The chief justice of the state Supreme Court may no longer be determined by seniority after the state Assembly approved an amendment to the state constitution Thursday.
The passage of the bill, which would allow justices to elect their chief justice, ensures the measure will be put before voters on a statewide ballot in April.
State Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, argued the proposed constitutional amendment will detract from efforts to create jobs and increase wages. Taylor also questioned the motive behind the amendment.
“This bill unfortunately does seem to be targeting our chief justice, who is the first woman ever elected to the state Supreme Court,” Taylor said.
Under the language in the amendment in its current form, current Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson could be voted out from that position upon the bill’s passage later this spring, in the middle of the Supreme Court’s current term. Several Democrats said this was the true intention of the bill’s authors.
“I really wonder if there were a Chief Justice Prosser if we would even be talking about this now,” state Rep. Andy Jorgensen, D-Milton, said.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, countered that if Abrahamson were worthy of the position, she would presumably be re-elected.
“What kind of a system says that whoever has been here the longest, whether they are the best or not, gets to stay in charge forever?” Vos said. “Almost two-thirds of Wisconsinites wanted the opportunity to have the election of the chief justice not only be on the ballot, but to happen in Wisconsin,” Vos said.
