Democrats push criticism of Governor Walker's decision not to hold special elections

DE PERE - Democrats on Thursday continued their criticism of Gov. Scott Walker's decision not to call a special election to fill two vacant seats in the state Legislature.

Republican Sen. Frank Lasse, of De Pere, and Rep. Keith Ripp, of Lodi, stepped down in December to begin working for the Walker administration — leaving open their seats in the 1st Senate and 42nd Assembly district.

Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, representatives from Citizen Action of Northeast Wisconsin and district constituents gathered at a park in De Pere Thursday morning to voice their frustration about the district not having representation for more than a year, and to "show Walker is wrong."

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Hansen said leaving the seats open leaves nearly 175,000 people without a voice in the Legislature until early 2019, when the seats will be filled following a regularly scheduled election in November. He said the waiting game is unconstitutional.

"The law clearly states that any vacancy in the office of the Senate or representative of the Assembly prior to second Tuesday of May of that year shall be filled as promptly as possible by special election," he said. "I guess he thinks promptly means a whole year from now."

Walker has said a special election wouldn't be a good use of taxpayer money.

Hansen said the election could have been held during this week's primary election and could still happen during the April election.

Hansen pointed out that Walker called a special election for January to fill a Senate district in northwestern Wisconsin vacated by Sheila Harsdorf, who became Walker's agriculture secretary.

Democrat Patty Schachtner won that election.

Hansen claimed Walker won't call for additional special elections because he fears losing more seats to the opposition.

Kevin Kane, Organizing Director for Citizen Action of Wisconsin, said Walker's rejection of a special election is indicative of confused priorities.

"We are in a state where $4 billion for things like Foxconn, or $200 million to private insurance companies is somehow a useful investment but investigating in our citizens' ability to vote on who should represent them in the community in Madison is somehow not a property in our state," he said.

Rep. Andre Jacque, R-De Pere, has announced his candidacy for the 1st Senate District in the November election.