Jon Erpenbach
Jon Erpenbach (Democratic Party) was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing District 27. He assumed office in 1999. He left office on January 3, 2023.
Erpenbach (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Wisconsin State Senate to represent District 27. He won in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Biography
Erpenbach attended the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. Erpenbach's professional experiences include communications director, legislative aide, meat packer, radio personality, recreation instructor, short order cook, and truck driver.[1]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at:editor@ballotpedia.org.
2021-2022
Erpenbach was assigned to the following committees:
- Joint Finance Committee
- Joint Legislative Council Committee
- Agriculture and Tourism Committee
- Senate Finance Committee
- Senate Health Committee
- Universities and Technical Colleges Committee
2019-2020
Erpenbach was assigned to the following committees:
- Information Policy and Technology Committee
- Joint Finance Committee
- Joint Legislative Council Committee
- Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems
- Senate Finance Committee
- Senate Health Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Finance |
| • Health and Human Services |
| • Sporting Heritage, Mining, and Forestry |
| • Workforce Development, Military Affairs, and Senior Issues |
| • Joint Finance |
| • Joint Survey on Retirement Systems |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Erpenbach served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Agriculture, Small Business, and Tourism |
| • Health and Human Services |
| • Finance |
| • Joint Finance |
| • Joint Survey on Retirement Systems |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Erpenbach served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Health and Human Services |
| • Insurance and Housing |
| • Universities and Technical Colleges |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Erpenbach served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Health |
| • Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce and Government Operations |
| • Joint Legislative Council |
| • Transportation and Elections |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Erpenbach served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Commerce, Utilities, Energy, and Rail |
| • Education |
| • Public Health, Human Services, and Revenue, Chair |
| • Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing |
Issues
Legislative walkout
Erpenbach and the 13 other Democratic senators participated in a legislative walkout on February 17, 2011, in opposition to Assembly Bill 11 - a Republican-sponsored bill aimed at limiting collective bargaining rights, compensation and fringe benefits of public employees.[2] The Democratic departure left the Senate one vote shy of a quorum. Reports confirmed the senators fled to a hotel in Rockford, Illinois.[3] State police were dispatched by Governor Scott Walker (R) to retrieve the senators, but were unable to cross state lines.[4] The 14 state senators who left the state were described as the "Badger 14" or "Fab 14."[5]
On February 22, speaking from the basement of an Illinois hotel, Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller provided the minority response to Gov. Scott Walker, saying, "The governor has the tools at his disposal to put this issue to an end. As soon as he is willing to take a compromise, we will go back to work in an instant." Miller stated that the legislators payed for the trip themselves, and that no taxpayer money was spent.[6]
October 26, 2017: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker last month signed legislation authorizing a $2.85 billion incentive package to encourage Foxconn to locate facilities in the state. Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, characterized the package as “a total environmental giveaway by the state of Wisconsin." In contrast, Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, R-River Falls, asserted that “no changes have been made to air, water and waste-related standards.”
Is Harsdorf correct?
Read Ballotpedia's fact check »
Walker called on the Democratic senators to return to the state by March 1 in order to vote to restructure the state's debt. If they did not, he stated he may have to start cutting state jobs, saying:
"It’s not just a number, it’s not just a budget, it’s ultimately a real person with a real family, so I’m going to push that back as far as I can. We’ve got to have real numbers to balance the budget to avoid layoffs. My hope is those 14 state senators … realize that in the end, it’s much better off to avoid those cuts, it’s much better off to avoid the most dire consequences that will come if we don’t pass this bill."[7]
The Democratic senators said they would not return until the governor was willing to compromise on the budget-repair bill.
