Recall elections in Wisconsin facts for kids

A recall election in Wisconsin is a special vote where people can decide to remove an elected official from their job before their term is over. It's like a way for voters to say, "We want a new person in this position now."

How Recall Elections Started in Wisconsin

The idea of recall elections in Wisconsin began a long time ago, in 1911. The new Governor, Francis E. McGovern, wanted to make government more responsive to people. He suggested allowing voters to remove officials.

A state senator named Paul O. Husting then introduced a bill to make this happen. Some senators didn't like the idea of judges being recalled, so they added a rule to protect judges. This first attempt to change the state's rules passed in the Senate and Assembly.

However, to change the Wisconsin Constitution, a bill has to pass in two different legislative sessions and then be approved by the voters. So, Senator Husting brought the bill back in 1913. It passed again, and then voters got to decide in November 1914. But they voted against it.

A second try happened in 1923. Senator Henry Huber introduced a similar bill. It passed both parts of the legislature. In 1926, the proposed change was put to a vote for the people of Wisconsin. There was a lot of debate, especially about whether judges could be recalled. Some groups, like the State Bar of Wisconsin, were against it, while others, like the Wisconsin State Federation of Labor, supported it.

Finally, the amendment passed by a very close vote! This meant that recall elections became an official part of Wisconsin's government.

In 2011, State Senator Jim Holperin became the first state lawmaker in Wisconsin to face a recall vote in two different parts of the legislature. In 2012, Governor Scott Walker became the first governor in U.S. history to keep his job after a recall election.

Rules for Recall Elections

Original Rules from 1926

When the recall process was first created in 1926, here were some of the main rules:

• Voters could ask for a recall after an official had been in office for at least one year.
• A petition (a formal request) needed to be signed by a certain number of voters. This number had to be at least 25% of the votes cast in the last governor's election in that official's area.
• Once enough signatures were collected, a special election would be held quickly, usually within 40 to 45 days.
• The official being recalled would continue to do their job until the results of the special election were known.
• Other people could run for the office in this special election.
• The person who got the most votes would serve the rest of the term.
• The official being recalled would have their name on the ballot unless they quit within 10 days of the petition being filed.
• If a recall election happened, no other recall attempts could be made for that official for the rest of their term.

Changes Made in 1981

In 1981, the rules for recall elections were updated. Here are some of the changes:

• The rule about waiting one year before a recall attempt stayed the same.
• The petition signature requirement (25% of the last governor's election votes) also stayed the same.
• The special election would now be held on a Tuesday, six weeks after the petition was filed. If that Tuesday was a holiday, it would be the next Tuesday.
• The official being recalled still continued their duties until the election results were official.
• New candidates could still run.
• A big change was added for when many people run for the same job. If more than two people run for a non-political office (like a judge), or if more than two people from the same political party run for a political office, a "recall primary" election would be held first. This helps narrow down the candidates.
• If there was a primary, the general recall election would then be held four weeks after the primary.
• The official being recalled would still be on the ballot unless they resigned within 10 days.
• And just like before, only one recall attempt could be made per term.

Examples of Recall Elections

Successful Recalls

Over the years, many officials in Wisconsin have faced recall elections, and some have been removed from office. Here are a few examples:

• In 1977, a judge in Dane County named Archie Simonson was recalled.
• Also in 1977, five members of the La Crosse School Board were recalled.
• In 1996, State Senator George Petak was recalled.
• In 2002, several officials in Milwaukee County were recalled because of a disagreement about retirement benefits. Some, like Executive Tom Ament, even resigned before the election.
• In 2003, State Senator Gary George was recalled.
• In 2011, State Senators Randy Hopper and Dan Kapanke were recalled.
• In 2012, Bob Ryan, the Mayor of Sheboygan, was recalled.
• Also in 2012, State Senator Van H. Wanggaard was recalled.

Unsuccessful Recalls

Many recall attempts have also failed, meaning the official kept their job.

• In 1990, State Assemblyman Jim Holperin faced a recall but kept his seat.
• In 2011, several state senators, including Dave Hansen, Robert Cowles, Sheila Harsdorf, Luther Olsen, Alberta Darling, Robert Wirch, and Jim Holperin (again), survived their recall elections.
• In 2012, Governor Scott Walker and Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch both survived their recall elections.
• Also in 2012, State Senators Scott L. Fitzgerald and Terry Moulton were not recalled.