Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Monday announced that he will call on lawmakers to allow the public to put binding legislative proposals on the ballot, saying the people should have the right to decide on policy changes such as the legalization of marijuana. The Democratic governor said he will include the plan in his 2025-2027 biennial state budget, allowing Wisconsinites to enact statutory and constitutional changes at the ballot box without the approval of the state legislature.

Unlike most states in the union, Wisconsin does not have a process for citizens to place binding legislative and constitutional proposals on the state ballot. Activists have used the initiative process to legalize cannabis in many states, including several of the first states to make the policy change.

Evers noted in his statement that Wisconsin’s Republican-led majority put five statewide referenda questions on the ballot in 2024, more than any year in more than four decades. He noted that all four questions were drafted, legislatively approved and placed on the ballot by Republican lawmakers, largely without direct input from the public.

“The will of the people should be the law of the land. Republican lawmakers have repeatedly worked to put constitutional amendments on the ballot that Republicans drafted, and Republicans passed, all while Republicans refuse to give that same power to the people of Wisconsin. And that’s wrong,” Evers said in a statement. “Republican lawmakers shouldn’t be able to ignore the will of the people and then prevent the people from having a voice when the Legislature fails to listen. That has to change. If Republican lawmakers are going to continue to try and legislate by constitutional amendment, then they should give the people that same power and that’s what I’ll be asking them to do in my next budget.”

Plan Would Allow For Marijuana Legalization Ballot Measure

The governor said his budget proposal for 2025-2027 will require the legislature to create a process for “Wisconsinites to enshrine the will of the people into state law.” The change would allow the electorate to weigh in on proposals that enjoy broad public support but have been rejected by the legislature, including the governor’s efforts to “legalize and tax marijuana much like we do alcohol.” Evers also cited other issues that could be legislated through an initiative or referendum process, including protecting abortion rights, expanding paid family leave and enacting gun safety reforms such as universal background checks.

“The will of the people should be the law of the land. Republican lawmakers have repeatedly worked to put constitutional amendments on the ballot that Republicans drafted, and Republicans passed, all while Republicans refuse to give that same power to the people of Wisconsin. And that’s wrong,” Evers said at a press conference on Monday, according to a report from the Wisconsin Examiner. “Republican lawmakers shouldn’t be able to ignore the will of the people and then prevent the people from having a voice when the Legislature fails to listen. That has to change. If Republican lawmakers are going to continue to try and legislate by constitutional amendment, then they should give the people that same power and that’s what I’ll be asking them to do in my next budget.”

Republicans in the Wisconsin legislature have indicated plans for new ballot proposals in 2025. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has said he hopes a proposal requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls will appear on ballots in April.

“If Republican lawmakers are going to continue to try to legislate by constitutional amendment, then they should give Wisconsinites the same opportunities that 26 other states have,” Evers said.

Evers has previously included plans to legalize and tax cannabis in budget proposals, but the legislature has declined to approve them. Lawmakers have even refused to approve a proposal to legalize medical cannabis, making it one of the few states to maintain total prohibition of marijuana.