1996 Wisconsin Senate election

The 1996 Wisconsin Senate election were held on Tuesday, November 5, 1996. Sixteen of the 33 seats in the Wisconsin Senate were up for election&mdash;the even-numbered districts. At the time, Democrats held 17 seats while the Republicans held 16, having lost their majority only months prior due to the recalling of Senator George Petak.

Close races

 * State Senate district 30, 3.58%


 * State Senate district 28, 4.08%


 * State Senate district 10, 8.24%
 * State Senate district 16, 8.97%

Retiring

 * Joseph F. Andrea (D–Kenosha), representing district 22 since 1984, decided to retire.

Background
In October 1995, Senator, George Petak, faced controversy when he changed his vote on a funding bill for the Miller Park stadium. Miller Park was being planned to replace the forty-year-old Milwaukee County Stadium and was being pushed by Republican Governor Tommy Thompson and Milwaukee Brewers owner and future-Commissioner of Baseball, Bud Selig. Petak had promised his constituents that he would vote against the bill, but changed his mind based on the belief that the Brewers would leave Wisconsin if a new stadium wasn't built.

Petak's change in vote supported a 0.1% increase in sales tax for five counties in the vicinity of the proposed stadium, which included Petak's home county of Racine. His actions caused outrage and frustration in his home district, and local Democrats were energized to collect signatures for a recall petition. After collecting 15,050 signatures, or 130% of the required 11,577 signatures, the recall was certified on March 26, 1996, and a recall election was ordered for June.

Results
Nine months after his vote on the stadium tax, Petak became the first Wisconsin state legislator to be removed from office in a recall election, when he was defeated by Democratic State Representative Kimberly Plache. As a result of the recall, control of the state Senate flipped to Democratic control for the rest of the session.