Democrats threatened with arrest
Republicans passed a unanimous resolution on March 3 finding the missing legislators in contempt and threatening them with arrest. It gave Senate Democrats until 4 p.m. to return or the sergeant-at-arms was ordered to take "any and all necessary steps, with or without force, and with or without the assistance of law enforcement, by warrant or other legal process, as he may deem necessary in order to bring that senator to the Senate chambers."[8]
The constitutionality of that resolution was unclear, however, as the Wisconsin Constitution only allows for the arrest of legislators while in session if they are suspected of committing a felony, treason, or breach of the peace. Jim Palmer, executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, said the resolution was an "unreasonable abuse of police power."[9]
Erpenbach provided the Democratic response, stating, "All 14 of us remain in Illinois, very strong in our convictions. Issuing arrest warrants at 4 p.m. isn't going to solve the problem. This is a debate about protection of the middle class in Wisconsin; that is what the Republicans should be focusing on."[8]
The move by Republicans came the day after they issued fines of $100 a day for not showing up at the Capitol, along with taking away parking spaces.[10] The week before Republicans also passed a rule suspending direct-deposit of paychecks. Erpenbach found a way around this by granting power of attorney to two of his aides, giving them power to, among other things, pick up his paycheck. In the end Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald mailed the check to Erpenbach.[11]
Meeting and possible compromises
On March 7, Democratic leader Sen. Mark Miller sent a letter to the governor and senate majority leader asking for a meeting near the Wisconsin-Illinois border to restart talks on the collective bargaining issue.[12] Gov. Walker responded at a press conference, calling the letter "ridiculous," and saying that several meetings between the two sides have taken place, but that Miller has stood in the way of a compromise.[13]
Sen. Chris Larson said, "Dems will return when collective bargaining is off the table. That could be soon based on the growing public opposition to the bill and the recall efforts against Republicans."[14]
On March 8, the Governor's office released an email exchange dated March 6 between Eric Schutt, Walker's deputy chief of staff, and Democratic Senators Cullen and Jauch. The exchange discusses possible compromises on the bill, including allowing unions to bargain for wages beyond inflation rates, permitting collective-bargaining on certain economic issues, allowing public workers to collectively bargain workplace safety issues, and limiting collective bargaining agreements to two years or less.[15]
Senate passes bill
On March 9, the Wisconsin State Senate approved Act 10, which included changes to the collective bargaining rights of public-sector workers. Republicans passed the bill by a vote of 18-1, with Sen. Dale Schultz (R) voting against it. Democrats, who had absented themselves in order to prevent the Senate from meeting its 20-member quorum, were not present to vote on the legislation.[16]
On May 26, 2011, Dane County Court Judge Maryann Sumi issued a stay against the law on the grounds that the legislative process had violated the state's open meetings law. The state Departments of Justice and Department of Administration appealed the decision to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. On June 14, the Wisconsin Supreme Court overruled the lower court's decision, stating it "exceeded its jurisdiction, invaded the legislature’s constitutional powers...and erred in enjoining the publication and further implementation of the act."[16]
Recall campaigns
In the wake of events surrounding the bill, both Democratic and Republican senators were targeted by active recall campaigns in 2011. Recall sponsors filed signatures on petitions targeting six Republican state senators and three Democratic state senators. Challenges were filed in all nine of those campaigns, and the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board approved the six campaigns against Republicans at meetings on May 23 and May 31, and approved the three campaigns against Democrats on June 8. Democrats held onto the 30th District seat on July 19. Republicans lost two seats in the August 9 recalls, but held onto four. Two incumbent Democrats successfully retained their seats on August 16.
Open records lawsuit
On March 24, 2011, Brian Fraley of the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy, a conservative Wisconsin think tank, filed an Open Records Law request for all emails related to Act 10 (the changes to public employee bargaining laws passed in 2011) received by Erpenbach from January 1 and March 23, 2011. The MacIver Institute wanted to examine these records to determine whether any state employees violated government policies by sending communications from their government email accounts or on state time. Erpenbach responded to the request by releasing thousands of documents to the MacIver Institute but only after removing the names and other personal information relating to the senders.
On February 9, 2012, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed suit for the MacIver Institute to force Erpenbach to release unredacted copies of the senator's Act 10 correspondence.[17] Although Wisconsin Department of Justice lawyers usually defend legislators in cases of this type, Erpenbach hired, at government expense and with permission from Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller, the private law firm Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek. He cited disagreements about the case with Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen (R) and claimed that Van Hollen only upholds laws he agrees with, a claim disputed by a DOJ spokesperson. From March through October 31, 2012, the Wisconsin State Senate paid Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek $57,272, in addition to $2,194 paid to University of Wisconsin-Madison professor David Canon for research related to the case. The Senate may also be required to pay the legal expenses of the MacIver Institute if Erpenbach lost. On February 5, 2013, Grant County Circuit Judge Robert Van De Hey ruled that he would examine unredacted copies of the emails to decide if the MacIver Institute should be given access to them.[18][19]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2022
On December 8, 2021, Erpenbach announced that he would not seek re-election.[20]
2018
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Wisconsin State Senate District 27
Incumbent Jon Erpenbach defeated Casey Helbach in the general election for Wisconsin State Senate District 27 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jon Erpenbach (D) | 66.2 | 64,605 | |
| Casey Helbach (R) | 33.8 | 32,992 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 54 | ||
| Total votes: 97,651 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 27
Incumbent Jon Erpenbach advanced from the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 27 on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jon Erpenbach | 100.0 | 25,352 | |
| Total votes: 25,352 | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 27
Casey Helbach advanced from the Republican primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 27 on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Casey Helbach | 100.0 | 6,852 | |
| Total votes: 6,852 | ||||
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2014
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for 17 seats in the Wisconsin State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 12, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 2, 2014. Incumbent Jon Erpenbach ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and was unchallenged in the general election[21][22] and was re-elected to another term.[23]
2010
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2010
Erpenbach was re-elected in 2010 to the Wisconsin State Senate District 27 seat. He was unopposed in the primary. He defeated Republican Kurt Schlicht in the general election on November 2, 2010.[24] [25][26]
| Wisconsin State Senate, District 27 (2010) General Election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
 Jon Erpenbach (D)
|
51,742 | 61.84% | ||
| Kurt Schlicht (R) | 31,909 | 38.13% | ||
| Wisconsin Senate, District 27 Democratic Primary (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Jon Erpenbach (D)
|
9,160 | 99.91% | ||
2006
On November 7, 2006, Jon Erpenbach won re-election to the Wisconsin State Senate, District 27. He ran unopposed.[27]
Jon Erpenbach raised $54,176 for his campaign.[28]
| Wisconsin State Senate, District 27 (2006) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Jon Erpenbach (D)
|
60,974 | |||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Wisconsin scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2022
In 2022, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 18 to March 8.
