UW-Milwaukee professor breaks down statewide referendums
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Wisconsin voters will be heading to the polls on Tuesday to cast their votes in the statewide election.
While most of the focus is on the race for governor, there are also three statewide referendums that could amend the state constitution.
CBS 58 talked with UW-Milwaukee political science professor Mordecai Lee to help simplify the referendums.
The first amendment could limit what the governor can do in terms of partial veto on monetary issues.
“If you're in favor of narrowing the power of a governor, whether Republican or Democrat, to issue partial vetoes on monetary issues, then vote yes,” Lee said. “If you think that the current powers of the governor for partial vetoes on financial issues should remain as is, then you should vote no.”
The second amendment could allow places of worship to stay open during a state of emergency.
“If you think that even if everything is shut down, but houses of worship should be permitted, vote yes,” Lee said. “If you agree that houses of worship should be treated like all other public faculties, facilities, then you should vote no.”
The third and final amendment could prohibit DEI programs in the state of Wisconsin.
“If you agree that DEI should be prohibited absolutely, positively across the board, vote yes,” Lee said. "If a voter believes that affirmative action sometimes is a good idea for people who face certain limitations or have historical wrongs done against them, face systemic problems, and you believe that affirmative action sometimes is a good idea, then you should vote no.”
Lee says you don’t have to be an expert on constitutional law to vote on the referendums, and that they can be easy to understand.
“These three amendments deal with the basic concepts of government,” Lee said. “You agree with the change that's being proposed in the language you're reading, vote yes, if you don't agree with it, you want to maintain the status quo, vote no.”