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Laws governing ballot measures in Wisconsin: Difference between revisions

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This page provides an overview of resources addressing the laws and procedures that govern statewide and local ballot measures in [[Wisconsin]], including constitutional amendments, recall procedures, and campaign finance regulations.
 
<div style="font-size:1em; line-height: 1.4;">Explore the links below for more information:</div>
* [[Types of ballot measures in Wisconsin]]
* [[Amending state constitutions#Wisconsin|Amending the Wisconsin Constitution]]
* [[Laws governing local ballot measures in Wisconsin]]
* [[Laws governing recall in Wisconsin]]
* [[Laws governing recall in Wisconsin]]
* [[Local ballot measures, Wisconsin#Laws governing|Laws governing local ballot measures in Wisconsin]]
* [[Rules about constitutional conventions in state constitutions#Wisconsin|Laws governing state constitutional conventions in Wisconsin]]
* [[Amending state constitutions# |Amending the Wisconsin Constitution]]
* [[School bond and tax elections in Wisconsin]]
* [[Wisconsin signature requirements]]
* [[Campaign finance requirements for Wisconsin ballot measures]]
* [[Campaign finance requirements for Wisconsin ballot measures]]
* [[#Changes to laws governing ballot measures in Wisconsin|Changes to laws governing ballot measures in Wisconsin]]
==Laws governing ballot measures in Wisconsin==
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<span style="font-size:110%;">'''[[Types of ballot measures in Wisconsin]]'''</span>
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* Citizens of Wisconsin do not have the power to initiate statewide ballot measures.
* In Wisconsin, the legislature can refer [[Legislatively referred constitutional amendments|constitutional amendments]], [[Legislatively referred state statute|state statutes]], and [[Advisory question|advisory questions]] to the ballot.
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<span style="font-size:110%;">'''[[Amending state constitutions#Wisconsin|Amending the Wisconsin Constitution]]'''</span>
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* Wisconsin became a state in 1848. The first and current [[Wisconsin Constitution|state constitution]] was ratified that same year.
* The Wisconsin Constitution can be amended in two ways:
** [[Legislatively referred constitutional amendment]]: The state legislature can place constitutional amendments on the ballot with a majority vote from both houses of the legislature in two successive joint legislative sessions.
** [[Convention-referred constitutional amendment]]: A state constitutional convention can vote to refer constitutional changes to the ballot.
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<span style="font-size:110%;">'''[[Laws governing local ballot measures in Wisconsin]]'''</span>
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* Wisconsin cities and villages have a state-set initiative process in Wisconsin Statute § 9.20 that may be used to propose and vote on regular ordinances or charter ordinances.
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<span style="font-size:110%;">'''[[Laws governing recall in Wisconsin]]'''</span>
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* The right of recall in Wisconsin extends to all elective offices in the state, but only after the elected official has served a full year in his or her current term of office.
* In terms of local elected positions, the right of recall extends to incumbent elected officials of any city, village, town, town sanitary district, or school district in the state.
* The number of valid signatures required for a recall election is 25% of the number of voters in the last election for governor within the electoral district of the officer sought to be recalled.
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<span style="font-size:110%;">'''[[Rules about constitutional conventions in state constitutions#Wisconsin|Laws governing state constitutional conventions in Wisconsin]]'''</span>
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* A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the [[Wisconsin State Legislature]] to place a constitutional convention question on the ballot. If a simple majority of voters approve the question, then the legislature needs to convene a convention during its next session.
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<span style="font-size:110%;">'''[[Campaign finance requirements for Wisconsin ballot measures]]'''</span>
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* PACs that support or oppose ballot measures in Wisconsin must register and report campaign finance.
* Wisconsin has no campaign contribution limit for referendum groups.
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==Changes to laws governing ballot measures in Wisconsin==
::''See also: [[Changes to laws governing ballot measures]]
{{Template:BPtabbed
|tabs-id=WisconsinLawChangesYes
|count=8
|tab-1-label=2025
|tab-panel-1-content=
::''See also: [[Changes in 2025 to laws governing ballot measures]]''
As of September 2025, the [[Wisconsin State Legislature]] had not passed legislation that changed the laws governing ballot measures in 2025.
|tab-2-label=2024
|tab-panel-2-content=
::''See also: [[Changes in 2024 to laws governing ballot measures]]''
The [[Wisconsin State Legislature]] did not pass legislation concerning ballot measures in 2024.
|tab-3-label=2023
|tab-panel-3-content=
::''See also: [[Changes in 2023 to laws governing ballot measures]]''
*'''[https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2023/proposals/reg/asm/bill/ab245 Assembly Bill 245]''': The legislation was an omnibus bill related to shared revenue for counties and municipalities and taxes. The legislation also included a provision prohibiting local governments from referring non-binding advisory questions to the ballot, except related to capital expenditures proposed to be funded with property taxes; local shared revenue agreements; cooperative boundary agreements; and certain cable and telecommunication operations.<ref>[https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2023/proposals/reg/asm/bill/ab245 ''Wisconsin State Legislature'', "Assembly Bill 245," accessed June 25, 2023]</ref>
{{BallotLawLegVotes|
|State=Wisconsin
|Bill=AB 245
<!---Senate--->
| SenateTotalYes= 21 | SenateTotalNo=12 | SenateTotalNV=0
| SenateDemYes = 6  | SenateDemNo =5  | SenateDemNV =0
| SenateRepYes = 15  | SenateRepNo = 7  | SenateRepNV =0
<!---House--->
| HouseTotalYes= 56 | HouseTotalNo= 36 | HouseTotalNV= 2
| HouseDemYes = 0  | HouseDemNo =33  | HouseDemNV = 0
| HouseRepYes = 56 | HouseRepNo = 3 | HouseRepNV = 2}}
:*Assembly Speaker [[Robin Vos]] (R-63) said local non-binding questions should not be used for local issues, not other topics. "That's not the point. That's what elections are about. We should have had advisory referenda only for things that are directly related to what is being done that municipality," said Vos.<ref>[https://www.wpr.org/activists-gop-nonbinding-voter-questions-referendums-election-ballots ''Wisconsin Public Radio'', "Activists decry GOP push to stop nonbinding voter questions from appearing on ballots," May 8, 2023]</ref>
:* Matthew Rothschild, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said, "But now you don’t even want us to have the ability to offer our views on advisory referendums that have no binding power and only act as a vehicle of public speech. You want to impound that vehicle, and that’s outrageous. Advisory referendums provide the public with crucial ways to express themselves on vital issues of the day, and to communicate with you and other elected officials."<ref>[https://www.wisdc.org/news/press-releases/139-press-release-2023/7373-do-not-muffle-our-voices ''Wisconsin Democracy Campaign'', "Do Not Muffle Our Voices," May 4, 2023]</ref>
|tab-4-label=2022
|tab-panel-4-content=
::''See also: [[Changes in 2022 to laws governing ballot measures]]''
The [[Wisconsin State Legislature]] did not pass legislation concerning ballot measures in 2022.
|tab-5-label=2021
|tab-panel-5-content=
::''See also: [[Changes in 2021 to laws governing ballot measures]]''
The [[Wisconsin State Legislature]] did not pass legislation concerning ballot measures in 2021.
|tab-6-label=2020
|tab-panel-6-content=
::''See also: [[Changes in 2020 to laws governing ballot measures]]''
*'''[https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2019/proposals/reg/asm/bill/ab310 Assembly Bill 310]''': The legislation allowed ballot questions to increase the limit on the local levy to be held on the same election dates as a school board referendum and required the ballot question to include the percentage increase from the previous year.<ref>[https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2019/proposals/reg/asm/bill/ab310 ''Wisconsin State Legislature'', "Assembly Bill 310," accessed June 22, 2023]</ref>
|tab-7-label=2019
|tab-panel-7-content=
::''See also: [[Changes in 2019 to laws governing ballot measures]]''
The [[Wisconsin State Legislature]] did not pass legislation concerning ballot measures in 2019.
|tab-8-label=2018
|tab-panel-8-content=
::''See also: [[Changes in 2018 to laws governing ballot measures]]''
The [[Wisconsin State Legislature]] did not pass legislation concerning ballot measures in 2018.
}}