- Legislators are scored on whether they voted for or against MMAC's position.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their stances on conservation issues.
- Legislators are scored by the Wisconsin Family Action on their votes on legislation related to "marriage, family, the sanctity of human life, or religious freedom."
- Legislators are scored on their votes on industry-specific legislation.
- Legislators are scored on their votes by the Wisconsin Professional Police Association on legislation related to Wisconsin's law enforcement community.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 4 to December 31.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 14 to May 13.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 7, 2019 through January 13, 2020.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 16 through March 27. Special sessions were held from January 1 through February 27 and from March 15 through March 29.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 3 through December 31. There were also special sessions. The first special session was January 5. The second special session was August 1 through September 15.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 12 through March 15.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 5 through December 31.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 14 through June 4.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 7 to December 31.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 10 through March 16.
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See also
- Wisconsin State Legislature
- Wisconsin State Senate
- Wisconsin State Senate Committees
- Wisconsin Joint Committees
- Wisconsin state legislative districts
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed May 5, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin.gov, "ASSEMBLY BILL 11," accessed February 17, 2011
- ↑ Green Bay Press Gazette, "Wisconsin Democrats flee to Clock Tower Hotel in Rockford, Ill., to block anti-union bill," February 17, 2011
- ↑ Bloomberg Businessweek, Senator: Missing Wis. lawmakers left the state, 17 Feb. 2011
- ↑ Facebook, "Fab 14," accessed May 6, 2014
- ↑ WISN, "State Sen. Minority Leader Responds to Walker," February 22, 2010
- ↑ Christian Science Monitor, "Wisconsin governor to missing senators: Come back or I'll lay off 1,500," February 28, 2011
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Wall Street Journal, "Pressure Mounts on Absent Democrats in Wisconsin, Indiana," March 3, 2011
- ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "Senate orders arrest of missing Democrats," March 3, 2011
- ↑ My Fox Chicago, "Wisconsin GOP Slaps Missing Dems With $100 Daily Fines," archived January 4, 2012
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "AWOL Wisconsin Dem Beats The System, Gets His Paycheck Mailed To Him," March 3, 2011
- ↑ New York Times, "Wisconsin Democrats Urge New Talks on Labor Bill," March 7, 2011
- ↑ CNN, "Wisconsin gov: Democratic senator's border meeting idea 'ridiculous'," March 7, 2011
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "Wisconsin Dems Deny WSJ Report Of Imminent Return," March 6, 2011
- ↑ CNN, "E-mails: Wisconsin governor offers concessions on budget bill," March 8, 2011
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Wisconsin State Journal, "Front pages from historic Scott Walker protests," February 11, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, "WILL Files Open Records Lawsuit Against Senator Erpenbach," February 9, 2012
- ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "Taxpayers foot bill for Erpenbach's legal costs in open records case," February 5, 2013
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, "Taxpayers spend $60,000 on Erpenbach's legal bills," February 5, 2013
- ↑ CT Post, "Longtime Democratic Wisconsin Sen. Erpenbach retires," accessed December 16, 2021
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "2014 Partisan Primary Candidates," accessed June 19, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidates Registered by Office," June 11, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Canvass Results for 2014 General Election," December 1, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidates Registered by Office, 2010," July 13, 2010
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Official 2010 Primary election results," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Official 2010 General election results," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Official 2006 General election results," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2006 contributions," accessed May 6, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Family Action, "2015-2016 legislative scorecard," accessed May 31, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Family Action, "2015-2016 legislative scorecard," accessed May 31, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Family Action, "2015-2016 legislative scorecard," accessed May 31, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Family Action, "2015-2016 legislative scorecard," accessed May 31, 2017
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Wisconsin State Senate District 27 1999-2023 |
Succeeded by Dianne Hesselbein (D) |
