Wisconsin Senate Bill SB1117

Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/19/26
• Refer: 3/19/26
• Failed: 3/23/26

Caption

An Act to amend 5.10 and 7.70 (5) (b); to create 5.11 and 5.12 of the statutes; Relating to: entering into an agreement among the states to elect the president and vice president of the United States by means of a national popular vote.

Summary

SB1117 would have had Wisconsin join the Interstate Compact on the National Popular Vote. The bill creates a new statutory section adopting the “Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote,” under which member states agree to award their presidential electors to the presidential slate that wins the nationwide popular vote, but only when the compact is in effect in states holding a majority of electoral votes by July 20 of a presidential election year. It also requires Wisconsin election officials to exchange vote totals with other member states, certify the winning slate under the compact, and notify the Legislative Reference Bureau when the compact becomes active or when Wisconsin withdraws. The bill amends existing election statutes governing presidential electors and canvass certification so that, if the compact is triggered, references to presidential election results and elector certification would instead reflect the compact’s national-popular-vote process. It also provides for withdrawal from the compact, termination if the Electoral College is abolished, and a severability clause. In practical terms, the measure would change how Wisconsin allocates its presidential electors in participating years, shifting from a state-by-state winner-take-all system to a national popular vote rule under the compact. The overall sentiment in the available record appears limited but negative for the bill’s prospects, as it ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1. No committee transcript or recorded votes were provided, so there is no detailed public debate in the supplied materials to show support or opposition. The bill’s introduction by a large group of Democratic senators and representatives suggests partisan support, but the final status indicates it did not advance. The main point of contention inherent in the proposal is the constitutional and policy question of whether Wisconsin should bind itself to award electoral votes based on the national popular vote rather than the Wisconsin vote. Supporters of the compact generally favor a national popular vote approach as a way to ensure every vote counts equally nationwide, while opponents typically argue it could diminish Wisconsin’s influence in presidential elections and alter the role of the Electoral College without a federal constitutional amendment. Because no hearing transcript is included, specific arguments from legislators or stakeholders are not available in the record provided.

Impact

If enacted and triggered, SB1117 would have altered Wisconsin election law by creating an interstate compact that changes the appointment of presidential electors from a Wisconsin-based outcome to the national popular vote winner. It would have required the Elections Commission, governor, and other election officials to certify and transmit results in a manner consistent with the compact, and it would have updated statutory references in chs. 5 and 7 to account for the compact’s operation. The bill would affect presidential candidates, political parties, election administrators, and Wisconsin voters in presidential elections governed by the compact.

Sentiment

The available record suggests the bill was supported by its Democratic authors and cosponsors, but there is no committee transcript or vote tally to show detailed debate. Its final status—failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1—indicates it did not secure enough legislative support to advance. Overall, the sentiment reflected in the legislative outcome is that the proposal was controversial and did not command majority approval.

Contention

The central contention is whether Wisconsin should join a multistate agreement that effectively bypasses the traditional Electoral College allocation method in favor of the national popular vote. Supporters are likely to emphasize democratic equality and the idea that the presidency should go to the candidate with the most votes nationwide. Opponents are likely to argue that the compact could reduce Wisconsin’s leverage in presidential campaigns, create uncertainty about election administration across states, and raise constitutional concerns about changing presidential selection through state legislation rather than amendment. No specific stakeholder testimony is included in the provided materials.