Preserve, Protect and Promote Voting in Wisconsin!

For release: Friday - September 6, 2024

Image: Voting is the First Step, Not the Last

Be Prepared to Vote and Assist Others for the November 5th Election

What is shaping up to be the most consequential federal and state election in our lifetime on November 5th is fast approaching and only 60 days away! As voters in one of the most pivotal “battleground” states in the nation, Wisconsinites have an extraordinary opportunity to demonstrate our significant power and influence in determining state and national leadership by voting and encouraging others to vote in this Fall’s General Election.

As you prepare to vote, we want to share with you some terrific opportunities for how you can direct your own inner citizen activism to preserve and protect our freedom to vote, and to uphold and promote fair and free elections in Wisconsin:

Election Day Observation

Be a volunteer for Election Protection in Wisconsin! The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin manages an effective Election Observation program for our state and we are helping to recruit volunteer observers for the November 5th Election. You can learn more about the program through the LWVWI webpage. And you can sign up to be an Election Observer here.

Volunteer with Souls to the Polls - Milwaukee

Souls to the Polls is recruiting volunteers for their Rides to the Polls in Milwaukee, including shifts for in-person absentee voting (aka “early voting”). More information and a signup form are here.

Become a Poll Worker

Poll workers are vital to making the voting process safe, secure, and smooth. If you’re able, consider becoming a poll worker for your municipality and within your county. In particular, Green Bay in Brown County, Milwaukee in Milwaukee County, Brookfield in Waukesha County, Watertown in Jefferson and Dodge Counties, Eau Claire in Eau Claire County, and Madison in Dane County are seeking to increase their poll worker teams. You can work at a polling location as long as you reside in the same county as the polling location. Please sign up now so you're able to attend the necessary training sessions. Sign up through Power the Polls.

Vote Early Day - October 29th

In person absentee voting (aka “early voting”) starts in Wisconsin on October 22nd. Groups and individuals around the state are putting together vote early events for October 29th to celebrate the power of voting. More information and a map of events will continue to be updated at the Vote Early Day 2024 website.

National Voter Registration Day - September 17th

It’s YOUR Right: On September 17, 2024, National Voter Registration Day and

Constitution Day celebrate their shared birthdays - and it couldn’t be a more perfect pairing! The U.S. Constitution established the framework for our representative democracy and, as its inheritors and protectors, it’s our responsibility to participate in it, strengthen it, and pass it along to future generations. Be Vote Ready up and down the ballot by registering to vote in advance of Election Day. Register to vote and get more information at MyVote.wi.gov.

Be Vote Ready

Choose the method of voting that works best for you and make your plans to vote by mail, OR by in-person absentee (aka "early voting"), OR on Election Day. You can request your absentee ballot by mail now, register to vote, and MORE - all at MyVote.wi.gov. Enter your address information to get started or find the contact information for your municipal clerk.

You can find more voting information at the Common Cause Wisconsin website including resources for how to get assistance and answers for your election questions.

Don't forget: Young voters who are enrolled at a public or private Wisconsin university, college, or technical School can get the information they need to vote from this Common Cause Wisconsin Student Resource Page. Please share the link with the young voters in your life.

Thank you for considering these opportunities to help to promote voting and preparing to vote yourself. November 5th will be here very soon and there is no time like NOW to be voter ready and lend a hand where you can to protect elections and encourage voting in Wisconsin.

On Wisconsin!

Jay Heck, Executive Director

--------------------------

Jay Heck

608/512-9363 (cell)

Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 Johnson St, Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703

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In The News - August 2024

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Wisconsin voters reject ballot measures to change how governor can spend federal funds
August 14, 2024 - Chuck Quirmbach, WUWM 89.7 FM

Wisconsin election overseers donate thousands to candidates
August 12, 2024 - Andrew Bahl, The Cap Times

Interview with Jay Heck: In 2024, legislative choice returns to the people
August 10, 2024 - Mark Thomsen, The Paul Revere Show, Civic Media

Tim Cullen: Wisconsin still needs to prevent gerrymandering in the future
August 2, 2024 - Tim Cullen Op-Ed, Wisconsin State Journal

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Have the Candidates Running for the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly in Your Area Pledged to End Partisan Gerrymandering and Support Nonpartisan Redistricting Reform?

