Proposed Constitutional Amendments on the Ballot During Next Week's Election

Tuesday, March 28th, 2023 -- 1:00 PM

(AP) With the future of abortion rights and redistricting hanging in the balance, all eyes are on the April election for Wisconsin Supreme Court.

But for people who find themselves in front of a judge, two questions on the ballot could have more substantial consequences than who controls the state's highest panel. A proposed constitutional amendment will let voters choose whether it should be harder to get out of jail on bail.

Early voters have reported confusion over what the proposal would do and how the questions are worded. The first question asks voters if they think judges should be able to set conditions to protect the public from serious harm when releasing people before trial. The second asks whether judges should be allowed to consider past convictions for violent crimes when setting bail for someone accused of a violent crime.

The questions may seem vague and unimportant, but they would let judges set higher cash bail amounts that could disproportionately keep poor defendants behind bars, said Alison Shames, director of the Center for Effective Public Policy.

The measure's Republican sponsors say higher bail amounts would protect the public.

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