US Rep. Derrick Van Orden wants to end spring elections in Wisconsin

U.S. Rep Derrick Van Orden wants to put an end to Wisconsin’s spring elections — a move that would require an amendment to the state constitution. His suggestion comes after a series of losses by conservatives in spring races. 

“Republicans don’t vote, period. … We just don’t vote in spring elections,” Van Orden said. 

The Republican congressman called on state lawmakers to make a change to the voting calendar.

“I think they should get rid of that and fold it into a midterm or a four-year cycle,” Van Orden said. “There is exhaustion from the previous election, and it’s just not functional.” 

Currently, nonpartisan spring elections are required by the state constitution. 

“There shall be no election for a justice or judge at the partisan general election for state or county officers, nor within 30 days either before or after such election,” it reads. 

In 2009, some Democratic lawmakers attempted to eliminate spring elections following a race where conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman flipped the court.

Conservatives won many state Supreme Court elections from 2007 to 2016. Then, following Donald Trump’s first presidential election, liberals started to win April elections in 2018. 

Most recently, liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford handily beat conservative Brad Schimel in April.

Patrick Guarasci was a senior advisor on Crawford’s campaign and has worked on many spring Supreme Court races. 

“I think people need to take a step back for a minute and remember that a spring election was set up to basically remove those offices from the normal partisan cycle,” Guarasci said. 

He criticized Van Orden’s idea to end spring elections.

“He effectively wants to inject more partisanship into the judiciary … into the offices that would normally run in a spring election,” Guarasci said.