Since 2023, Wisconsin voters have elected three new justices to the state’s highest court. Each of these high-profile races captivated the political universe not only because of the seismic impact they will have on those of us in Wisconsin, but also because of what’s at stake nationally in the most hotly-contested battleground state in the country.
And the consequences have indeed been enormous. In 2023, a year after the statewide ban on abortion took effect in the wake of the Dobbs decision, Wisconsin voters went to the ballot box in record numbers, delivering a forceful rebuke to the attack on reproductive freedom by fundamentally reshaping the makeup of the court for the first time in over a decade.
Then, two years later, Wisconsinites were tasked with choosing another Supreme Court Justice in an election cycle no less contentious. Just like the one before it, that race attracted a deluge of attention and campaign spending – becoming the most expensive judicial election in US history – a record most infamously illustrated by Elon Musk’s rally in Green Bay, wherein the richest man on the planet paraded around stage donning a cheesehead while handing out checks to members of the audience. In spite of those antics, Wisconsinites sent another unmistakable message on Election Day: that our votes can’t be bought.
By 2026, the media frenzy that we’ve grown accustomed to had died down. And although the dynamics around the election had shifted, the ACLU’s commitment to ensuring voters felt educated, empowered, and fully equipped to cast an informed ballot remained the same. We executed a multi-pronged education campaign – reaching voters via radio, streaming services, and direct mail. And we talked to voters themselves, at events, on phone banks, and in the community.
And while these elections – and the seemingly endless Wisconsin election season they produce – require a great deal of time, energy, and labor, the impact is undeniable.
Over the course of three years, the state Supreme Court has struck down the abortion ban, restoring Wisconsinites’ reproductive rights after the fall of Roe v. Wade. They’ve overturned what were considered some of the most gerrymandered legislative districts in the country – paving the way for a more representative democracy – putting power back in the hands of voters with fair maps. And in a boost to voter access, the justices ruled to reinstate ballot drop boxes, reversing a previous decision that had outlawed their use.
As the federal government threatens to take over state elections, seize confidential voter information, ban abortion nationwide, and deploy militarized forces like ICE to occupy neighborhoods across the country, having a state Supreme Court that respects and adheres to the Constitution has never been so important.
The impact of these elections cannot be overstated – an impact that will last for generations. Let days like April 7 be a reminder that – no matter what’s happening in Washington and at the federal level – ultimately it is us, the people, who have the power. The greatest difference we can make is in our own state, communities, and neighborhoods.
But we cannot slow down from here. We know the forces who want to roll back our rights aren’t going anywhere – so neither can we. Let’s continue to vote our values, organize our communities, and build the world we all want to live in.