Wisconsin GOP wants to remove voters from the process of appointing certain government positions

GOP lawmakers in Wisconsin want to eliminate elections for the state superintendent, state treasurer, and secretary of state and instead allow governors to appoint those positions, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

According to Rep. Shae Sortwell, "those positions should have more responsibility and should be under the governor and part of their cabinet ... the buck stops with the governor. We're not eliminating anything. We're putting them under the governor so we can give them more responsibility and more accountability."

But Department of Public Instruction spokeswoman Abigail Swetz says there's no reason to remove voters from the process.

"An independent agency with leadership elected through a nonpartisan election is how we best serve Wisconsin's children, and there is no reason that needs to change," he said.

Sen. Roger Roth says the proposal is democratic since it has to be approved by voters.

"We are giving the choice to the people," he said. "If we do this, it's because the people decide. It's absolutely going along with the democratic process. It's not an attack on that because the people would make this decision."

Read more at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.