirement first took effect on July 20, 2020. Businesses can still require patrons to wear masks.
  • In total, 39 states issued statewide public mask requirements during the pandemic. Thirty-one states currently have statewide mask orders, including 22 of the 23 states with Democratic governors and nine out of the 27 states with Republican governors.

Thursday, April 1

Arizona Supreme Court Justice Andrew Gould retires

  • Andrew Gould retired from the Arizona Supreme Court on April 1. Governor Doug Ducey (R) appointed Gould to the court on Nov. 28, 2016, after a new bill expanded the state’s supreme court from five justices to seven. Gould was retained in 2020 with 68.1% of the vote. His term was set to expire on Jan. 4, 2027. Previously, Gould served on the Arizona Court of Appeals from 2011 to 2016.
  • The governor of Arizona fills vacancies on the supreme court by appointment. Newly-appointed judges must stand for retention to remain on the court during the next general election after they serve at least two years on the bench.
  • The Arizona Supreme Court is the state’s court of last resort. Republican governors appointed all seven judges on the court. Governor Ducey appointed five, and former Gov. Janice Kay Brewer (R) appointed two.

Max Baer becomes new chief justice of Pennsylvania Supreme Court

  • Max Baer (D) was sworn in as the chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on April 1. He succeeded former Chief Justice Thomas Saylor (R), who stepped down the same day in preparation for his retirement in December 2021.
  • Baer was first elected to the court in 2003 and retained in 2013 with 71% of the vote. Before joining the court, Baer served as an administrative judge on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, attorney in private practice, and deputy attorney general of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
  • The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort and has seven judgeships. Five judges on the court were elected in partisan elections as Democrats, one judge was elected as a Republican, and one judge was appointed by Democratic Governor Tom Wolf. The court is the oldest appellate court in the United States.

North Carolina schools reopen for in-person instruction

  • On April 1, North Carolina schools had to reopen under a law signed by Gov. Roy Cooper (D) on March 11. Under the law, public elementary schools have to offer full-time in-person instruction. Public middle and high schools have to offer at least hybrid (part-time) in-person instruction. Parents can still choose fully remote classes for their children. The bill passed the state Senate 49-0 on March 10 and the state House 119-0 on March 11.
  • Nationwide:
    • Two states (Del., Hawaii) and Washington, D.C. had state-ordered regional school closures, required closures for certain grade levels, or allowed hybrid instruction only.
    • Seven states (Ark., Fla., Iowa, N.H., N.C., Texas, W.Va.) had state-ordered in-person instruction.
    • Two states (Ariz., Ore.) had state-ordered in-person instruction for certain grades.
    • Thirty-nine states left decisions to schools or districts.

New York ends mandatory quarantine requirement for domestic travelers

  • On April 1, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) ended the state’s requirement that unvaccinated out-of-state travelers and returning residents must quarantine for 10 days or present a negative COVID-19 test. The New York State Department of Health recommends, however, that unvaccinated people and those who haven’t recovered from a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 continue to quarantine when they arrive in the state.
  • Travelers from states outside of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont must fill out an online Traveler Health Form and monitor for symptoms. Travelers who develop symptoms must self-isolate.
    • New York implemented its first travel restrictions alongside New Jersey and Connecticut on June 24, 2020.
    • To date, 27 states and the District of Columbia have issued at least one executive order restricting interstate travel. Of the 27 executive orders issued by governors or state agencies placing restrictions on out-of-state visitors, at least 21 have been rescinded.

Friday, April 2

Colorado, New Hampshire expand coronavirus vaccine eligibility to everyone 16 and older

  • On April 2, Colorado residents 16 and older became eligible for vaccination. Previously, all residents 50 and older were eligible. New Hampshire residents 16 and older also became eligible for vaccination on that date. Previously, all residents 30 and older were eligible.
  • Of the 21 states with statewide vaccine availability for everyone 16 and older, five have Democratic governors and 16 have Republican governors. In last week's coronavirus vaccine update, all residents 16 and older were eligible to register for the coronavirus vaccine in seven states.

