Beyond the governor’s race: Wisconsin voters will also decide the future of 3 constitutional amendments
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- If you vote in the November election, you won’t only help decide who the next governor will be. You'll also vote on three constitutional amendments.
The amendments have broad support from Republican lawmakers at the Capitol, but the League of Women Voters (LWV) is urging people to vote "no" on all three.
The three amendments have three different goals. One of them, which the League of Women Voters is referring to as the "worship amendment," would ban local or state governments from ordering the closure of places of worship during a state of emergency.
“We see this as a violation of the government’s commitment to disease prevention that is the whole idea behind public health,” Debra Cronmiller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, said.
Assemblyman Ron Tusler brought the amendment forward following restrictions put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic. He believes this amendment better protects Wisconsinites' First Amendment rights.
“It’s so important for us to maintain those very important foundations of our country, including the First Amendment, including allowing our people to go to a place of worship if they choose to,” Tusler, a Republican representing Harrison, said.
Tusler believes places of worship were discriminated against during the pandemic. They were forced to close while other businesses -- he gave liquor stores as an example --- were able to stay open.
“It’s not necessarily saying that the church is always open, it’s really saying that we are going to trust our pastors, priest, rabbis, and imams with this decision as opposed to taking it away from them and giving it to our governor,” Tusler said.
One of the other amendments on the ballot would restrict the veto power of the governor. It would prohibit the governor from using the partial veto to create or increase any tax or fee.
“The veto amendment actually would constrain or restrict the governor’s veto pen authority,” Cronmiller said. “From an organization that for 106 years has been advocating for good government, we believe that gubernatorial powers that are in law, in the constitution, need to be adhered to.”
The final amendment on the ballot is what Republicans and supporters are calling the "equality amendment," and the LWV is calling the "anti-equity amendment." That amendment reads as follows.
"Governmental Entity Discrimination Prohibited: Shall section 27 article 1 of the constitution be created to prohibit governmental entities in the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration?"
The LWV believes this will lead to discrimination against marginalized communities. Specifically, programs that help minority contractors obtain bids for jobs, but also programs that help better the health outcomes of marginalized communities in the state.
“Programs that target populations for whatever reason, an inequity that has been in the system for years and years, they could potentially be eliminated,” Cronmiller said.
But the author of the amendment, Representative Dave Murphy, says this will restore equality and give people opportunities based on talent and merit. His office says the “Equality Amendment” aims to ensure that all decisions in Wisconsin's public sector are grounded in merit, fairness, and equality and applied comprehensively to all state agencies, local governments, school boards, and other public entities created by law or the constitution, restoring a level playing field for every Wisconsinite. He sent the following statement in regard to the ballot question.
"This is a monumental step forward for our state. The Equality Amendment restores merit, fairness, and equality to all Wisconsin governmental entities, from the State Capitol to our local school boards. In a time when divisive policies have undermined equal opportunity, this amendment reaffirms our commitment to judging individuals based on their skills, qualifications, and character—not on immutable characteristics. It's a return to the core values that make Wisconsin strong. It says nothing about DEI, nor getting rid of DEI. I want to emphasize the broad impact of the Equality Amendment: whether it's hiring the best teachers for our schools, awarding contracts to the most qualified bidders, or ensuring fair access to public programs, this amendment guarantees that every decision is made with fairness at its core. It's about building a stronger, more unified Wisconsin for all."
For more information about the what the text of the questions say, or the LWV breakdown of the questions, click here.