For release: Friday - August 23, 2024

Image: Wisconsin Deserves Fair Maps Beyond 2024!

Candidates Must Be Proactive to Inform CCWI and Voters of their Position on This Issue!

Earlier this Summer, Common Cause in Wisconsin (CC/WI) e-mailed every Republican, Democratic and Independent candidate for the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly that was placed on the ballot for the upcoming August 13th partisan primary election, inviting them to proactively contact us to inform us of their support nonpartisan redistricting reform and if they wished to have their names listed publicly on our website. Two days following the e-mail message to candidates, July 10th, CC/WI sent this release to inform the public of this initiative. In it, CC/WI invited citizens to contact state legislative candidates in their area to urge their support for ending partisan gerrymandering, and to contact CC/WI to publicly support nonpartisan redistricting reform and this fair voting maps pledge supported by the wide array of state organizations of the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition:

I support passing legislation during the 2025 legislative session and enacting into law the requirement that Wisconsin adopt an independent nonpartisan redistricting process to ensure that no political party can create state legislative or congressional voting districts to favor their own political party nor be able to gerrymander Wisconsin’s voting maps in the future.

As of today, CC/WI has been contacted by 11 Wisconsin state legislative candidates for the State Senate and 61 candidates for the Assembly who have advanced beyond the August 13th partisan primary election and are on the ballot for the upcoming November 5th general election. And thank you to the voters who have encouraged their candidates to contact CC/WI about supporting the pledge. Here is the complete, up-to-date listing of those supportive candidates that have proactively contacted CC/WI to have their names listed.

Any statewide or state legislative candidate (or their authorized proxy) who supports the fair voting maps pledge and would like to see their name listed on our site should contact CC/WI by phone at (608) 512-9363 (leave a message), or preferably, by email: jheck@commoncause.org. Citizens can and should urge candidates to support the non-partisan redistricting reform pledge and request that they contact CC/WI to get their names added to this list.

Candidates must be proactive to have their names appear on this site! Even incumbent legislators running for re-election who co-sponsored redistricting reform legislation during previous legislative sessions must contact us to be on the list. Why? Because it demonstrates that they are paying attention and continue to support this reform issue. And, because it’s important for candidates for public office to take the initiative to inform voters about where they stand on important issues like ending partisan gerrymandering in Wisconsin.

The list of candidates who inform us of their support for the nonpartisan redistricting reform pledge for Wisconsin will continue to be linked on our dedicated Common Cause Wisconsin webpage and updated regularly until the November 5th general election. This listing will continue to inform the voters and media about who supports nonpartisan redistricting reform as voters make decisions for this pivotal election.

Redistricting reform in Wisconsin is critical and necessary if we are ever to return to having a functional, less politically polarized state legislature that is responsive to the citizens of this state rather than to political bosses interested primarily in holding onto power. There is no question that an overwhelming majority of Wisconsinites want and support non-partisan redistricting reform. Now, let’s find out which candidates of all political parties for the Wisconsin Legislature are willing to stand up and pledge support for it and for the voters of our state.

On Wisconsin!

Jay Heck, Executive Director

--------------------------

Jay Heck

608/512-9363 (cell)

Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 Johnson St, Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703

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Today Is Primary Election Day in Wisconsin! Tuesday – August 13, 2024

For release: Tuesday - August 13, 2024

Image: Freedom to Vote

What You Need to Know to Vote and Have It Counted And to Have Your Voice Heard

It’s no exaggeration to say that this has been one of the most eventful political Summers in memory and it’s not even over yet. Today, we the people can actively begin to weigh in and shape the future of our state, our nation and our lives by exercising the most powerful act of citizenship that each and every one of us possesses: our vote.

Today is primary election day in Wisconsin. For all eligible voters in our state, this is an important preliminary election in which we strengthen our voting “muscle” in preparation for the “main event,” the November 5th general election. This fall, across the nation, the very future of democracy and representative government – the 235-year-old American “experiment” about self-determination – is quite literally on the line.

On Primary Election Day, we “set the table” for what happens in just 84 days from now. And the best way to prepare for November 5th is to vote and have our voices heard today.

