Ready or not, here it comes. With absentee ballots now available for request from local clerks and 27 days until Tuesday, Nov. 5, the fall election will decide local, state, and federal officeholders, as well as a state referendum question. The Question entitled “Eligibility to Vote Referendum” reads as follows:

“Vote for one
“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?”

The proposed change comes after Article III, Section I of the Wisconsin State Constitution was restored to its original wording in April 1986 following several amendments post-statehood. The new proposed language this election would replace the original wording that designates “every” United States citizen 18 and older as able to vote with “only” a United States citizens 18 and older being able to vote.
Qualified electors may vote “yes” or “no” for options on the proposed language change in the State constitution.
As for state level races, several local assembly seats are on the ballot, including Districts 68, 69, and 91.
Running in District 68 are Rob Summerfield (Republican) of Bloomer and Richard Pulcher (Democratic) of Lublin. Contending in District 69 are Roger Halls (Democratic), Karen Hurd (Republican), and Joshua Steven Kelley (Independent). On the ballot for District 91 are Jodi Emerson (Democratic) and Michele Magadance Skinner (Republican).
While several State Senate seats are on the November ballot this year in Wisconsin, none of these seats are local.
As for county races—all uncontested—there are many candidates.
Seeking Chippewa County District Attorney is Wade C. Newell (Republican), with Jaclyn Jackie Sadler (Democratic) running for Chippewa County Clerk. Patricia Schimmel (Democratic) is seeking Chippewa County Treasurer, with Melanie McManus (Democratic) running for Chippewa County Register of Deeds.
For Clark County, the candidates are as follows. Melissa Inlow (Democratic) is running for Clark County District Attorney, while Christina M. Jensen (Republican) is running for Clark County Clerk. Renee J. Schoen (Republican) is running for Clark County Treasurer, while Mary A. Denk (Republican) is running for Clark County Register of Deeds.
For those residing in northeast Eau Claire County in and around Wilson, several offices are on the ballot this fall.
Running for Eau Claire County District Attorney is Peter J. Rindal (Democratic), while Sue McDonald (Democratic) is seeking Eau Claire County Clerk. Glenda Lyons (Democratic) is seeking Eau Claire County Treasurer and Tina Pommier (Democratic) is seeking Eau Claire County Register of Deeds.
For Taylor County a similar set of offices is on the ballot.
Andria M. Farrand (Republican) is running for Taylor County Clerk, while Sarah Ruth Holtz (Republican) is seeking Taylor County Treasurer. Jayme S. Kohn (Republican) is seeking Taylor County Register of Deeds, while Kristi S. Tlusty (Democratic) is seeking Taylor County District Attorney.
Closing out the ballot recap with contested federal races, United States Senator is being contested between Tammy Baldwin (Democratic), Eric Hovde (Republican), Phil Anderson (Disrupt the Constitution) and Thomas Leager (America First).
U.S. House District 7 is being contested by Tom Tiffany (Republican) and Kyle Kilbourn (Democratic), while District 3 is being contested by Rebecca Cooke (Democratic) and Derrick Van Orden (Republican). A third candidate named Rustin Provenance (Independent) did not make the ballot for District 3. Van Orden and Tiffany are the incumbents for their respective seats.
For president and vice presidential contenders, the candidates as listed by party are Kamala D. Harris and Tim Walz (Democratic), Donald J. Trump and J.D. Vance (Republican), Randall Terry and Stephen Broden (Constitution), Chase Russell Oliver and Mike ter Maat (Libertarian), Jill Stein and Rudolph Ware (Wisconsin Green), Claudia De La Cruz and Karina Garcia (Party for Socialism and Liberation), Cornel West and Melina Abdullah (Justice for All), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Nicole Shanahan (We the People).
The newspaper has reached out to state level candidates of contested races to provide a chance for them to share their views with readers. Check back in coming weeks for the questionnaire responses.