Who Voted For Marijuana In Wisconsin? We Have The Answer

WISCONSIN -- Voters in support of legalizing marijuana for either medicinal or recreational purposes have smoked their opponents in ballot measures in several southeastern Wisconsin counties on Tuesday night.

The 16 counties with the advisory referendum are Milwaukee, Rock, Dane, Sauk, Brown, La Crosse, Marathon, Portage, Clark, Langdale, Marquette, Eau Claire, Forest, Kenosha, Lincoln and Racine.

"While these referendums were only advisory, they show cannabis law reform to be more popular than many of the lawmakers who won in these areas. This should send a strong message to the incoming Wisconsin legislature that cannabis law reform - including medical cannabis, cannabis decriminalization, and cannabis legalization - must be a priority in 2019," Eric Marsch, Executive Director of Southeastern Wisconsin NORML told Patch.

The The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, is a Washington D.C.-based lobbying organization focused on the decriminalization of marijuana. NORML has regional offices, including in Wisconsin.

Marsch said that another huge victory for the pro-cannabis group was the election of Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul.

"Both are very supportive of medical cannabis and open-minded on recreational cannabis. The close margin in those statewide races means they both owe their jobs to the hundreds of thousands of cannabis voters who came out to support the referendums," he said.

In a county-by-county check on election night, voters have overwhelmingly supported local ballot initiatives in 16 of the 16 counties.

Who Voted For Marijuana In Wisconsin?

Brown County:

"Should cannabis be legalized in Wisconsin for medicinal purposes, and regulated in the same manner as other prescription drugs?"

• 76% YES
• 24% NO

Clark County:

"Should the State of Wisconsin legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes and regulate its use in the same manner as other prescription drugs?"

• 67% YES
• 33% NO

Dane County:

"Should marijuana be legalized, taxed and regulated in the same manner as alcohol for adults 21 years of age or older?"

• 76% YES
• 24% NO

Eau Claire County:

"Should cannabis:"

• 54% - Be legal for adult, 21 years of age and older, recreational or medical use, taxed and regulated like alcohol, with the proceeds from the taxes used for education, healthcare, and infrastructure in Wisconsin?
• 31% - Be legal for medical purposes only and available only by prescription through a medical dispensary?
• 15% - Remain a criminally illegal drug as provided under current law?

Forest County:

"Should the State of Wisconsin allow individuals with debilitating medical conditions to use and safely access marijuana for medical purposes, if those individuals have a written recommendation from a licensed Wisconsin physician?"

• 79% YES
• 21% NO

Kenosha County:

"Should the State of Wisconsin allow individuals with debilitating medical conditions to use and safely access marijuana for medical purposes, if those individuals have a written recommendation from a licensed Wisconsin physician?"

• 88% YES
• 12% NO

La Crosse County:

"Should the State of Wisconsin legalize the use of marijuana by adults 21 years or older, to be taxed and regulated in the same manner that alcohol is regulated in the State of Wisconsin, with proceeds from taxes used for education, healthcare, and infrastructure?"

• 63% YES
• 37% NO

Langlade County:

"Should the State of Wisconsin allow individuals with debilitating medical conditions to use and safely access marijuana for medical purposes, if those individuals have a written recommendation from a licensed Wisconsin physician?"

• 77% YES
• 23% NO

Lincoln County:

"Should the State of Wisconsin allow individuals with debilitating medical conditions to use and safely access marijuana for medical purposes, if those individuals have a written recommendation from a licensed Wisconsin physician?"

• 81% YES
• 19% NO

Marathon County:

"Should the State of Wisconsin allow individuals with debilitating medical conditions to use and safely access marijuana for medical purposes, if those individuals have a written recommendation from a licensed Wisconsin physician?"

