A judge shot down Governor Walker’s attempt to avoid immediately calling special elections for two open legislative seats.
Dane County Judge Richard Niess made that ruling this afternoon following a hearing. It means Walker has until Thursday to schedule the elections.
One of them is for the 1st Senate District seat in northeast Wisconsin. Republican Senator Frank Lasee of De Pere resigned last December to join the Walker administration.
Another judge ordered the elections last week. Niess says that decision was “spot on.”
Republican leaders in the Legislature are working on a bill that would circumvent the ruling. The Senate scheduled a vote for next week.