Judge orders Walker to hold special elections for vacant legislative seats

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
Photo: Gage Skidmore

A Wisconsin judge on March 22 ordered Gov. Scott Walker to hold special elections to fill two vacancies in the Legislature.

The ruling involved a complaint brought by a group led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who said in a statement, “This is an important victory for the impacted citizens of Wisconsin who have gone without representation because of Gov. Walker’s refusal to call special elections.

“One of our most basic rights as American citizens is that we get to vote and have representation in our legislatures. Gov. Walker’s actions have undermined that right and it never should have taken legal action to force him to do his job.”

Holder chairs the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which is affiliated with the National Redistricting Foundation. The NRF recently filed a lawsuit over Walker’s refusal to hold special elections for Assembly District 42 and Senate District 1. The seats have been vacant since the Republicans who held them resigned Dec. 29, 2017, to join Walker’s administration.

State law calls for the governor to hold elections to fill the seats “as promptly as possible,” but Walker repeatedly stated that he had no intention to do so, according to the complaint filed in support of plaintiffs residing in the districts.

According to the Associated Press, Dane County Circuit Judge Josann Reynolds ruled March 22 that the governor should issue an order no later than March 29 calling for special elections within the next 11 weeks.

Reynolds, appointed by Walker, said the governor’s interpretation of the law was inconsistent and incompatible with the Constitution.

“Scott Walker is so afraid of Wisconsin voters that he illegally blocked special elections," Democratic Governors Association press secretary Melissa Miller said in a statement. “But this November, Scott Walker can’t hide from his own election. Voters will have the opportunity to tell Scott Walker that they’re sick and tired of his broken policies failing Wisconsin."