• 82% YES
• 18% NO

Marquette County:

"Shall the County of Marquette, Wisconsin, adopt the following resolution? Resolved, that "We the People" of Marquette County, Wisconsin, support the right of its citizens to acquire, possess and use medical cannabis upon the recommendation of a licensed physician, and; Be It Further Resolved, that we strongly support a statewide referendum requesting Wisconsin to join with thirty-two (32) other states that have already approved the use of medical cannabis for the treatment of chronic pain, several debilitating diseases and disabling symptoms."

• 78% YES
• 22% NO

Milwaukee County:

"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?"

• 70% YES
• 30% NO

Portage County:

"Should the State of Wisconsin allow individuals with debilitating medical conditions to use and safely access marijuana for medical [treatment] purposes, if those individuals have a written [treatment] recommendation from a licensed Wisconsin physician?"

• 83% YES
• 17% NO

Racine County:

"Should marijuana be legalized for medicinal use?"

• 85% YES
• 15% NO

"Should marijuana be legalized, taxed, and regulated in the same manner as alcohol for adults 21 years of age or older?"

• 59% YES
• 41% NO

"Should proceeds from marijuana taxes be used to fund education, health care, and infrastructure?"

• 81% YES
• 19% NO

Rock County:

"Should cannabis be legalized for adult use, taxed and regulated like alcohol, with the proceeds from the Taxes used for education, healthcare, and infrastructure?"

• 69% YES
• 31% NO

Sauk County:

"Should the state of Wisconsin legalize medical marijuana so that people with debilitating medical conditions may access medical marijuana if they have a prescription from a licenses Wisconsin physician?"

• 80% YES
• 20% NO

City of Racine:

"Should cannabis be legalized for adult recreational use in Wisconsin?"

• 66% YES
• 34% NO

"Should cannabis be legalized for medical use in Wisconsin?"

• 88% YES
• 12% NO

"Should cannabis sales be taxed and the revenue from such taxes be used for public education, health care, and infrastructure in Wisconsin?"

• 83% YES
• 17% NO

"Should cannabis be decriminalized in the State of Wisconsin?"

• 72% YES
• 28% NO

City of Waukesha:

"Should cannabis be legalized in Wisconsin for medicinal purposes, and regulated in the same manner as other prescription drugs?"

• 77% YES
• 23% NO

A recent Marquette University Law School poll reported that 61 percent of likely voters in Wisconsin say marijuana should be fully legalized and regulated like alcohol, while 36 percent oppose legalization. The last time the poll was conducted in July 2016, 59 percent supported legalization and 39 percent were opposed.

Racine County Supervisor Nick Demske is part of a coalition of elected officials in Racine County that supports the legalization of cannabis in the area.

"As most know, there's a vast body of research now pointing to the medical, social and economic benefits of legalizing cannabis," he said. "There are a great many people whose families could benefit from medical marijuana being legalized in Racine County.

Demske said he's heard from senior citizens suffering from chronic health conditions, parents with young children suffering from conditions that are well-known to be treatable with cannabis. He added that he's heard from people who identify from all over the political spectrum.

"It was surprising to me at first, but I understand why that is," he said. "Chronic illness does not discriminate based on a person's politics. If you have to watch your child endure more than 100 seizures a day, and you read about how families are migrating in large numbers to areas where cannabis is legal so their children can live pain-free functioning lives, this is not a politically-motivated decision."

The Counties

The Milwaukee County Board voted 15-1 in May to place an advisory referendum on Tuesday's ballot. The advisory referendum reads: "Do you favor 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?"

Municipalities in each of the 16 counties has a slightly different question on the ballot. Voters in Dane, La Crosse and Rock Counties in addition to Milwaukee are asking voters whether marijuana should be legalized for personal use for people who are a minimum of 21 years old. These referendums also ask whether the sale of marijuana should be taxed and regulated.

Meanwhile, voters in Clark and Brown counties will vote on whether medical marijuana should be regulated as a prescription drug. Voters in Forest, Kenosha, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Marquette, Portage and Sauk counties will vote on whether marijuana use is OK if it is recommended by a doctor.

Eight states had marijuana ballot measures in front of voters: Michigan, North Dakota, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Utah, and Wisconsin.

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