Wisconsin Rapids voters could be faced with difficult decisions this November — and not just about the races for governor and attorney general. They could also decide by referendum whether or not the president of the United States should be impeached.
The referendum, which targets both President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, calls for the U.S. House of Representatives to begin impeachment proceedings.
Vernon Borth, Wisconsin Rapids city clerk, said the Common Council will vote Tuesday to accept the resolution. Pending their action, the decision may be left to voters.
"I think there's a good possibility that we would get enough votes to pass it on the referendum," said Wisconsin Rapids resident Bill Dolan, who submitted the petition Monday.
It took Dolan roughly six weeks to collect 921 petition signatures door-to-door throughout the city, with help from Madison Veterans for Peace.
"They're killing our kids for no reason at all," Dolan said. "It's horrible, the lies that the administration keeps throwing out."
Even if it does pass the November general election, some believe the referendum will have very little actual effect.
"The problem is those sorts of expression of local opinion don't add up to a national movement," said Charles Franklin, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Rapids Common Council President Maynard Paterick also argued the referendum will be ineffective, and called the petition "ridiculous."
"If [the voters] want a referendum, that's fine, let them have one," Paterick said. "To me, I think the opposite — if we weren't in Iraq right now, we might be getting bombed here."
Even so, Wisconsin Rapids election officials are preparing themselves for above average numbers at the polls.
"I suspect we will have a really high voter turnout," Borth said, citing not only the impeachment referendum, but also other city, county and state referendums.
"We normally see about 50 percent turnout," he added. "But with all these additional things on the ballot, it's going to be more than that."
As a result, the city will order more ballots than in previous years and hire additional poll workers — things that will cost this small town of about 18,000 people extra money.
But Franklin said if anything will drive voters to the polls, it will be the gubernatorial race, not an impeachment referendum.
"This is the kind of thing that appeals to a lot of very committed and angry Democrats," Franklin said. "It has not shown to have any deep appeal among the general public."