Ballot questions
On November 5th, vote “No” on the Constitutional Amendment—and vote “Yes” on the school referendum.
This election, your ballot will include a constitutional amendment question introduced by Wisconsin’s MAGA GOP. The proposed change is intended to suppress the vote and marginalize Black, brown, and low-income voters.
Vote no.
What’s this all about?
Today, every U.S. citizen possesses the right to vote, and our elections are incredibly secure.
But the GOP is, once again, raising the specter of voter fraud—and suggesting a remedy to prevent non-citizens from casting ballots. But this is already illegal and mind-blowingly rare.
And not once have these exceedingly rare instances impacted the results of an election.
In short, the MAGA GOP is proposing a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist to backdoor new ways to suppress the vote—and they’re inciting hate and division in the process.
The ballot question
Just as we saw last April and August, the language in this GOP ballot question is confusing. That’s by design.
“Eligibility to vote. Shall section 1 of article III of the constitution, which deals with suffrage, be amended to provide that only a United States citizen age 18 or older who resides in an election district may vote in an election for national, state, or local office or at a statewide or local referendum?"
What does a “Yes” or “No” vote really mean?
A yes-vote opens the door to voter suppression by changing the language in our state constitution. Rather than guaranteeing “every” U.S. citizen the right to vote, it limits access by enshrining the right to vote for “only” U.S. citizens.
A seemingly small change—but it could open the door to additional voter requirements. Do you bring your certified original birth certificate to vote? Do you even know where it is?
Additional requirements create barriers that take time and money to overcome—requirements that disproportionately affect our Black, brown, and poor neighbors.
A no-vote preserves the freedom of every U.S. citizen to vote. 30+ organizations, including the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, and Souls to the Polls WI oppose this question, and they urge voters to vote no.
Whew! This is the 5th constitutional amendment in the last two years—it’s hard to keep up. Please tell all of your friends and family to vote no on November 5th!
This election, western Wisconsin residents who live within the Hudson School District boundary will be asked to approve an operational funding referendum. This funding is critical to ensuring our public school teachers have the resources they need to help our kids thrive.
Vote yes.
What’s this all about?
Investing in our public schools is one of the very best investments we can make.
Great schools draw families and businesses into our communities, and a top-notch education helps our kids reach their full potential, while also reducing social spending later in life.
Yet, our GOP-controlled state legislature has chronically underfunded our public schools since 2010. Even today, with a budget surplus of more than $4.5B, they’re holding the purse strings tight.
As a result, Hudson School District joins 80% of Wisconsin school districts in asking local taxpayers to close that gap.
The ballot question
BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of the School District of Hudson, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, that the final school district budget shall include an amount of $5,000,000 each year in excess of the revenue limits imposed by Section 121.91 of the Wisconsin Statutes commencing with the 2024-25 school year on a recurring basis for the purpose of paying District operation, maintenance and staffing costs. QUESTION Shall the School Board of the School District of Hudson be authorized to exceed the revenue limit under Section 121.91 of the Wisconsin Statutes by an amount of $5,000,000 each year beginning with the 2024-25 school year on a recurring basis for the purpose of paying District operation, maintenance and staffing costs as provided in the foregoing resolution?
What does a “Yes” or “No” vote really mean?
A yes-vote invests in our kids—and makes western Wisconsin a more attractive place to families and businesses.
Most of Hudson School District’s budget pays for its talented staff. Funding also covers the curriculum, technology, transportation, operations, and maintenance necessary to keep our kids safe and give them a world-class education. We urge you to support the referendum and vote yes.
A no-vote hurts our kids and our community.
Without additional funding, Hudson School District will be forced to:
Cut staffing
Increase class sizes
Reduce course offerings
Cut extracurricular activities
Reduce bussing costs, which may include increasing the distance students need to walk to school