Here are the things to know to successfully cast your ballot. Think of these things as a checklist to go through to ensure you have completed all the necessary steps to get this done right.

Absentee Ballot

If you have a mail-in absentee ballot that was mailed to you and you have not returned it yet, be sure to return your completed ballot. Contact your clerk to find out where you can hand-deliver your ballot today. All ballots need to be received no later than 8pm today – Election Day. Remember to follow all instructions to complete the ballot, and the voter and witness information on the envelope. More information about your absentee ballot can be found here.

What to expect at the polls

If you are planning to vote in person at the polls today, read the information below so you are prepared when you show up to vote at your polling location. All polls in Wisconsin are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

You can register to vote on Election Day

You can register to vote on Election Day at your voting location. Being registered to vote means being registered at your current address. But if you moved within 28 days of Election Day, you must register and vote using your previous address. Check to see if you are registered to vote at your current address. If you are not registered, be sure to bring a proof of residence document (hard copy or electronic version on your cell phone or tablet) when you go to the polls.

Bring your acceptable form of photo ID for voting

You are required to show a specific form of photo ID in order to vote. If you have a Wisconsin driver's license or ID card, then you’re all set. Other forms of ID work too, and it’s good to check the official Wisconsin Elections Commission list at Bring It to the Ballot to make sure you have what you need.

What if you don't have an acceptable ID for voting today?

You can ask for AND vote with a provisional ballot. But, for your ballot to be counted, you MUST either come back to your polling place with an acceptable form of ID before it closes at 8:00 PM today OR bring your ID to your municipal clerk's office by 4:00 PM the Friday after the primary election (Friday, August 16th).

Know what's on your ballot

Wisconsin is an “open” primary state. That means that Wisconsin does not require voters to register with a party, and voters can choose their party preference on the ballot when they vote. BUT, keep in mind when casting your partisan primary ballot, you must only choose one party and you must only vote for candidates of that party on this ballot. Read the ballot instructions carefully. Visit the Wisconsin Elections Commission's What's on My Ballot page and type in your address to see a sample ballot.

🚨Note also that there are two constitutional ballot questions on this August primary ballot which you can and should vote on regardless of what partisan candidates you vote for. Common Cause Wisconsin recommends you vote “NO” on both constitutional ballot questions.

Get more information on the candidates

Get to know who wants to represent you and which candidate best represents your values before you vote. Find candidate and ballot information from the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin at Vote411.

You can find the list of 2024 Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly candidates who support the nonpartisan redistricting pledge for Wisconsin that Common Cause Wisconsin is tracking here.

Know where your polling place is before you go

Polling places can change. To find out where to go to cast your ballot, visit the Find My Polling Place page on the MyVote Wisconsin website and type in your address. This year in particular voting locations may have changed since new districts were drawn after the redistricting process.

Have questions or need some assistance?

Beyond the resources of your municipal clerk, help is just a call, text, or email away.

• If you experience problems at the polls or have questions, there is help. Call Election Protection at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) for support from nonpartisan election protection volunteers.
• Call or text the WI Voter Helpline at 608-285-2141 and you will be contacted by a nonpartisan volunteer who can help answer all your questions. You can also request services such as getting assistance at the DMV to get an ID to vote or having someone witness your absentee ballot.
• Voters with disabilities have the right to an accessible polling place. This includes the right to use an accessible voting machine, getting assistance marking a ballot, and using curbside voting. Call the Disability Rights Wisconsin Voter Hotline for assistance: 1-844-347-8683. Or email: info@disabilityvote.org. Additional online resources are also at the Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition website.
• Contact Vote Riders if you need immediate assistance with a photo ID to vote. You can get free, in-state ID assistance ASAP from the online form.

That covers it! Please get out there and exercise your precious franchise to choose the candidates you wish to see elected and to decide public policy issues that you believe are in the best interest for you, your family and your community. It’s your voice and your power as a citizen and it counts and matters as much as anybody else’s voice and power. So, use it!

On Wisconsin. Forward!

Sincerely,

Jay Heck, Executive Director

--------------------------

Jay Heck

608/512-9363 (cell)

Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 Johnson St, Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703

Read More...

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