Protecting Wisconsin’s Constitution: A Call for Responsible Governance

As organizations committed to safeguarding democracy and protecting the rights of every voter in Wisconsin, we write today to raise our collective voices in defense of our state’s most important governing document—our constitution.

Voters will have a constitutional amendment question on their April 1st ballot that will ask them to enshrine our current voter ID law in the Wisconsin Constitution. We urge voters to oppose this amendment and vote no, not just because of its content, but also because of the troubling precedent it sets. Legislating through the constitution undermines the checks and balances designed to prevent overreach and protect the will of the people.

The Wisconsin Constitution is a foundational framework, meant to protect and reflect the shared values of our state. It is not, and should not be, a tool for political gamesmanship. Yet, in recent years, we have seen an alarming trend of constitutional amendments being rushed to the ballot—like a team coming to Lambeau Field and running a trick play on every down—to exploit the rules instead of respecting the spirit of the game. Our lawmakers, regardless of political party, should always create bills through meaningful public debate and bipartisan collaboration.