Charly Ray (D) Senate District 25 Candidate Questionnaire Answers
Full Name
Charly Ray
Date
9/22/2026
Phone Number
7158130218
Office Sought:
25th Senate District
Do you currently or have you previously held public office?
Currently on the Bayfield County Board.
Is there any cannabis related legislation you have sponsored, co-sponsored, or publicly supported? Would you like to provide a brief statement about your stance on cannabis reform?
I think cannabis should be legal within a regulatory framework ensuring public safety, protection of youth and a diverse marketplace.
Do you think individual states should keep their laws in line with federal laws regarding the legalization of cannabis?
No
Do you support ending federal prohibition of cannabis?
Yes
Do you support regulating the HDC (hemp derived cannabinoid) market created under the Industrial Hemp Program / Federal Farm Bill?
Yes
If answered YES to the above question about regulating HDC’s, would you support the 2025-26 legislation Senate Bill 682 and Assembly Bill 747, commonly known as the Testin/Kurtz HDC Reg Bill?
Yes
Do you support legalizing and regulating the responsible use of cannabis by adults in the state of Wisconsin?
Yes
Would you support a two year moratorium implementing any excise tax to evaluate true administration/regulation costs before automatically attaching an excise tax to a regulation program?
Unsure – I Have Questions
If you support an excise tax above and beyond what is needed to administer a regulation program, what percentage of excise tax do you feel is appropriate? Where do you think excise tax should be spent?
Do you think cannabis should be classified as a Schedule 1 drug?
No
Do you support medical use of cannabis in the State of Wisconsin?
Yes
If you support medical use of cannabis, do you also support patient’s rights to cultivate their own medicine or assign caregivers to do it for them?
Yes
Do you support decriminalization of cannabis in the State of Wisconsin?
Yes
Do you support automatic expungement of non-violent cannabis possession convictions?
Yes
Would you (join, support or not support) The Wisconsin Cannabis Caucus
Support
Where is Senate District 25
Located in northwest Wisconsin, where Wisconsin meets Lake Superior, the district comprises all of Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Polk, Sawyer, and Washburn counties. It contains the cities of Superior, Ashland, Bayfield, Hayward, Spooner, and Washburn. The district also includes the Bad River Indian reservation and the Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest.
Visit the official campaign website of Charly Ray for State Senate and follow his official campaign facebook page for more information on his campaign.
Huge shout out to Craig Sutherland of Sutherland CBD. (Follow his business page on Facebook!) for being a 2026 Election Coverage Sponsor and being a local hub for activism in Superior!
Ignite Dispensary and Cigar is a 2026 Election Coverage Sponsor and activist hub in their communities within the Senate Distirct 25 and beyond! Watch for upcoming events from 2026 Election Coverage Sponsor Ignite Dispensary and Cigar.
With the November election fast approaching, there are two important SD25 events coming up that give people an opportunity to get involved and hear directly from the candidates and the local hemp/cannabis community. Charly Ray has an upcoming campaign/community event, while Craig Sutherland of Sutherland CBD is hosting a Cannabis & Conversation roundtable in Superior on September 23, bringing the local community together to discuss the issues facing hemp and cannabis.
These events are embedded below, so check them out, attend if you can, and help get the word out across SD25.
