Supervisors Alexander and Logsdon Applaud County Board Rejecting Abortion Referendum for November Ballot
MILWAUKEE – Today the County Board of Supervisors voted on a resolution which would have placed an advisory referendum on the ballot to measure public opinion on whether Wisconsin Statute 940.04 (the law which bans the intentional killing of a fetus except to save the life of the mother) should be repealed. Supervisors Alexander and Logsdon issued the following statements regarding the outcome of the vote:
“This question was misleading to our constituents, and the referendum itself was not legally binding,” said Supervisor Alexander. “I’d like to thank my colleagues who voted against the effort to put abortion on the ballot as a County-only question, that references state law inaccurately. Without statewide data the referendum has very limited potential uses and is a waste of taxpayer dollars. I highly value bodily autonomy and hearing the will of the public, but it must be under informed circumstances, not a one-liner that takes advantage of women afraid of what the future might hold. The question posed would have failed to recognize that current law allows abortion to save the life of a mother, and that dismembering or poisoning a fetus is not medically required in order to end a woman’s pregnancy.”
“The language of the referendum implied that abortion is presently illegal in all cases in Wisconsin, even though current law provides for medical discretion when the mother’s life is at risk,” said Supervisor Logsdon. “Not only does this resolution not respect the sanctity of life, but it wasn’t even accurate and I’m proud to have stood with the voices of those who could not speak for themselves.”
The resolution required a two-thirds majority for passage. Supervisors Alexander and Logsdon were joined by Supervisors Rolland, Staskunas, Sumner, and Steve Taylor in their dissent and in the 11-6 vote, the two-thirds majority was not achieved.
The referendum question on abortion will not appear on the November ballot in Milwaukee County.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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