==See also==
==See also==
{{BallotsOrgSeeAlso}}


* [[Laws governing ballot measures]]
==Footnotes==
* [[List of Wisconsin ballot measures]]
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Ballot measure law, Wisconsin]]
{{Laws governing ballot measures}}
{{Ballot measures}}

Latest revision as of 15:59, 13 February 2026

Laws governing ballot measures in the U.S.
BallotLaw final.png

Laws governing ballot measures in the U.S.

Changes to laws governing ballot measures

Types of ballot measures

Ballot measure policy topics

Select a state from the dropdown to learn more about laws governing ballot measures in that state.

This page provides an overview of resources addressing the laws and procedures that govern statewide and local ballot measures in Wisconsin, including constitutional amendments, recall procedures, and campaign finance regulations.

Explore the links below for more information:

Laws governing ballot measures in Wisconsin

Types of ballot measures in Wisconsin

  • Citizens of Wisconsin do not have the power to initiate statewide ballot measures.


Amending the Wisconsin Constitution

  • Wisconsin became a state in 1848. The first and current state constitution was ratified that same year.


Laws governing local ballot measures in Wisconsin

  • Wisconsin cities and villages have a state-set initiative process in Wisconsin Statute § 9.20 that may be used to propose and vote on regular ordinances or charter ordinances.


Laws governing recall in Wisconsin

  • The right of recall in Wisconsin extends to all elective offices in the state, but only after the elected official has served a full year in his or her current term of office.
  • In terms of local elected positions, the right of recall extends to incumbent elected officials of any city, village, town, town sanitary district, or school district in the state.
  • The number of valid signatures required for a recall election is 25% of the number of voters in the last election for governor within the electoral district of the officer sought to be recalled.


Laws governing state constitutional conventions in Wisconsin

  • A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the Wisconsin State Legislature to place a constitutional convention question on the ballot. If a simple majority of voters approve the question, then the legislature needs to convene a convention during its next session.


Campaign finance requirements for Wisconsin ballot measures

  • PACs that support or oppose ballot measures in Wisconsin must register and report campaign finance.
  • Wisconsin has no campaign contribution limit for referendum groups.

Changes to laws governing ballot measures in Wisconsin

See also: Changes to laws governing ballot measures
See also: Changes in 2025 to laws governing ballot measures
As of September 2025, the Wisconsin State Legislature had not passed legislation that changed the laws governing ballot measures in 2025.

See also

Ballot Measure Overview

State & Local Ballot Measures
Ballotpedia
Measures
  • • State ballot measures
  • • Local ballot measures
  • • Analyses
Topics
Law
History
  • • Historical Ballot Measures (HBM) Factbooks
  • • History of ballot measures by topic
Campaigns
  • • Campaign finance
  • • Endorsements
  • • Polls

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Assembly Bill 245," accessed June 25, 2023
  2. ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio, "Activists decry GOP push to stop nonbinding voter questions from appearing on ballots," May 8, 2023
  3. ↑ Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, "Do Not Muffle Our Voices," May 4, 2023
  4. ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Assembly Bill 310," accessed June 22, 2023
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