Wisconsin voters have rejected two amendments to the state constitution, which would have restricted the governor’s ability to spend federal funds. According to unofficial results posted by the Associated Press as of 9:11 p.m., both referendums failed by a margin of about 58 to 42 percent.
It’s unusual for Wisconsin voters to reject proposed constitutional amendments. Over the state’s entire history, nearly three-quarters of such amendments have passed. Since 2020, Wisconsin voters have considered seven constitutional amendments, and all but the latest two proposals have passed.
Republicans who run the Legislature brought the proposals to the ballot. To do so, lawmakers had to approve resolutions in two separate, consecutive legislative sessions.
The proposals would have worked in tandem. One would have required legislative approval before Wisconsin’s governor could expend federal money earmarked for the state. The other would have barred future Legislatures from giving that power away.