Supreme Court Race

Wisconsin Public Radio’s 2025 election guide featured question and answers with the candidates. Here are their responses.

Elections in odd years are non-partisan. Not all non-partisan offices are up for election in 2025.

The two statewide races on the spring 2025 ballot are for a seat on the state Supreme Court and the state superintendent of public instruction. These races will be on everyone’s ballot for the April 1 election.

How to obtain an ID for voting. Valid identification for voting purposes includes a driver license, identification card, military or student ID card, etc. There is no separate “voter ID.”

Click here to see the candidates on the ballot.

Click here to watch a webinar of the forum where St. Croix County Circuit Court Judge – Branch II candidates answered questions before the primary. The two remaining candidates are Heather Amos and Brian Smestad.

Whether you love it or hate it, Wisconsin already has a strict voter ID law on the books. This constitutional amendment seeks to enshrine Wisconsin’s voter ID law in the state constitution. While the amendment would not significantly alter the current voter ID law, it would make it harder to remove the photo ID requirement and limit the court’s ability to protect voters disenfranchised by the law.

The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin knows that if this amendment is passed it will be harmful to the people of our state. We urge voters to VOTE NO on this question. 

The Question

Voters must be prepared to answer this question in the April 1, 2025 election. 

❌Question: “Photographic identification for voting. Shall section 1m of article III of the constitution be created to require that voters present valid photographic identification verifying their identity in order to vote in any election, subject to exceptions which may be established by law?”

What does a “Yes” or a “No” vote mean?

• A “yes” vote – supports the changes to the constitution. A “yes” vote supports adding language to the state constitution to require valid photo identification to vote and authorizing the state legislature to pass laws to determine what qualifies as valid photo identification and exceptions to the requirement.

• A “no” vote – opposes the changes to the constitution. A “no” vote opposes adding language to the state constitution to require valid photo identification to vote and authorizing the state legislature to pass laws to determine what qualifies as valid photo identification and exceptions to the requirement.

Why Vote No

1. Wisconsin’s voter ID law disenfranchises eligible voters. Wisconsin’s photo ID law is among the most restrictive in the nation. Research from VoteRiders, the Brennan Center, and the University of Maryland revealed that 34.5 million voting-age US citizens or 14.5% of eligible voters, lack an unexpired, acceptable photo ID, which can lead to difficulties at the polls as a result.
2. The rigged state legislature isn’t doing its job. Wisconsinites have had six confusing constitutional amendments on the ballot in the last year. We’ve had enough of these wide-sweeping, harmful amendments. Our legislators need to do their job – work with the governor to pass policies.
3. Wisconsin is stronger when we stand together. The legislature continues to propose constitutional amendments while denying Wisconsinites the ability to propose their own citizen-led ballot initiatives. Enough is enough.

Who Opposes This Question

20+ organizations including League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, WAVE, Chippewa Valley Votes, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, ACLU WI, LIT, Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance, Wisconsin Justice Initiative Action, Souls to the Polls, Law Forward, Wisconsin Public Education Network, Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition, VoteRiders, Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, BLOC, Common Cause Wisconsin, Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign, EXPO, All Voting Is Local Action, and Wisconsin Justice Initiative.