Wisconsin Question 4, Public Officer Privilege Use Amendment (April 1956)

Wisconsin Question 4
Election date April 3, 1956
Topic Elections and campaigns and Ethics rules and commissions
Status Defeated
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Wisconsin Question 4 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Wisconsin on April 3, 1956. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported amending the constitution to permit the giving of free transportation passes and communications to employees of railroads and other public utilities who are candidates for or hold public office to the same extent as the other employees as long as they are not in the performance of official duties.

A "no" vote opposed amending the constitution to permit the giving of free transportation passes and communications to employees of railroads and other public utilities who are candidates for or hold public office to the same extent as the other employees as long as they are not in the performance of official duties.

Election results

Wisconsin Question 4
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		188,715	33.17%
No		380,207	66.83%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Question 4 was as follows:

“

Shall the last paragraph of section 11 of article XIII of the constitution be amended so as to permit giving free passes, franks or other privileges for traveling accommodations, transportation or transmission of messages or communications to notaries public and regular employees of railroads and other public utilities who are candidates for or hold public office to the same extent as the other employes of such corporations, provided the same shall not be used or exercised in traveling to or from public office or in the performance of official duties?

”

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

1956 Measures

• 1956 Measures
• Transportation on the ballot
• Ethics rules and commissions on the ballot
• Elections and campaigns on the ballot
• 1956 legislative sessions

Wisconsin

• Wisconsin ballot measures
• Wisconsin ballot measure laws

News and analysis

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