MyVote Website

Curious as to what is on your April 2nd Spring Election Ballot? Click here to go to the MyVote website to access what’s on your ballot, voting locations, and to register to vote.

Presidential Preference Primary

The Wisconsin Presidential Preference Primary will be held on Tuesday.

President Joe Biden has already captured enough votes ahead of Wisconsin’s primary to secure the Democratic Party nomination. Similarly, former President Donald Trump has captured enough votes as well to secure the Republican Party nomination.

To win the GOP nomination, a candidate is required to be awarded at least 1,215 out of 2,429 delegates. Former President Donald Trump has already been awarded 1,686. To win the Democratic nomination, a candidate must be awarded at least 1,968 delegates. To date, President Biden has been awarded 2,610. Both parties will hold conventions this summer where delegates from each state will officially select the nominee.

Below are the candidates who are on the ballot:

Democratic candidates:

• Joe Biden

• Dean Phillips (Suspended)

• Uninstructed Delegation

Republican candidates:

• Donald Trump

• Chris Christie (Suspended)

• Vivek Ramaswamy (Suspended)

• Ron DeSantis (Suspended)

• Nikki Haley (Suspended)

• Uninstructed Delegation

Constitutional Amendment Referendums

Wisconsin voters across the state will have the opportunity to vote on two referendum questions that would amend the state Constitution as it pertains to the administration of elections. Republicans and conservative groups are urging a “yes” vote on the questions while Democrats and liberal groups are recommending a “no” vote. Both questions are on the ballot as a result of SJR 78 being passed by the legislature during two consecutive sessions. The joint resolution would prohibit state and local governments from using privately sourced moneys or equipment in connection with the conduct of elections, as well as specifying who may perform tasks related to the conduct of an election.

The joint resolution was introduced by Republicans in response to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg donating nearly $400 million to the Center for Tech and Civic Life to help fund the administration of elections across the country in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Called “Zuckerbucks” by opponents, Republicans in Wisconsin first passed the resolution to prohibit the use of such private funds in 2022, and then for a second time in November 2023. During the second round of voting, the Assembly voted 60-35 and the Senate 21-10 in favor of the resolution. Now, the amendments go to Wisconsinites for a final vote.

Below are the two referendums, Question 1 and Question 2:

State of Wisconsin Use of Private Funds in Election Administration Referendum – Question 1

Vote for one

QUESTION 1: “Use of private funds in election administration. Shall section 7 (1) of article III of the constitution be created to provide that private donations and grants may not be applied for, accepted, expended, or used in connection with the conduct of any primary, election, or referendum?”

Yes

No

State of Wisconsin Election Officials Referendum – Question 2

Vote for one

QUESTION 2: “Election officials. Shall section 7 (2) of article III of the constitution be created to provide that only election officials designated by law may perform tasks in the conduct of primaries, elections, and referendums?”

Yes

No

School Funding Referendums

Along with the constitutional amendments on the ballot, there is also a significant number of school funding referendums. Around 100 communities will have a school funding referendum on their ballots.

For the full list of the school districts with a referendum, click here.

For more information on school referendums, click here.

Local Races of Note

Milwaukee Mayor 

Incumbent Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson will face Wisconsin God Squad founder David King. During the three-way primary election in February, Mayor Johnson received 86% of the vote while Mr. King took 10%. Mayor Johnson is seeking his first full four-year term in office after winning a special election in April 2022 to serve the remainder of Mayor Tom Barrett’s term, who stepped down from the post in December 2021 to assume the ambassadorship to Luxembourg. Mayor Johnson won that 2022 special election with 71.5% of the total vote.

Milwaukee County Exec

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley will face perennial political candidate Ieshuh Griffin in his bid for a second term. Executive Crowley was first elected to the county’s top job in 2020, when he narrowly defeated state Senator Chris Larson by half a percentage point, taking in 50% of the vote to Sen. Larson’s 49.5%.

Wausau Mayor

The race for mayor of Wausau features incumbent Mayor Katie Rosenberg facing challenger Doug Diny. Although officially nonpartisan, the race has received increased attention this season due to the high amount of campaign spending by the state Democratic and Republican parties. Mayor Rosenberg has received $191,000 in donations from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin while Mr. Diny has brought in roughly $43,000 from Republican-backed committees. Mayor Rosenberg was first elected in 2020 after
defeating then incumbent Robert Mielke, 52% to 47%.

Milwaukee Public Schools Referendum for $252 million

Residents in the Milwaukee Public School District will have a referendum on their ballot for $252 million to maintain services which were a part of an approved $87 million referendum which passed in 2020. Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Keith Mosley stated that those services include art, music, physical education classes, psychologists, social workers, and smaller class sizes. Mosley stated, “We have to maintain that. We went to our community for that support in 2020, and so, therefore, we are right now at a financial cliff, and so, therefore, you also have to look at the rate of inflation has not kept up with spending, and none of us could imagine there was going to be a world pandemic.”

The business community through the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce has publicly opposed the referendum, spending more than $400,000 in opposition. MMAC President Dale Kooyenga stated, “These increased costs put our city’s growth in serious jeopardy. Compared to a dozen other Midwestern cities, Milwaukee already ranks among the highest in percentage of homeowners paying more than 30 percent of their income toward housing. This measure and its accompanying property tax increase will only exacerbate the problem.”