Voting booths stand ready for use in a U.S. election.
There will be three state referendum questions and one local question on the November ballots.
The first state question is in relation to the use of a partial veto.
It asks if article five of the state constitution should be amended to “prohibit the governor, in exercising his or her partial veto authority, from creating or increasing or authorizing the creation or increase of any tax or fee.”
This is in direct response to Governor Tony Evers’ actions in 2023, which increased school funding for 400 years.
Some praised the move, calling it a necessary move, while others called it an overreach of power.
Question number two asks if the state constitution should be amended to “prohibit the state or a political subdivision of the state from ordering the closure of, or forbidding gatherings in, places of worship in response to a state of emergency, including a public health emergency.”
This question stems from the church closure mandate issued during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lastly, the state is asking your opinion on an amendment to “prohibit governmental entities in the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration.”
This is in response to the rise in DEI hiring, which some say creates unfair hiring practices.
The only Manitowoc County referendum question on the ballot was submitted by the Brillion School District, which is asking to spend $1 million above its allotted revenue limit per year for the next five school cycles.
