Wisconsin Question 1, Supreme Court Justices Amendment (1877)

Wisconsin Question 1
Election date November 6, 1877
Topic State judiciary
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 6, 1877. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported amending the constitution to provide for a Supreme Court composed of one chief and four associate justices.

A "no" vote opposed amending the constitution to provide for a Supreme Court composed of one chief and four associate justices.

Election results

Wisconsin Question 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		79,140	82.52%
No		16,763	17.48%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Question 1 was as follows:

“

For amendment to the constitution For amendment to the constitution, no

”

Constitutional changes

ARTICLE VII SECTION 4. The supreme court shall consist of one chief justice and four associate justices, to be elected by the qualified electors of the state. The legislature shall, at its first session after the adoption of this amendment, provide by law for the election of two associate justices of said court, to hold their offices for terms ending two and four years respectively, after the end of the term of the Justice of the said court then last to expire. And thereafter the chief justice and associate justices of the said court shall be elected and hold their offices respectively for the term of ten years.

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

1877 Measures

• 1877 Measures
• State judiciary on the ballot
• 1877 legislative sessions

Wisconsin

• Wisconsin ballot measures
• Wisconsin ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls