By Keith UhligDaily Herald Mediakuhlig@wdhmedia.com

WAUSAU — Wausau residents don’t think corporations should have constitutional rights, and believe that regulating how money is spent in political campaigns is not the same as infringing on free speech.

Wausau voters overwhelmingly supported — by a 77-23 margin percent — a symbolic referendum question that challenged the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizen’s United ruling that in effect declared that the government cannot ban corporate spending in elections. There were 9,799 yes votes on the question, and 2,934 no votes.

Wausau residents Milt and Rita Pachal spearheaded the referendum and helped collect 2,655 signatures to get the measure on the ballot. Their efforts were part of Move to Amend, a national advocacy group working for a constitutional amendment that would nullify the Supreme Court decision.

The measure drew support from voters from both sides of political spectrum in Wausau.

Patty Pagel, 58, voted for Democratic candidates “because we need a change,” she said.

She voted yes on the referendum because she wanted “to give power back to the people.”

Michael Havlovick, 32, voted for Republicans because he wants to see government spending kept in check. “That’s our money,” he said. “The more money they can give back to hard-working people, the better.”

He, too, voted yes on the Move to Amend referendum.

“A business should not have a political side,” Havlovick said.

The idea behind the referendum is to build grassroots support that can lead to change. Prior to Tuesday, every community on a state and national level that considered the resolution had passed it.

“We can actually force this thing when we get enough people to agree to it,” Milt Pachel told Daily Herald Media before the election.

Pagel thinks the vote will have an impact.

“At least it will send a clear message,” she said.

Keith Uhlig can be reached at 715-845-0651. Find him on Twitter as @UhligK.

The Move to Amend resolution

A “yes” vote supported the Move to Amend campaign and supports passage of an amendment to the United States Constitution, saying that “only human beings - not corporations, limited liability companies, unions, nonprofit organizations or similar associations- are endowed with constitutional rights” and that “money is not speech, and therefore regulating political contributions and spending is not equivalent to limited political speech.”

Yes: 9,799

No: 2,934

* 100 percent of precincts reporting.