Wisconsin Voter Guide: Key races on ballot for Nov. 5 election
The 2024 election is almost here. Americans are gearing up to make a historic pick on Nov. 5, selecting the 47th president of the United States. They'll also cast votes for U.S. Congress and in state races.
Here's your guide to the key items on Wisconsin's ballots this November:
President of the United States
Democrat: Kamala D. Harris
Republican: Donald J. Trump
Constitution: Randall Terry
Libertarian: Chase Russell Oliver
Wisconsin Green: Jill Stein
Party for Socialism and Liberation: Claudia De la Cruz
Justice for All: Cornell West
We the People: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
More: Voters Guide 2024: Where Harris and Trump stand on key issues
U.S. Senate
Tammy Baldwin, Democrat
Baldwin, 62, is seeking her third term in the Senate. She became the first openly gay senator when she was elected to the high chamber in 2012. She previously served the state's 2nd Congressional District, anchored in Madison, from 1999 until she entered the Senate in 2013 — making her the first woman from Wisconsin elected to either chamber.
Before her arrival in Congress, Baldwin represented the Madison area in the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Baldwin has campaigned on preserving access to abortion, strengthening Wisconsin's manufacturing sector, lowering prescription drug prices and supporting veterans.
Eric Hovde, Republican
Hovde, 60, is a banking mogul and real estate executive making his second run for Senate in Wisconsin. He previously ran for Senate in 2012 but finished a close second to former Wisconsin Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson in the primary. Baldwin defeated Thompson in that race. Hovde weighed a run against Baldwin again in 2018 but backed off, and he also briefly considered a run for governor in 2022.
Hovde is the CEO of a Madison-based commercial and residential real estate company started by his grandfather. He also leads two West Coast-based businesses — H Bancorp and its primary subsidiary, Sunwest Bank.
Hovde is running on reigning in federal government spending that he blames for causing inflation, cracking down on immigrant border crossings, extending the Republican-enacted 2017 tax cuts that are set to expire and overhauling the health care system to reduce costs. Hovde said during his 2012 candidacy that he was "totally opposed to abortion" and has since said he's always been in favor of exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, and believes state voters should decide abortion policy via referendum.
More: Wisconsin voter guide: What to know about candidates for U.S. Senate, House
U.S. House of Representatives
All eight Wisconsin House representatives are facing competition. Three races are the most closely watched.
In the 1st Congressional District in far southeast and south central Wisconsin, Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Janesville, faces former congressman Peter Barca, a Democrat from Kenosha.
In the 3rd Congressional District in western Wisconsin, Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, is running for a second term against Rebecca Cooke, a Democrat from Eau Claire.
In the 8th Congressional District, in northeast Wisconsin, Democrat Kristin Lyerly of De Pere and Republican Tony Wied of De Pere are competing to replace Republican Mike Gallagher, who left office last summer.
Read more about the U.S. Congressional races
Wisconsin state Senate
Redrawn legislative maps have created more competitive districts and the outcome of the elections will determine which political parties will control the houses of the state Legislature.
Read more about the state Senate races in the Milwaukee area, including races in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington and Ozaukee counties.
Green Bay voters will weigh in on Senate District 30, and Appleton area voters will weigh in on Senate Districts 2 and 18.
Wisconsin state Assembly
The Wisconsin state Assembly serves two-year terms, so each district is on the ballot. Redrawn legislative maps have made more competitive districts, as with the state Senate.
Here are the contested races for state Assembly in the Milwaukee area, which includes races in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington and Ozaukee counties.
More: Election guide: What to know about Green Bay-area races and referendums
More: Voter guide for state, county races and referendums in the Appleton area
State referendum on noncitizen voting
Wisconsin voters will see the fifth and final statewide referendum question of the year.
The question at the heart of the referendum, led by Republican lawmakers, is whether to prevent Wisconsin from allowing noncitizens to vote in the future. Cities in some states have allowed noncitizens to vote in local school board elections, for example, but nowhere in Wisconsin allows that.
Democrats and voting rights groups are concerned a simple change in wording — that "only" rather than "every" citizen can vote — could weaken how voting rights are laid out in the state constitution. There are no cities, towns or villages in Wisconsin that allow noncitizens to vote in local elections.
The referendum reads:
“Eligibility to vote. Shall section 1 of article III of the constitution, which deals with suffrage, be amended to provide that only a United States citizen age 18 or older who resides in an election district may vote in an election for national, state, or local office or at a statewide or local referendum?”
A "yes" vote means that the phrasing would change to use the phrase "only a United States citizen."
A "no" vote keeps the constitutional phrasing as is.
Read more about the referendum
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Voter Guide: Key races on ballot for Nov. 5 election