April 1st Spring Elections

According to the poll, voters are still mostly unfamiliar with candidates running for both the Wisconsin Supreme Court and State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Among registered voters, 38 percent don’t have an opinion of former Attorney General and current Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Brad Schimel and 58 percent don’t have an opinion of his opponent, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford. The candidates for State Superintendent are even more unfamiliar to voters. 64 percent of voters didn’t have an opinion of current State Superintendent Jill Underly and 71 percent had no opinion on her opponent Brittany Kinser.

The candidates favorable-unfavorable splits were:

• Schimel, 29 percent favorable, 32 percent unfavorable
• Crawford, 19 percent favorable, 23 percent unfavorable
• Underly, 16 percent favorable, 20 percent unfavorable
• Kinser, 16 percent favorable, 13 percent unfavorable

Approval Ratings

Federal Approvals

• President Trump: Among registered voters, 48 percent approve and 51 percent disapprove. In March 2017, in the first poll after President Trump took office 41 percent approved vs 47 percent disapproving.
• Elon Musk: 41 percent viewed him favorably, while 53 percent view him unfavorably

Federal Issues

• 59 percent of voters say President Trump’s freezing of spending and closing of agencies are beyond his approval, while 40 percent believe the President has the authority without Congressional approval.
• 47 percent of respondents belies the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is properly carrying out President Trump’s agenda, while 53 percent believe it is disrupting programs required by law.
• 32 percent believe tariffs will help the U.S. economy and 51 percent believe they will hurt the economy.
• President Trump’s deportation of illegal immigrants is supported by 61 percent and opposed by 38 percent. When asked if the deportations should include individuals who have been in the country a number of years, have a job, and have no criminal record, 50 percent still favored deportation and 50 percent opposed.

Party

• 47 percent of voters view the Republican Party favorably, while 52 percent had an unfavorable opinion.
  • 33 percent of Independents view the Republican Party favorably, while 62 percent had an unfavorable opinion.
• 34 percent of voters view the Democratic Party favorably, while 62 percent had an unfavorable opinion.
  • 15 percent of Independents view the Democratic Party favorably, while 79 percent had an unfavorable opinion.

State Approvals

• Governor Evers: Among registered voters, 49 percent approve and 44 percent disapprove.
• Legislature: 38 percent approve of the job the legislature is doing, while 49 percent disapprove.
• State Supreme Court: 46 percent approve of the job the Supreme Court is doing, while 37 percent disapprove

State Issues

• 54 percent want Act 10 struck down, while 42 percent want the courts to uphold the 2011 law.
• 64 percent favor legal abortions in all or most cases, with 36 percent who say it should be illegal in all or most cases.
• 77 percent favor requiring a government-issued photo ID to vote, while 22 percent were opposed.
• A Constitutional Amendment on the April ballot would make photo ID to vote a constitutional requirement. 73 percent are in favor, while 27 percent oppose. 97 percent of Republicans and 77 percent of Independents are in favor of adding this to the Wisconsin Constitution, while 55 percent of Democrats oppose it.
• 58 percent are either very satisfied or satisfied with their public schools, while 41 percent were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied.
• 58 percent say holding down property taxes is more important, while 41 percent say it’s more important to increase funding for schools.
• 60 percent say Wisconsin school have set standards lower than they should, while 34 percent say standards are about right, and 6 percent say standards are too high.
• 57 percent favor allowing students statewide to use vouchers to attend private or religious schools, with 43 percent opposed.
  • If asked to choose whether the state budget should increase funding for students to attend private schools or increase the budget for public schools, 33 percent would increase funding for private school while 67 percent would increase funding for publican schools.
  • 76 percent favor an increase in funding for special education in school, while 23 percent are opposed.
  • 66 percent approve of Governor Evers’ proposal to include $300 million for mental health services in schools statewide, while 34 percent oppose.
• In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, 51 percent say the closures of schools and businesses were an appropriate response and 49 percent believe they did more harm than good.
• A Legislative proposal to extend post-partum Medicaid coverage to a full year for new mothers is supported by 67 percent and opposed by 33 percent.
• Ending DEI programs in Wisconsin universities, public schools, and state government is supported by 50 percent, while 49 percent oppose.
• Allowing police to take guns from people found by a judge to be a danger to themselves or others (red flag law) is supported by 85 percent and opposed by 15 percent.
• 54 percent are in favor of requiring state employees to return to work in their physical offices, while 45 percent oppose the policy.
• 54 percent agree that county law enforcement should cooperate with federal immigration authorities to identify immigrants in the U.S. illegally, and for counties to lose state revenue if they do not cooperate, while 45 percent oppose.
• 54 percent approve of a proposal by Governor Evers to make a child-care subsidy that began during the Covid-19 pandemic permanent, while 45 percent oppose.
• 57 percent oppose the $800 million budget increase request by the Universities of Wisconsin system, while 42 percent support.

Marquette University Poll – Charles Franklin