A message from Paul DeMain, co-chair, Sawyer County and LCO Democratic Party
August 12, 2026
Congratulations to the Democratic primary winners going on to the General Election on November 3rd, 2026.
David Crowley for Governor
Fred Clark, U.S. House, 7th Congressional District
Yee Leng Xiong, State Treasurer (grew up in the
Wausau area)
Charly Ray, State Senate, 25th District
Paul Johnson, State Assembly, 74th District
Here is how we win elections: Voter turnout!
Wisconsin Democratic Primary Voters = 787,678
Wisconsin Republican Primary Voters = 488,844
Vote for Democrats in November!
Notice
We will update this page with information about the November 3 General Election soon. Meanwhile, please review the following previews of the Constitutional Amendments that will be on the November ballot. The Wisconsin Democratic Party urges noting “no” on all three amendments.
Preview of Constitutional Amendments on November Ballot
Three statewide ballot measures will appear on the November 3 General Election ballot. Here’s a preview of those measures, including notes on supporters and opponents. It’s safe to say these amendments are written in ambiguous ways that hide their actual impact or true intent. Therefore, we urge you to educate yourself on these amendments, and the stories behind them, so you will be ready to cast your vote in November. We also note that the majority of Democratic legislators urge voting “no” on these amendments.
Amendment 1
Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 10 would prohibit the government from closing gatherings at places of worship during declared emergencies, including public health emergencies.
AJR 10 amends “Section 18. Freedom of Worship; Liberty of Conscience; State Religion; Public Funds” in the Wisconsin Constitution. If amended, the boldfaced text would be added to Section 18. Here’s the text:
The right of every person to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of conscience shall never be infringed; nor shall any person be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry, without consent; nor shall any control of, or interference with, the rights of conscience be permitted, or any preference be given by law to any religious establishments or modes of worship; nor shall any money be drawn from the treasury for the benefit of religious societies, or religious or theological seminaries; nor shall the state or a political subdivision of the state order the closure of or forbid gatherings in places of worship in response to a state of emergency at the national, state, or local level, including an emergency related to public health.[7]
The amendment was passed by the Wisconsin Legislature by a vote of 56-43. Votes in both chambers were largely along party lines, with Republicans supporting the amendment and all but two Democrats opposing it. Republicans proposed the amendment following closure of places of worship in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Besides most Democratic Party legislators, opponents include the Wisconsin League of Women Voters. The league urges a “no” vote on the amendment.
For more information
See this Ballotpedia page for more details on AJR 10.
Amendment 2
Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 102 would prohibit the government from discriminating or granting preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.
AJR 102 would create a new section of the Wisconsin Constitution. The new Section 27 of Article 1 reads as follows (in boldface):
Section 27 (1) In this section, “governmental entity” means the state, its political subdivisions including municipalities, the University of Wisconsin System, the Technical College System, any public college or university, any public school district, and any office, department, independent agency, board, commission, authority, institution, association, society, or other body in state or local government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, including the legislature and the courts.
(2) A governmental entity may not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration.
(3) This section does not prohibit action that must be taken to establish or maintain eligibility for any federal program, if ineligibility would result in a loss of federal funds to the governmental entity.
(4) Nothing in this section prohibits bona fide qualifications based on sex that are reasonably necessary to the normal operation of public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration.
(5) If any part or parts of this section are found to be in conflict with the United States Constitution or federal law, the section shall be implemented to the maximum extent that the United States Constitution and federal law permit. Any provision of this section held invalid shall be severable from the remaining portions of this section.
Republican legislators proposed the amendment in the belief that affirmative action and DEI measures are in themselves discriminatory. In both the State Assembly and the Senate, legislative Republicans largely supported referring the constitutional amendment to the ballot, while legislative Democrats did not.
Besides Democratic legislators, the Wisconsin ACLU opposes the amendment. The ACLU urges a “no” vote on this amendment.
For more information
See this Ballotpedia page for more details on AJR 102.
Amendment 3
Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 116 would amend the Wisconsin Constitution to prohibit the governor from using the partial veto to create or increase any tax or fee.If amended, the boldfaced text would be added to Section 10(1)(c) of Article V of the Wisconsin Constitution. Here’s the text:
In approving an appropriation bill in part, the governor may not create a new word by rejecting individual letters in the words of the enrolled bill, and may not create a new sentence by combining parts of 2 or more sentences of the enrolled bill, and may not create or increase or authorize the creation or increase of any tax or fee.
State Senator Chris Larson, a Democrat representing Wisconsin Senate District 7, urges a “no” vote on this amendment, saying "So what would this amendment actually do? It would make it harder for any future governor to right the wrongs of any legislature that fails to provide sufficient revenues to meet our shared priorities – education-related or otherwise."
See this Ballotpedia page for more details on SJR 116.
For more information on all three proposed amendments, see State Sen. Larson’s newsletter sent earlier this year.