Scott Walker to call special elections by noon on Thursday to replace state Rep. Keith Ripp and state Sen. Frank Lasee. The appeals court denied the request Wednesday afternoon, rejecting Walker's arguments that holding special elections within months of November's elections is a waste of taxpayer money. The 2017 spring elections cost $71,729 in Ripp's district and $234,876 in Lasee's district, according to the state Elections Commission. "Holding two special elections while the regularly scheduled elections are proceeding ... are a waste of taxpayer money," Fitzgerald said. One of them was in Wisconsin, where Democrat Patty Schachtner won an open state Senate seat in a traditionally Republican district in January.

Source: ABC News March 28, 2018 19:37 UTC