Republicans appear to regain Wisconsin Senate supermajority, voters OK bail reforms
(The Center Square) – It appears Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate have secured enough votes to out-vote the governor.
Current state Rep. Dan Knodl, R-Germantown, ended Tuesday night with a nearly 1,000 vote lead over his Democratic challenger Jodi Habush Sinykin.
The Associated Press reported that Knodl had 38,594 compared to Habush Sinykin’s 37,208 with 99% of the votes counted Tuesday night.
If Knodl’s win holds, Republicans will have a supermajority in the Wisconsin Senate and will have enough votes to both override Gov. Tony Evers, and oust some of his cabinet secretaries if they chose.
A spokesperson for Habush Sinykin said the margin is too close, and said they are not ready to concede in the race.
Bail Reforms Pass
Voters in Wisconsin on Tuesday said they want to change how bail works in the state.
Both of Wisconsin’s bail reform constitutional amendments passed by overwhelming margins.
The first question that would change the constitution to allow judges to keep people in jail, or set higher bails for people accused of serious, violent crimes passed with about 67% of the vote. The second question that allows judges to look at more than just a suspect’s likelihood of returning to court passed with about 68% of the vote.
The amendments come after years of working to update the Wisconsin Constitution’s bail requirements, and after the state’s cash bail system came under fire because of the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack.
The changes will now go forward, though there is some uncertainty. The Republican-controlled legislature passed a plan last month to clarify just what the constitutional amendment means by “serious bodily harm” and “violent crime,” but Gov. Evers has yet to sign that legislation.
Welfare Work Requirement Passes
Just over eight-in-10 voters in Wisconsin want people on welfare to have to work to receive public benefits.
The advisory question on Tuesday’s ballot that asked “Shall able-bodied, childless adults be required to look for work in order to receive taxpayer-funded benefits?” got just over 80% of the vote.
Preliminary returns show that more than 1.4 million people voted to require some work in exchange for welfare.
The vote doesn’t really matter. State law will not change, and anyone receiving public benefits in Wisconsin will not need to find a job. The question was advisory only.
