The Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge Increase Amendment was a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment on the April 6, 1897 ballot in Wisconsin, where it was approved.
This amendment modified Article VII, Section 7 of the Wisconsin Constitution to allow for the legislature to create additional circuit court judge positions in counties with over 100,000 people.
| Question 1|
| Yes|| 45,823|| 52.47%|
Official results via: Wisconsin Blue Book 2011 - 2012
Text of measure
The language that appeared on the ballot:
"For Amendment to Section 7, of Article 7, of the Constitution of Wisconsin...☐
Against Amendment to Section 7, of Article 7, of the Constitution of Wisconsin...☐
NO. 267 S. CHAPTBR 69-Published March 18th, 1897-An act to submit to the people an amendment to section 7, article 7, of the constitution of the State of Wisconsin.
Whereas, at the biennial session of the legislature of this state for the year 1895, an amendment of the constitution of this state was proposed and agreed to by a majority of the members elected to each of the two houses, which proposed amendment was in the following language:
Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring that section 7, article 7, constitution of Wisconsin, relating to circuit courts be amended so as to read as follows: "Section 7. For each circuit there shall be chosen by the qualified electors thereof, one circuit judge, except that in any circuit composed of one county only, which county shall contain a population according to the last state or United States census, of one hundred thousand inhabitants or over, the legislature may, from time to time, authorize additional circuit judges to be chosen. Every circuit judge shall reside in the circuit from which he is elected, and shall hold his office for such term and receive such compensation as the legislature shall prescribe."
Path to the ballot
- First Legislative Approval: SJR 9 & JR 8 (1895)
- Second Legislative Approval: SJR 10 & JR 9 (1897)
- Submission to the People: Ch.69 (1897)