It is with great honor that I stand before you all once again as Majority Leader. I thank my colleagues for continuing to bestow their trust in me, and welcome our incoming leadership, including Senator Roger Roth who today is beginning his term as President of this body. We also welcome back Senator Fred Risser, who continues to hold the record of the longest serving state legislator in United States history. To our returning Minority Leader Senator Shilling: we offer our congratulations and look forward to another successful session. I would now like to take a moment to recognize two individuals who passed away last year during their service in the Senate. Please join me in a moment of silence for Senator Rick Gudex and Rachel Veum of the Senate Chief Clerk’s Office.
I now return the floor to President-Elect Roth, who will begin the proceedings.”
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State of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Elections Commission
November 29, 2016
The Honorable, the Senate:
I am pleased to provide you with a copy of the official canvass of the November 8, 2016 General Election vote for State Senator along with the determination by the Chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission of the winners.
With this letter, I am delivering the Certificates of Election and transmittal letters for the winners to you for distribution.
If the Elections Commission can provide you with further information or assistance, please contact our office.
Sincerely,
MICHAEL HAAS
Interim Administrator
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Statement of Canvass
for
State Senator
GENERAL ELECTION, November 8, 2016
I, Michael L. Thomsen, Chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, certify that the attached tabular statements, as compiled from the certified returns made to the Wisconsin Elections Commission by the county clerks of the several counties of the state, contain a correct abstract of the total number of votes given for the election of candidates for State Senator, excluding Senate District 32, which is under recount, at a General Election held in the several towns, villages, cities, wards and election districts in said counties on the Eighth day of November, 2016.
I DO, THEREFORE, DETERMINE AND CERTIFY that the following candidates, having each received the greatest number of votes in their respective senatorial districts, are duly elected State Senator:
Senate District Elected
2nd District Robert Cowles
4th District Lena C. Taylor
6th District LaTonya Johnson
8th District Alberta Daring
10th District Sheila E. Harsdorf
12th District Tom Tiffany
14th District Luther S. Olsen
16th District Mark Miller
18th District Dan Feyen
20th District Duey Stroebel
22nd District Robert W. Wirch
24th District Patrick Testin
26th District Fred A. Risser
28th District Dave Craig
30th District Dave Hansen
32nd District Under recount
Done in the City of Madison, this 29th day of November, 2016.
DON M. MILLIS
Commissioner, Designee of the Chair
Wisconsin Elections Commission
_____________
Statement of Canvass
for
State Senator
GENERAL ELECTION, November 8, 2016
I, Don M. Millis, designee of the chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, certify that the attached tabular statements, as compiled from the certified returns made to the Wisconsin Elections Commission by the county clerks of the several counties of the state encompassing Senate District 32, contain a correct abstract of the total number of votes given for the election of candidates for State Senator, District 32, including the results of a recount in said office, at a General Election held in the several towns, villages, cities, wards and election districts in said counties on the Eighth day of November, 2016.
I DO, THEREFORE, DETERMINE AND CERTIFY that the following candidate, having each received the greatest number of votes in their respective senatorial district, is duly elected State Senator:
Senate District Elected
32nd District Jennifer Shilling
Done in the City of Madison, this 6th day of December, 2016.
DON M. MILLIS
Commissioner, Designee of the Chair
Wisconsin Elections Commission
_____________
With unanimous consent, the party leaders introduced their respective members as they came before the bar to be sworn in.
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Cowles
“Senator Cowles represents the people of the 2nd Senate District, and lives in the Village of Allouez just south of the City of Green Bay.
Senator Cowles will continue to serve as the Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Audit and will Chair the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.
When Senator Cowles previously held the position of Co-Chairman of the Joint Audit Committee, he was a key player in numerous state audits, such as the audit of Medicaid, the fleet audit, and the IT audit. Along with Senator Cowles’ vested interest in his committees, he has a long standing history of being a strict fiscal conservative who has always been willing to take a stand against government spending.
Senator Cowles would like to welcome two guests from his district in attendance today, Fred and Marian Krumberger.”
Senator Shilling Introduced Senator Taylor
“Senator Lena Taylor is beginning her fourth term in the State Senate representing the 4th Senate District. Senator Taylor serves the north side of Milwaukee, including the historic Riverwest, Harambee [ha-ram-be], and Rufus King neighborhoods, as well as the community of Shorewood and parts of Glendale and Wauwatosa.
Senator Taylor continues to serve as the Senate Democratic ranking member of the Joint Committee on Finance. Wisconsin's One-Thousandth Senator fights hard to secure funding for her district, especially in the areas of education, health care access and affordability and improved capital opportunity for minority and local business. She champions her LOVE & FAITH Initiative, which partners with dozens of agencies and organizations to break down government’s silos to improve service delivery outcomes by maximizing resources. Senator Taylor has been an outspoken advocate for the civil liberties of all people, including working to maintain the right to vote and reforming the justice system.
Senator Taylor previously served in the State Assembly and continues her private law practice outside the Senate. She lives in the Rufus King neighborhood on the block on which she grew up, with her son, Isaiah.”
Senator Shilling Introduced Senator Johnson
"Senator LaTonya Johnson is beginning her first term in the State Senate after serving in the State Assembly for the past four years. Johnson represents the 6th Senate District, which is located on Milwaukee's Northwest side.