Special Elections


Local Politics: The Week in Review

  • In 2021, Ballotpedia is providing comprehensive coverage of elections in America's 100 largest cities by population and all state capitals. This encompasses every office on the ballot in these cities, including their municipal elections, trial court elections, school board elections, and local ballot measures. Ballotpedia also covers all local recall elections as well as all local ballot measures in California and a selection of notable local ballot measures about elections and police-related policies. Recent and upcoming local ballot measure elections are listed below:
    • March 2 in California: Voters in nine local jurisdictions decided nine local ballot measures in Fresno County, Los Angeles County, Marin County, Riverside County, and Sonoma County.
      • Five parcel tax measures - One was approved, and four were defeated.
      • A school district reorganization measure - Approved
      • A measure on short-term rental regulations - Approved
      • An appropriations limit increase measure - Approved
      • A hotel tax measure - Defeated
    • March 2 in Vermont: Voters in Burlington approved a local charter amendment that was designed to enact ranked-choice voting for city council elections.
    • April 6 in Alaska: Voters in Anchorage will decide eleven ballot measures: seven bond measures, one property tax measure, and three annexation issues.
    • April 6 in Colorado: Voters in Colorado Springs will decide one local charter amendment concerning the length of ballot titles for tax or bonded debt increases.
    • April 6 in Missouri: Voters in Kansas City and St. Louis will decide whether to renew local 1% earnings taxes. Voters in the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will decide five local charter amendments and one bond issue. Voters in the Platte County R-III School District will decide a $73 million bond issue.
    • April 6 in Wisconsin: Voters in Madison will decide four advisory questions concerning the Madison Common Council.
WHAT'S ON TAP NEXT WEEK

Here's what is happening in State and local politics this week.

State Politics: What's On Tap Next Week

Monday, April 5

Candidate filing deadline to pass for New Jersey's state executive, legislative offices

  • The filing deadline to run for elected office in New Jersey will pass on April 5. Prospective candidates may file for the following offices:
  • Ballotpedia is also covering local elections in the following counties:
  • The primary is scheduled for June 8 and the general election is scheduled for Nov. 2.
  • New Jersey’s statewide filing deadline is the fifth of six to take place in the 2021 election cycle. The last statewide filing deadline is on May 21 in Washington.

Tuesday, April 6

Wisconsin voters to decide state superintendent of public instruction, judicial, municipal, and school board elections

  • Voters in Wisconsin will decide the state’s spring primary election on April 6. The spring primary for these races was held on Feb. 16, and the filing deadline for candidates to run was on Jan. 5. Voters will decide elections for the state’s superintendent of public instruction, three judgeships on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, and special elections in two state legislative districts—state Senate District 13 and Assembly District 89.
  • Deborah Kerr and Jill Underly are running in the nonpartisan superintendent of public instruction election after advancing as the top-two finishers from the primary. Kerr, a former school district superintendent, received 26.5% of the primary vote, and Underly, a current school district superintendent, received 27.3%.
    • As of April 1, Underly has been endorsed by two former Wisconsin state superintendents, four Democratic members of Congress, and 28 Democratic members of the Wisconsin State Legislature. In her own words, Kerr said she was a "pragmatic Democrat with conservative values." She has received endorsements from state Sens. Alberta Darling (R) and Lena Taylor (D). Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D), who was state superintendent of public instruction from 2009 to 2019, has not endorsed a candidate in the race.
    • Kerr supports publicly funded school vouchers and reopening schools statewide. Underly opposes publicly funded school vouchers and supports allowing local school districts to decide when they reopen.
    • Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor, whom Evers appointed as his replacement, did not run for a full term.
    • The Feb. 16 primary had the second-highest turnout for a Wisconsin state superintendent race in the past 20 years. To read more about historical turnout figures in statewide Wisconsin races, click here.
  • Ballotpedia is also covering local elections in the following areas:
    • Dane and Milwaukee Counties
    • The cities of Madison and Milwaukee
    • DeForest Area School District
    • Madison Metropolitan School District
    • McFarland School District
    • Middleton-Cross Plains School District
    • Milwaukee Public Schools
    • Sun Prairie Area School District
    • Verona Area School District

States in session

42 states—Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming—are in regular session.

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Local Politics: What's On Tap Next Week

Tuesday, April 6

Voters to decide mayoral election in Anchorage, Alaska

  • The city of Anchorage, Alaska, will hold a nonpartisan general election for mayor on April 6. Fifteen candidates are running. To be elected mayor, a candidate needs to win at least 45% of the vote. If no candidate wins 45% of the vote on April 6, the two candidates with the most votes will compete in a runoff election on May 11.
  • Media attention has been focused on six candidates: David Bronson, Forrest Dunbar, Bill Evans, Bill Falsey, George Martinez, and Mike Robbins. These candidates also lead in endorsements and fundraising. Heather Herndon, Jacob Versteeg, Joe Westfall, Albert Swank, Reza Momin, Anna Anthony, Darin Colbry, Jeffrey Brown, and Jacob Seth Kern are also running.
  • Economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is a central issue in the race. Dunbar and Falsey said they support maintaining safety measures enacted by the Anchorage Assembly, such as a mask mandate and business restrictions, while Bronson, Evans, and Robbins said they support reconsidering or removing restrictions. Homelessness and crime is also a key topic, with candidates divided over shelter funding and locations and prevention methods.
  • The mayor is responsible for proposing a budget, signing legislation into law, appointing departmental directors, and overseeing the city's day-to-day operations. The mayor also represents the city on the state, national, and international levels.


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The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022.

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