Wisconsin voters will be asked one question to amend (change) the constitution on their November ballot. This constitutional amendment change from "every" to "only" is a downgrade to all of our voting rights.

❌Question: “Eligibility to vote. Shall section 1 of article III of the constitution, which deals with suffrage, be amended to provide that ❗only❗ a United States citizen age 18 or older who resides in an election district may vote in an election for national, state, or local office or at a statewide or local referendum?"

“Every United States citizen” is protective. The rights of at least those individuals – U.S. citizens over 18 who reside in the district for 28 days – cannot be denied.

“Only U.S. citizens” is limiting. Instead of guaranteeing anyone’s rights, it denies the right to vote to anyone outside that group.

This how we can lose rights such as our freedom to vote.

If there was no meaningful difference between “only” & “every,” legislators would not bother trying to pass this as a constitutional amendment.

“If the constitution says 'only' citizens can vote, that means that sub-sets of citizens could be excluded – like citizens that don't have documents to prove their citizenship. If the constitution says "every" citizen it means that it's a guarantee.” – Eileen Newcomer, LWVWI Voter Education Manager

“...slowly erodes that right until it’s something smaller, something weaker than what we have right now.” – Attorney Dan Lenz, Law Forward

Below: Watch Attorney Dan Lenz break down the question and explain every vs. only