Madison, WI — Today, Democratic leaders in the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly introduced a joint resolution to place an advisory referendum on the November 3, 2026 ballot. If approved, voters would decide on whether they think Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation should support a U.S. Constitutional amendment aimed at overturning the landmark 2010 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. F.E.C. that opened the floodgates for unlimited corporate spending in elections.
The advisory referendum would say the following:
1. Only human beings are endowed with constitutional rights—not corporations, unions, nonprofit organizations, or other artificial entities.
2. Money is not speech, and therefore limiting political contributions and spending is not equivalent to limiting political speech.
Senate Assistant Democratic Leader Jeff Smith (D-Brunswick) said, “the decision in Citizens United has distorted our entire democratic process. Elections should be determined by the voices and votes of individuals, not billionaires like Elon Musk. By asking voters whether they want Congress to act, we’re simply letting voters say how they feel about money in politics these days. It’s time to reclaim our democracy.”
“Citizens United has allowed a dangerous flow of money from the ultra-rich to drown out the voices of everyday Wisconsinites,” said Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair Leader Lisa Subeck (D-Madison). “It’s time to restore power to the people, not big corporations. This amendment would reassert that human beings, not corporations, should be the ones with a say in our elections.”
Senator Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee), a lead author of the resolution, said, “Americans deserve a democracy where every voice counts equally. It’s time to end legalized bribery by repealing Citizens United. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues today to give the people of Wisconsin a chance to weigh in on this critical issue.”
Representative Joe Sheehan (D-Sheboygan) said, “After the last few months, it has become clear that we need to take action on corporate money that is spent on elections here in Wisconsin. We just had the most expensive Supreme Court election in the nation’s history, where both sides accepted large amounts of money from corporate donors. It is time we give the people of Wisconsin a chance to say whether or not the flow of corporate money into our elections is something they support.”
If passed, the advisory referendum will be presented to voters during the November 3, 2026 general election. The resolution is a crucial part of the ongoing effort to limit the influence of money in politics and empower everyday Wisconsinites to participate fully in the democratic process.
