Wisconsin voters reject ballot questions to limit governor's spending power

Wisconsin voters on Tuesday rejected two proposed constitutional amendments that aimed to strip the state's governor of power to unilaterally spend federal money.

The Republican-led effort, which would've given more power to the state Legislature when it comes to distributing federal funds, failed with 58% of voters voting down both questions, according to unofficial results called by the Associated Press .

The outcome was a major win for Democrats, who faced criticism from conservatives over Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' response to the COVID-19 pandemic and disbursement of federal aid.

In a statement Tuesday night, Evers said his administration responded to the pandemic "expeditiously, effectively, and efficiently even as other branches of government, at best, consistently failed to meet the moment and, at worst, actively sought to make our work more difficult."

"This was a referendum on our administration's work and the future for Wisconsin we've been working hard to build together, and the answer is reflected in the people's vote," Evers said.

According to the Associated Press , the state recorded the highest voter turnout for a presidential year partisan primary in 60 years, with just over a quarter of the state's voting-age population casting ballots.

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