Almost everyone in Wisconsin was aware of the election on April 4. As a Madison resident, I was bombarded with calls, texts, YouTube advertisements and flyers on my door. All election media sent my way was either about the Supreme Court, or Madison mayoral and City Council candidates. I had not seen one piece of accessible, educational text referencing the referendums on the ballot.
After doing extensive research, I was confident in how I would be voting. Unfortunately, many peers I spoke to after leaving the polls were not. They expressed confusion and frustration — even after spending considerable time and effort deciphering the language of the four referendums.
Democracy doesn’t work unless it is accessible to every citizen, including those who aren’t fluent in the letter of the law. Even I, a political science student, had to conduct my own research and seek out a simpler formatting of the referendum questions to make an informed decision. So, why aren’t referendums included in popular political advertising?
I understand the public is more familiar with Supreme Court candidates, and it is easier to encourage people to vote when they feel something important is at stake. Nevertheless, referendums are an important part of political decision-making. Even if they are solely advisory, how we vote on a referendum guides our elected leaders to make decisions based on what they think our interests are as their constituents.
However, referendums — if not properly understood by those voting — are pointless. Checking a random “Yes” or “No” on the ballot may mislead government officials into believing a voter wants them to take action, when in reality, the voter might have preferred that specific issue be left alone.
During referendum campaigns, “If you don’t know, vote no” is a popular slogan. However, this is a disastrous way to look at voting — especially if authors of referendums know people are most likely to vote “No” if the language is too confusing. This could result in the referendum being biased toward one answer.
Members of the government might see these “accidental votes” as the voter’s fault — that the voter should have done more research or been able to comprehend the language on the ballot. Those assumptions directly attack the premise of democracy. Some people may not have internet access or the legal education required to decipher such complicated language. People who fit into these categories should never be excluded from the democratic process.
Whether they are private companies or officials paying to publicize their personal political agenda, it boils down to the fault of the advertisers. Those calls, texts, YouTube advertisements and flyers I received the weeks before the election should have included statements about other items on the ballot. Assumptions should never be made about the voter and their ability to make an informed decision.
Political advertising must change to reflect the needs and wants of every citizen. The referendums Wisconsin, and specifically Madison, residents voted on directly affect members of our community. Those affected might not have even known the referendums applied to them. So, if you are already phone banking or approaching people on the street asking for their vote, take the time to make sure they know exactly what they are voting for. We are responsible for each other.
Sofia Piolanti is a freshman studying Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Do you agree that referendums need reform? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
