Friday, September 14, 2012
As news of Dane County Circuit Court Judge Juan Colas' decision to strike down the state's collective bargaining law spread, liberals marked the ruling a win while conservatives took issue with it.
Just hours after Dane County Circuit Judge Juan Colas decided that the state’s collective bargaining law was unconstitutional, reaction from liberals and conservatives erupted. According to our media partners at FOX 6 News, Colas ruled Act 10 — the budget repair bill — as null and void because the law violates both the state and U.S. constitutions. Specifically, the law violates the guarantee of freedom of speech and citizens' freedom of association. The news heated up Wisconsin liberals and conservatives on social media sites, caused outrage and praise from elected officials, and pleased top union officials. A event page titled We Aren’t Backing Down! Tell Wisconsin Union Judges NO! was posted by a group called Founders’ Intent and …
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Online blogs accused Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus of planning to destroy ballots from the recall showdown between Gov. Scott Walker and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
Political blogers are accusing Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus of threatening to destroy recall ballots from the June election after open records requests were made to review the ballots. However, the ballots will not be destroyed at this time, according to Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel. “Of course, I have an interest in attempting to avoid Public Records Law violations, especially when destruction of the records in question is imminent,” Schimel said in an email to an attorney asking about the situation. “I think this interest is especially significant when the records in question relate to public confidence in our elections. “Thus, after becoming aware of these issues, I inquired and have been advised that the …
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
In first Patch survey of influential Wisconsin Democrats, it's clear most would prefer Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin face someone other than the former governor in the November election.
When it comes to the Republican primary for Wisconsin's open U.S. Senate seat, the state's Democratic political insiders see the race as a two-man contest between former Gov. Tommy Thompson and businessman Eric Hovde. But when asked whom Democrat Tammy Baldwin would have the best chance of defeating in the general election, these influential Democrats made it clear that Thompson would be her toughest opponent. In Patch's first "Blue Wisconsin" Survey of Democratic influencers throughout the state, 47 percent of the respondents said they thought Hovde would win Tuesday's primary election, while 45 percent said Thompson had the best shot. However, when surveyed on which Republican would give Baldwin the best chance to win in November, only …
Friday, July 6, 2012
With no limits on contributions, Gov. Scott Walker raised $37 million over the course of the recall — roughly the same amount both his opposition and independent groups spent.
Gov. Scott Walker raised $6.7 million in the final days before and weeks immediately after the June 5 recall election, according to his campaign. That brings Walker's total fundraising during the recall to $37 million and his total cash on hand, accumulated since he took office in January 2011, to $1.6 million. Meanwhile, other candidates and independent groups raised $37.4 million during the recall, bringing total spending to more than $70 million. In May, $62 million had been pumped into Wisconsin recalls. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a Democrat who lost to Walker in both the 2010 race and the recall, raised about $2.5 million during the recall's home stretch; $6.3 million from March 30 to June 30. He spent $6.6 million and had $250,000 …
Monday, July 2, 2012
The recount of the 21st District state Senate recall election ended Monday, however, Wanggaard is considering a legal challenge.
The recount in the 21st Senate District ended Monday, with Democrat John Lehman remaining the victor in the recall race against Republican Van Wanggaard. The final vote total: Lehman 36,358; Wanggaard 35,539, a difference of 819 votes. Racine County Clerk Wendy Christensen certified the results shortly before noon Monday and immediately sent the results to the state Government Accountability Board. "It shows that we won the election and all of these allegations of voter irregularities are false and are really much ado about nothing," Lehman said. "The results from election night have been proven correct through tape and tally totals." Lehman defeated Wanggaard in the June 5 recall election by 834 votes, in the only successful Democratic …
Thursday, June 28, 2012
About two-thirds of the votes in the 21st Senate District recall election have been recounted; as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, just more than 50,000 ballots had been completed.
Democrat John Lehman's lead over Republican Van Wanggaard remained sizable at the end the seventh day of the recount in the 21st state Senate District recall election. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, just more than 50,000 votes had been counted and Wanggaard campaign representatives said their candidate had picked up net gain of 20 votes, bringing Lehman's lead down from 834 to 814. Workers were finished with the suburbs of Racine and were focused on city wards, eight of which were completed. Deputy clerks said another two or three could finish before Racine County Clerk Wendy Christensen declared the day closed. Lehman defeated Wanggaard in the June 5 recall election and Wanggaard asked for a recount on June 15, and the process started on June 20…
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Turnout of nearly 58 percent was highest ever for a gubernatorial race in a non-presidential year, but still fell short of the numbers in recent presidential elections.
Wisconsin's gubernatorial recall election was historic in more ways than one. Yes, the June 5 election between Gov. Scott Walker and Democrat Tom Barrett was the first attempt to recall a governor in Wisconsin history — and only the third time in the nation. But it also set the record for the highest turnout in a Wisconsin governor's race in which the office of president was not also on the ballot. Final certified numbers released Wednesday show that 2.516 million votes were cast in the recall election — or 57.8 percent of the state's voting-age population, according to the state Government Accountability Board, which oversees Wisconsin elections. That's the highest turnout for a gubernatorial election since 1960 — when the presidential …
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Results from a new Marquette University Law School poll put the president and former Governor tops with likely voters from around the state.
If the 2012 Presidential and US Senate elections were held today, President Barack Obama and former Gov. Tommy Thompson would win in Wisconsin. The results were released today as part of the Marquette University Law School poll project during "On the Issues" with Mike Gousha and Professor Charles Franklin. According to the numbers, Obama leads presumed Republican challenger Mitt Romney 49 to 43 percent, down from 51 to 43 percent on May 30. In a match-up against both his Republican senate rivals and Democrat Tammy Baldwin, Thompson takes both races. Against former US Rep. Mark Neumann, newcomer Eric Hovde, and Republican speaker of the State Assembly Jeff Fitzgerald, Thompson comes in with 34 percent of support from likely voters compared …
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Woman wearing a "Recall Walker" button ends up getting into a confrontation with an Illinois county clerk who was a poll observer during the June 5 election.
A complaint has been filed against the county clerk in Lake County, IL, for allegedly intimidating a Racine woman who wore a "Recall Walker" button to the polls on election day. Nicala Aiello filed a complaint against Lake County Clerk Willard Helander with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board stemming from her activity during the June 5 recall election, according to the Chicago Tribune and in Deerfield (IL) Patch. Helander was among a number of Illinois Republicans who worked as poll observers in Racine. According to the Chicago Tribune story: Aiello maintains that after she entered a polling site, a woman addressed her from across the room and ordered her to remove a "Recall Walker" button on her shirt. Aiello claims Helander …
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Use Patch's interactive tool to get detailed results on how area communities voted in the recall election.
How did Waukesha County municipalities and the rest of the Milwaukee area vote in the June 5 recall election between Republican Gov. Scott Walker and Democrat Tom Barrett? Here's a breakdown of votes you won't find anywhere else - at look at who carried each of the 89 municipalities in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee and Racine counties. Use our interactive tool to search for detailed results for the entire metro area or just your hometown.
GearHead
10:00 am on Monday, September 17, 2012
@Frances: this is settled law. The plaintiffs argument is nutty, and the judge's action is an overreach. But will he incur the wrath he deserves from his specious decision? Time will tell. Another hero was just made in some circles in Madistan. more ›