Milwaukee County voters overwhelmingly support legalizing marijuana, prohibiting semi-automatic firearms. What happens next?

Corrinne Hess, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·2 min read
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Milwaukee County voters overwhelmingly passed two advisory referendums Tuesday calling for the legalization of marijuana and the prohibition of semi-automatic “military-style” firearms.

What does it mean? From an action standpoint, nothing.

An advisory referendum is a proposal put on a ballot to gauge the opinion of voters. The results are nonbinding and governing bodies are not required to act on them.

Legalizing marijuana

On Tuesday, Maryland and Missouri joined 19 other states and the District of Columbia to legalize recreational marijuana since 2012.

Milwaukee County voters were asked: "Do you favor allowing adults 21 years of age and older to engage in the personal use of marijuana, while also regulating commercial marijuana-related activities, and imposing a tax on the sale of marijuana?"

More than 74% or 235,364 people voted yes, while 81,481 voted no.

In September, Gov. Tony Evers said he plans to again propose legalizing marijuana in the next state budget if he is re-elected, which he was.

The plan, which would require users to be 21 to purchase, is estimated to generate $166 million in revenue that Evers wants to use to help fund schools.

The Republican-led Legislature has blocked previous proposals to legalize the drug.

Semi-automatic firearms

Milwaukee County voters were also asked: "Should the Wisconsin Legislature prohibit the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of semi-automatic 'military-style' firearms whose prohibition is allowed under the Wisconsin and United States Constitutions?"

Sixty-nine percent, or 218,512 people voted yes, while 98,106 said no.

Despite the state's largest city being in favor of this measure, the Legislature is unlikely to move forward on gun control. Last year, the Legislature sent a "Second Amendment Sanctuary" bill to Evers.

The bill, which was vetoed, attempted to prevent federal gun laws from having any effect in Wisconsin.

What wasn't on the ballot

Voters were not asked about abortion Tuesday.

Evers asked lawmakers in September to consider taking up a constitutional amendment to allow a statewide referendum for a public vote on whether abortions should resume in Wisconsin.

But Republicans immediately rejected the idea. If they had agreed, Wisconsin would have joined 26 states that allow referendum questions driven by the public.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee County referendums on marijuana, semi-automatic guns