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The Tuesday Count: Changes to supreme court on today’s ballot in Wisconsin
April 7, 2015
Edited by Tyler King
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The battle between Ann Walsh Bradley and James Daley is not the only Wisconsin Supreme Court issue on the Wisconsin ballot today. Voters across the state will decide how the state's chief justice is selected by voting on Question 1. A number of prominent local topics will be featured on ballots in Missouri and Kansas today. In Springfield, voters will be determining whether an LGBT non-discrimination ordinance should stand and, in the neighboring state, Wichita voters will be voting on whether to decriminalize marijuana. Voters in Kansas City will face two questions, one regarding a city property and the other asking voters to renew a fee on short-term loan establishments.
Wisconsinites will vote on the first statewide ballot measure of 2015 today:
Voters in Wisconsin are the first to vote on a statewide measure in 2015. The measure, titled Question 1, that is appearing on today's ballot involves how the chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is selected. Currently, the Wisconsin Constitution mandates that the chief justice be appointed based on seniority from the pool of seven justices sitting on the court. Question 1, if approved by voters, would require the sitting justices to elect a chief justice from among themselves to serve a two-year term.[1]
Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson has served as the court's chief justice since 1996. She's considered a "liberal," but the court majority is considered "conservative," according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.[2] Opponents argue that the amendment is a political attack on Chief Justice Abrahamson and that the current method is more democratic because it allows the justice who has been elected by voters the most times to be chief justice, while supporters contend the proposed system is more democratic because the justices would decide who is the head of the court, thereby decreasing conflict amongst the justices.[3]
Campaigns did not start forming in support of or against the amendment until the final weeks before the election. Vote Yes for Democracy led the campaign in support of the amendment.[4][5] It raised $600,000, all of which was donated by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce.[6] Leading the opposition were Make Your Vote Count and Fair Courts Wisconsin. Together the two groups raised $83,916, with the Greater Wisconsin Committee and Justice at Stake being the sole contributors.
The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board is expecting a 20 percent voter turnout for today's election.[7]
Local spotlight
Voters in Wichita, Kansas, to vote today on state's first local marijuana decriminalization measure amid strong opposition from state officials:
An initiative designed to reduce first-time penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana to a fine of $50, removing all jail time, is on the ballot for voters in Wichita today. The initiative has been strongly criticized and condemned as illegal by officials on the state level, who contend that city law must coincide with uniform state law demanding penalties of up to a year of incarceration and $2,500 in fines for misdemeanor marijuana violations. Despite threats of litigation, the city council voted to put the initiative on the ballot and refused to remove it when ordered to do so.[8]
By Friday, April 3, no resolution had come to the standoff between the city and the state. A group of state legislators and officials held a press conference at which they reasserted that the proposal is illegal and renewed threats of a lawsuit.[9]
Rep. Steve Brunk (R-85) said, "This is an illegal petition and an illegal referendum."[9]
Supporters, however, said the city should approve the measure anyway in order to send a message to the state. Essau Freeman, who worked to organize the decriminalization initiative petition and campaign, said, "We should still go ahead and vote yes — one of the keystones of our democracy is to vote." He also called the conference by state level officials a "vulgar display of power."[9]
Beginning at 8:00pm, follow this page for updated election results as they are released.
Voters in Springfield, Missouri, to decide fate of ordinance forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity today:
Question 1 was put on the ballot through a successful referendum petition by opponents of the city's Ordinance No. 6141, which included sexual orientation and gender identity under the city's non-discrimination policy with regard to housing, employment and public accommodations.[10]
The question on the ballot asks voters if they wish to repeal the council's bill prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Thus, a yes vote on Question 1 would repeal the anti-discrimination ordinance, and a no vote on Question 1 would uphold the council's ordinance.
Supporters of the referendum repeal question argue that Ordinance 6141 violates religious freedom, allows manipulation and false claims to hurt businesses, and could be abused to protect sexual misconduct, such as spying on people in bathrooms.[11]
Opponents argue that the ordinance simply provides equal rights that should be "a given for anyone living in a democracy." Critics of the Question 1 veto referendum also say that the outspoken opposition to Ordinance 6141 shows its necessity.[12]
For election results as they are released tonight, see this page.
Voters in Kansas City, Missouri, see two ballot questions along with city council and mayoral candidates on today's ballot:
If approved, Question 1 would remove a vacant lot located at 534 Highland Avenue from the city's park system, allowing the city to sell the land to the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences for an estimated $150,000, helping the university to carry out its campus improvement plan.[13][14]
For election results as they are released tonight, see this page.
If approved, Question 2 authorizes the city to renew and update an annual fee of $1,000 on short-term loan businesses.[13][14]
For election results as they are released tonight, see this page.
Other measures in the news
- Michigan Sales Tax Increase for Transportation Amendment, Proposal 1 (May 2015): Recent polls show Proposal 1's support sinking to between 21 and 36 percent.[15]
- California “Sodomite Suppression” Initiative (2016): Attorney General Kamala Harris has asked a court to strike down the initiative, while two satirical initiatives - the "Intolerant Jackass" Initiative and "Shellfish Suppression" Initiative - have been proposed in response.[16][17][18]
- North Dakota Corporate Dairy and Swine Farming Referendum (2016): The North Dakota Farmers Union announced a veto referendum campaign against a law permitting corporate swine and dairy farming.[19]
See also
| 2015 ballot measures |
| Tuesday Count • 2015 Scorecard |
Footnotes
- ↑ Wisconsin Legislature, "2013 Senate Joint Resolution 57," accessed May 8, 2015
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Constitutional amendment would let court select chief justice," October 29, 2013
- ↑ Hudson Star-Observer, "Supreme Court governance issue inches toward April ballot; state's housing market nearly recovered; 12 more Wisconsin stories," January 20, 2015
- ↑ Vote Yes for Democracy, "Homepage," accessed April 1, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "Business group bankrolling 'yes' vote in Supreme Court referendum," March 31, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System, "View Filed Reports," accessed April 1, 2015
- ↑ Channel 3000, "Wisconsin board predicts voter turnout of 20 percent Tuesday," April 4, 2015
- ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Wichita City Council places marijuana issue on April 7 ballot," January 27, 2015
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Daily Reporter, "State officials ramp up pressure against Wichita ballot initiative to ease marijuana penalties," April 3, 2015
- ↑ Springfield News-Leader, "Council holds off on vote to change petition process," January 12, 2015
- ↑ Yes on Question 1 website, "Home," accessed April 1, 2015
- ↑ No Repeal Springfield website, "Home," accessed April 1, 2015
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 KCEB, "Kansas City Sample Ballot," accessed April 1, 2015
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Kansas City Star, "Vote ‘yes’ on KC questions to sell parkland and impose payday loan fee," March 30, 2015
- ↑ MLive, "New polls show majority oppose Michigan's road proposal," March 27, 2015
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris seeks court order to stop anti-gay initiative," March 25, 2015
- ↑ Slate, "One Californian’s Response to That “Kill the Gays” Measure: The Intolerant Jackass Act," March 23, 2015
- ↑ Sacramento Sun Times, "You must be cray(fish): Proposal seeks to criminalize eating, selling shellfish in California," April 2, 2015
- ↑ Grand Forks Herald, "North Dakota Farmers Union rallies in support of family farms," March 27, 2015
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