Wisconsin April 1st Election
The Wisconsin election happening on Tuesday April 1st has three important items on the ballot. A Supreme Court justice will be elected (which I talked about last week). Another is a constitutional amendment – this one on voting rights. Voters will also choose a Secretary for the Department of Public Instruction.
I suggested last week that this election has an element of deja vu because the issues and impact on Wisconsinites are a repeat of other recent elections. The candidates and details are different, but the basic contest is whether Wisconsin will move forward with progressive leadership and policies or backward with conservatives diligently trying to dismantle democracy and past social progress.
Constitutional Amendment
Once again the the conservative Republican controlled legislature is using a constitutional amendment for political purposes. Specifically they want to enshrine in the state constitution the extremely restrictive voter ID laws enacted during the Walker administration. The proposed amendment would not change the existing voter ID requirements. It will only make it more difficult for future legislatures – or a court, specifically the current state Supreme Court – to reverse the current law.
This amendment is not motivated by Republican concern for protecting election integrity. Numerous sources have confirmed that incidents of voter fraud are extremely rare, especially voter impersonation, which photo ID’s are supposed to prevent. Between 2000 to 2012, one national study found only 31 credible allegations of voter impersonation out of over 1 billion ballots cast (0.0000031%). Voter ID laws are not needed as other voting procedures and safeguards exist to prevent voter fraud. Voter ID requirements – which sound reasonable – are really about suppressing the vote.
About 300,000 registered voters in Wisconsin lack the required forms of photo ID. The current law disproportionately impacts people of color and older, disabled, low-income and rural voters. Wisconsin’s photo ID law is among the most restrictive in the nation. Common Cause stated in a recent news release, “Wisconsin makes it more difficult for its citizens to vote than almost any state in the nation.”
The wording on your April 1st ballot will be, “Photographic identification for voting. Shall section 1m of article III of the constitution be created to require that voters present valid photographic identification verifying their identity in order to vote in any election, subject to exceptions which may be established by law?”
A “yes” vote supports changing the constitution to require valid photo identification to vote. The legislature can pass laws to determine what qualifies as valid photo ID. A “no” vote opposes changing the constitution to add voter ID requirements.
Note that a “no” voter does not mean people do not have to show a valid ID at the polls. This is required by current state law. Nor does it mean you support people voting illegally. It just means you do not support making this requirement part of the state constitution.
The Wisconsin League of Women Voters is strictly non-partisan but is speaking out against this amendment. They say “This amendment, the sixth proposed by the legislature in the last year, is another example of the legislature attempting to bypass the authority of the executive and judicial branches through the constitutional amendment process…if this amendment is passed it will be harmful to the people of our state. We urge voters to vote no on this question.”
Numerous other Wisconsin organizations and advocacy groups also oppose this amendment. Just a few of them are: Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, American Civil Liberties Union, Wisconsin Justice Initiative Action, Law Forward, Wisconsin Public Education Network, Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition, Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Common Cause Wisconsin, Wisconsin Justice Initiative, and numerous labor unions.
For more information there are good discussions of this issue at two University of Wisconsin resources:
The Observatory, UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication, “Wisconsin’s voter ID controversy: what you need to know,” Barry Burden, Updated April 16, 2024
State Democracy Research Initiative, University of Wisconsin Law School, “Explainer: The Proposed Voter ID Constitutional Amendment on Wisconsin’s April Ballot,” February 24, 2025
Electing a Secretary of the Department of Public Instruction
There are two candidates to lead the Department of Public Instruction (DPI). They are the incumbent Secretary Dr. Jill Underly, who was elected in a landslide four years ago and is seeking a second term. She has extensive experience at all levels of public education. She has been a teacher, principal, school district superintendent, and an employee and administrator at DPI.
Brittany Kinser is a former teacher, principal of a public charter school, education consultant and advocate for vouchers for private schools.
In Wisconsin the Secretary of DPI is a constitutional officer elected directly by the people. The Secretary does not report to the Governor or legislature. The Secretary has broad authority to oversee state education policy, which includes dispersing money to schools and managing teacher licensing. It is primarily an administrative job.
The Secretary of DPI is a non-partisan position but in reality is involved with politics. Politics determine school funding and other policies established by the governor and legislature. In addition there are many contentious social and political issues currently affecting schools and students that are driven by our divisive political climate.
Despite being non-partisan both candidates are being being supported by partisan players including the two major political parties, wealthy individuals and a variety of liberal and conservative advocacy groups. So the race really comes down to a choice between the two current political divisions that afflict our society – progressives vs extreme conservatives.
Jill Underly is the progressive candidate advocating for well funded public schools with broad subject offerings and support systems for every student regardless of their background or needs. In other words a truly “liberal” education that promotes the skills, knowledge and behaviors needed for a modern society.
Brittany Kinser is the conservative candidate who talks about restoring “high standards” that are “grounded in the basics” and focused on “reading, writing, and math to ensure every child can get a meaningful job…” In other words she supports the standard right wing talking points on education with all their “culture war” social baggage including funding voucher programs for private religious schools. This agenda has been proven to not improve educational results.
Given the current national administration”s anti-education positions, the last thing Wisconsin needs is a sympathetic, conservative Secretary or the Department of Public Instruction.