2011 ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION 51
This constitutional amendment, proposed to the 2011 legislature on first consideration, makes elections for the office of district attorney, sheriff, register of deeds, county clerk, treasurer, surveyor, coroner, and clerk of circuit court nonpartisan and changes the term of office to begin on the first Monday in June.
Press Release Excerpt:
I could never understand why these positions were partisan in the first place,” Spanbauer explained. “As I asked my colleagues, is there really a Republican way to carry out the register of deeds’ duties, or a Democratic approach to being clerk of courts? With regard to sheriffs and district attorneys, their top priority should be public safety – they shouldn’t have to be distracted by party politics.”
Well, at least they are not trying to wrest the offices away from the ballot box, but I have a feeling that's not too far away.
Personally speaking, excluding the misinformation publishing campaign and repeated attacks against one county office holder from the Janesville Gazette newspaper, Rock County has been blessed with very low-key partisanship undertones between candidates during county office elections. Of course no constitutional amendment can stop people from asking where a candidate might stand on some political issues that are relevant to the office or stop individuals and interest groups from advocating for a candidate for non-partisan office, as the Wisconsin Supreme Court well demonstrates.
Read Resolution here.
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