As State Representative for the 17th Assembly District, Senator Johnson served as Ranking Member on the Assembly Committee on Children & Families, and has made improving the health, safety, and quality of life for Wisconsin's children and their families her top legislative priority. Already successful at working across the aisle, Johnson co-authored a recently enacted law to enhance child abuse investigations for children with special needs, and ushered through a package of four bills to improve safety and permanence in Wisconsin's adoption system.
Prior to being elected to the State Assembly, Senator Johnson owned her own business as a child care provider for 10 years, serving some of Milwaukee's highest need children. She saw firsthand the struggles her families faced, and how children paid the price when we allow poverty to persist in our community. This experience, and Johnson's work organizing child care workers as President of AFSCME Local 502, inspired her to run for office, so that the voices of the hard-working people in her community would continue to be heard here in the Capitol. Senator Johnson lives in Milwaukee with her daughter and campaign dynamo, Sydney.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Darling
“Senator Alberta Darling was elected to the State Senate in 1992 after previously serving in the State Assembly. The 8th Senate District includes portions of Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington, and Ozaukee Counties.
Alberta has served on the Joint Committee on Finance since 1999 and will be co-chairing it this session for the fifth time. She is the first woman Senator to co-chair the state’s budget writing committee.
Under Senator Darling’s leadership the state budget was balanced without raising sales, income, or property taxes. All of that while still increasing funding for K-12 education.
Education is her passion. A former teacher, Senator Darling entered public service with a commitment to protecting, educating, and improving the life of every child in the state – no matter where they live. She helped create Wisconsin’s landmark school choice and charter school laws.
Senator Darling also helped to ease the teacher shortage by making it easier for experts to teach in our public schools. She also championed legislation to make sure foster children have more consistency in the home and the classroom. Senator Darling also authored legislation to increase the number of organ donors in Wisconsin.
Joining Senator Darling today are her grandchildren Charlie and Andie.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Harsdorf
“Senator Harsdorf was re-elected last fall by the voters of the 10th Senate District by the largest margin of victory since her first election to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2000. Sheila served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1989 to 1998 after which she returned home to farm before running for the State Senate.
During her time in the legislature, Sheila has been a tireless advocate for Northwest Wisconsin and has long fought for issues affecting rural Wisconsin. As a former dairy farmer, Sheila knows firsthand the challenges facing agricultural producers and the importance of agriculture to our state’s economy. In representing a district that borders Minnesota, Sheila recognizes the critical need for Wisconsin to remain competitive with other states as we seek to attract jobs and grow our economy. Her responsiveness to her constituents is evident by the legislation she has passed on behalf of veterans, law enforcement, seniors and those fighting against drug addiction.
Senator Harsdorf serves on the Legislature’s budget writing committee, chairs the Senate Universities and Technical Colleges Committee, and serves on several other standing committees including the Senate Agriculture, Small Business and Tourism Committee. In addition, since 2003 Senator Harsdorf has served as a commissioner with the Midwestern Higher Education Compact and was recently awarded the prestigious Philip Sirotkin Award for exemplary leadership in advancing Midwestern higher education through interstate cooperation.
Sheila is joined today by her son, Ryan, her sister and brother in law, Susie and Steve Josephson, and her brother Jim Harsdorf. Jim also served in both the State Assembly and State Senate. Jim and Sheila are the only brother and sister to have served in both the State Assembly and State Senate.
Also joining Sheila today are her nephew Johnathan Harsdorf, his wife Karissa and son Christian, her niece Sonja Beyerlein with son Ezekiel and daughter Ariella along with a number of friends who made the drive from Northwest Wisconsin.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Tiffany
“Senator Tom Tiffany was reelected in November to represent the 12th Senate District. Tom just completed his first term in the Senate, previously serving as State Representative of the 35th Assembly District. Tom is well known for his hard work on issues related to natural resources, tourism, and economic development.
Tom and his wife, Chris, live in the Northwoods on the Willow Flowage. They have three daughters. Tom and Chris are formerly the owners of Wilderness Cruises and he is the dam tender on the Willow Flowage. Tom was recently recognized for 25 years of service as the dam man on the Willow making him the second longest serving dam tender on the flowage.
Today, Senator Tiffany is joined by his wife, Chris. Daughter Karlyn, a freshman at UW-Stout. His sister, Lou, and brother-in-law Jim Welter. Daughters Lexie and Katherine chose to go to school today.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Olsen
“Senator Luther Olsen, representing the 14th Senate District, is from Ripon, Wisconsin. He is a graduate of Berlin High School and the University of Wisconsin Madison. Today marks the start of his fourth term in the Senate, after having served in the State Assembly since 1995. Prior to being elected to the Legislature, Senator Olsen served his hometown for 20 years as a member of the Berlin Area School Board – 9 of those as school board president.
Senator Olsen will be returning as the Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Finance and the Chairman of the Education Committee where his leadership on K-12 education is recognized not just in the Capitol but nationwide. He serves as a member of the National Conference of State Legislators’ Education Committee, following a term as co-chair of that committee. Luther co-authored a white paper that has garnered nationwide attention called “No Time to Lose” looking at how we can improve our school systems to compete with high-performing countries. Several family members, including his wife Joan Wade, join Senator Olsen today.”
