Prospects of updating Wisconsin recall law are unclear

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — State lawmakers of both parties agree that Wisconsin’s recall law needs to be updated, but they may have trouble finding room to compromise.

The recall law has been used 15 times in less than a year, and there are signs that voters are losing patience. Exit polls in the June 5 election found that 60 percent of voters think politicians should only face recalls for malfeasance or criminal activity.

Republican state Rep. Robin Vos has authored a bill that would limit recalls to those circumstances.

But Democrat Peter Barca, the Assembly’s minority leader, says he’s not convinced that limiting voters’ rights would improve the law.

A Wisconsin State Journal report says both parties do agree about changing the rule that allows recall targets to raise unlimited amounts of cash.