Wisconsin Question 1, Election and Terms of Sheriffs Amendment (1998)

Wisconsin Question 1
Election date November 3, 1998
Topic Local government officials and elections
Status Approved
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Wisconsin Question 1 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Wisconsin on November 3, 1998. It was approved.

A “yes” vote supported amending the constitution to extend sheriffs' terms from two to four years, allow sheriffs to hold non-partisan office, and require vacancies to be filled by gubernatorial appointments until a successor is elected.

A “no” vote opposed amending the constitution to extend sheriffs' terms from two to four years, allow sheriffs to hold non-partisan office, and require vacancies to be filled by gubernatorial appointments until a successor is elected.

Election results

Wisconsin Question 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		1,161,942	73.80%
No		412,508	26.20%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Question 1 was as follows:

“

Terms of office for, appointment of, vacancies in the offices of, and the restriction on holding any other office by, sheriffs. Shall section 4 (1), (3) and (5) of article VI of the constitution be amended and section 4 (6) of article VI of the constitution be created to extend the terms of office of sheriffs from 2 years to 4 years, to allow sheriffs to hold nonpartisan offices, and to require that vacancies in the office of sheriffs be filled by appointment of the governor until a successor is elected and qualified?

”

Constitutional changes

Note: Hover over the text and scroll to see the full text.

(Note: Scored material would be added; stricken material would be deleted.)
Section 1. Section 4 (1), (3) and (5) of article VI of the constitution are amended to read:
[Article VI] Section 4 (1) Sheriffs Except as provided in sub. (2), coroners, registers of deeds, district attorneys, and all other elected county officers except judicial officers, sheriffs and chief executive officers, shall be chosen by the electors of the respective counties once in every 2 years.
(3) (a) Sheriffs shall may not hold no any other partisan office.
(b) Sheriffs may be required by law to renew their security from time to time, and in default of giving such new security their office shall be deemed vacant.
(c) Beginning with the first general election at which the governor is elected which occurs after the ratification of this paragraph, sheriffs shall be chosen by the electors of the respective counties once in every 4 years.
(5) All vacancies in the offices of sheriff, coroner, register of deeds or district attorney shall be filled by appointment. The person appointed to fill a vacancy shall hold office only for the unexpired portion of the term to which appointed and until a successor shall be elected and qualified.
Section 2. Section 4 (6) of article VI of the constitution is created to read:
[Article VI] Section 4 (6) When a vacancy occurs in the office of sheriff, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the governor, and the person appointed shall serve until his or her successor is elected and qualified.

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Wisconsin Constitution

A simple majority vote is required during two legislative sessions for the Wisconsin State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 50 votes in the Wisconsin State Assembly and 17 votes in the Wisconsin State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

See also

1998 Measures

• 1998 Measures
• Local government officials and elections on the ballot
• 1998 legislative sessions

Wisconsin

• Wisconsin ballot measures
• Wisconsin ballot measure laws

News and analysis

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• Ballot measure readability
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