The Wisconsin Election Amendment was a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment on the November 7, 1882 ballot in Wisconsin, where it was approved.
This set of amendments modified Article VI, Section 4 of the Wisconsin Constitution to provide for county officer vacancies, except judicial, to be filled by appointment, Article VII, Section 12 to provide for full term elections of the Clerk of Court, and Article XIII, Section 1 to define the political year and provide for biennial elections.
| Question 2|
| Yes|| 60,091|| 88.14%|
Official results via: Wisconsin Blue Book 2011 - 2012
Text of measure
The language that appeared on the ballot:
For amendment to section 4, article 6 of the constitution
For amendment to section 12, article 7 of the constitution
For amendments to section 1, article 13 of the constitution...☐
Against amendment to section 4, article 6 of the constitution
Against amendment to section 12, article 7 of the constitution
Against amendments to section 1, article 13 of the constitution...☐
AN ACT to submit to the people as amendment to section 4 to article 8, section 12 of article 7, and section 1 of article 13 of the constitution of the State of Wisconsin, so as to provide for biennial general elections.
Whereas, at the annual session of the legislature of this State for the year 1881, an amendment to the constitution of the state was proposed and agreed to by a majority of the members elected to each of the two houses thereof, which amendment was in the following language:
Resolved by the Assembly, the Senate Concurring, That section 4 of article 6 of the constitution of the State of Wisconsin, be so amended as to read as follows: Section 4. Sheriffs, coroners, registers of deed, district attorneys, and all other county officers, shall be chosen by the electors of the respective counties, once in every two years. Sheriffs shall hold no other office, and be ineligible for two years next succeeding the termination of their offices; they may be required by law to renew their security for time to time, and in default of giving such new security, their office shall be deemed vacant but the county shall never be made responsible for the acts of the Sheriff. The Governor may remove any such officer in this section mentioned, giving to such officer a copy of the charges against him and an opportunity of being heard in his defense. All vacancies shall be filled by appointment, and the person appointed to fill a vacancy shall hold only for the unexpired portion of the term to which he shall be appointed, and until his successor is elected and qualified. That section 12, article 7 of said constitution be so amended as to read: Section 12. There shall be a clerk of the Circuit Court chosen in each county organized on judicial propose, by the qualified electors thereof, who shall hold his office for two years subject to removal as shall be provided by law; in case of vacancy, the judge of the Circuit Court shall have power to appoint a clerk until the vacancy shall be filled by an election; the clerk thus elected or appointed shall give security as the Legislature may require. The Supreme Court shall appoint its own clerk, and a clerk of the Circuit Court may be appointed clerk of the Supreme Court.
That section 1 of article 13 of said constitution be so amended as to read as follows: Section 1. The political year for the state of Wisconsin shall commence on the first Monday in January in each year, and the general elections shall be holden on the Tuesday next succeeding the first Monday in November. The first general election for all state and county officers except judicial officers, after the adoption of this amendment shall be holden in year A.D. 1884, and thereafter the general election shall be held biennially. All state county or other officers elected at the general election in the year 1881 and whose term of office would otherwise expire on the first Monday of January in the year 1884, shall hold and continue in offices respective until the first Monday in January in the year 1885;
Path to the ballot
- First Legislative Approval: AJR 16 (1881)
- Second Legislative Approval: SJR 20 & JR 3 (1882)
- Submission to the People: Ch.290 (1882)