Wisconsin Republicans Regain Senate Supermajority, Voters OK Bail Reforms

Wisconsin Senate Republicans secured a supermajority in a narrow victory Tuesday and will now have enough votes to override a Governor Evers veto.

Late Tuesday night Dan Knodl declared victory over his Democratic challenger, Jodi Habush Sinykin, by telling his supporters, “We have a victory.”

As of Wednesday morning, the Associated Press reported that Knodl had 38,504 (50.9%) compared to Habush Sinykin’s 37,208 (49.1%) with 99% of the votes counted.

The Knodl victory will give Republicans the 22nd vote required to have a supermajority in the Senate, and enough votes to override a Governor Evers veto in the Senate.

A successful override however requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers. Assembly Republicans only have 64 seats, 2 seats shy of the 66 required.

Habush Sinykin has not yet conceded the race.

Bail Reforms Pass

Voters in Wisconsin on Tuesday said they want to change how bail works in the state.

Both of Wisconsin’s bail reform constitutional amendments passed by overwhelming margins.

The first question that would change the constitution to allow judges to keep people in jail, or set higher bails for people accused of serious, violent crimes passed with about 67% of the vote. The second question that allows judges to look at more than just a suspect’s likelihood of returning to court passed with about 68% of the vote.

The amendments come after years of working to update the Wisconsin Constitution’s bail requirements, and after the state’s cash bail system came under fire because of the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack.

The changes will now go forward, though there is some uncertainty. The Republican-controlled legislature passed a plan last month to clarify just what the constitutional amendment means by “serious bodily harm” and “violent crime,” but Gov. Evers has yet to sign that legislation.

Welfare Work Requirement Passes

Just over eight-in-10 voters in Wisconsin want people on welfare to have to work to receive public benefits.

The advisory question on Tuesday’s ballot that asked “Shall able-bodied, childless adults be required to look for work in order to receive taxpayer-funded benefits?” got just over 80% of the vote.

Preliminary returns show that more than 1.4 million people voted to require some work in exchange for welfare.

The vote doesn’t really matter. State law will not change, and anyone receiving public benefits in Wisconsin will not need to find a job. The question was advisory only.