Happy Thursday,

Public Issues Forum - October 18

Women changemakers have been often labeled “dangerous,” but their voices and actions have been essential in creating positive change and remain so today. A public forum, centered around the pilot episode of a documentary series on this topic and sponsored by the LWVMC and UWM Women’s & Gender Studies, features a diverse panel of younger “dangerous women” changemakers. 

The free in-person event is Tuesday, October 18, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at UWM’s Mitchell Hall, 3203 N. Downer Ave., Room 191. 

The event is spearheaded by LWVMC members Janet Fitch, film producer/director of the Most Dangerous Women documentary series, and Merry Wiesner-Hanks, Distinguished Professor of History and Women’s & Gender Studies Emerita at UW-Milwaukee.

Panelists include: Lauren Feaster, the CEO of Professional Dimensions, the leading women’s professional association in the Milwaukee area; Arvina Martin, the first Native person elected to Madison’s Common Council, and now the Executive Director of Emerge Wisconsin, which recruits and trains women to run for public office; and Marcelia Nicholson, the first Black woman and Latina elected as Chairwoman of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.

After viewing the documentary, the panelists will reflect on their roles as “dangerous women,” followed by an audience Q&A. You can view the documentary trailer here. Information regarding access to a recording of the event will be posted in future Updates.

Take Action:  Help Voters Be Informed

The 2022 Fall Voter Guide is published!  Take action to help keep voters informed:

1)  After you have signed into Vote411.org by entering your address, check if your candidates have answered the League’s questions.

2)  If they have, reach out and thank them.  You can use social media or write a letter via email or post.  You can say “Thank you for responding to questions for the Vote411 online Voter Guide so voters can be informed before casting their ballots.” 

3)  If your candidates haven’t answered the League’s questions, contact them and ask that they do so!  Write your candidates today and urge them to answer the League’s questions! With Election Day mere weeks away, voters deserve information about their candidates before filling out their ballot. 

This message can be simple: “As a voter, I want to hear where my candidates stand on the issues. That’s why I’m calling on you to respond to the questions posed to you for Vote411.org.”

Note: This is an opportunity to encourage and persuade candidates to respond, so please be respectful but direct in your messages. When candidates know that voters care about something (in this case, creating a non-partisan voter guide to keep voters informed), it is in their best interest to respond!

Candidates who have questions about their invitation to participate can contact the Voter Guide team at voterguide@lwvmilwaukee.org.

And don’t forget to keep spreading the word about Vote411 to family, friends, colleagues and neighbors.

Please help us with in-person voter registration at area high schools this fall!  We are so glad to be back in the schools!  We have a very heavy schedule of registration events (30+!) for the next two weeks (before the Oct. 19 online registration deadline) and would like to invite you to become a registration volunteer for the high school program. You do not have to be a League Member to volunteer.

Please review the slides in the link below to refresh your knowledge of the unique issues that can arise in registration of  high school students:

Voter Registration in Milwaukee and Waukesha Area High Schools

 After  you have reviewed the slides and requirements and are ready to be put on the call list, use the link on the last slide to the sign-up form.  By completing the form, you will be added to the call roster and receive all future notifications of upcoming registration events.

For those of you who don't have experience with MyVote,  please  register for and take the free training offered by our chapter  before you sign up for an event (registration link follows).  This will give you a good basic understanding of online voter registration.

We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming high school registration event.

Absentee Ballot Return Assistance

Note: These changes do not affect voters choosing to vote in-person on Election Day or during early voting. Our target audience for this messaging is absentee voters by mail.

• Voters should return their own ballot by mail at least a week prior to Election Day. 

  • We encourage all voters to complete and mail their ballot as soon as possible to allow time for mail delivery. 

• Voters with a disability who need assistance may have someone return their absentee ballot other than their employer, agent of that employer, or officer or agent of their union. 

• It is up to the voter to determine if they need assistance mailing or delivering their ballot because of a disability.  

  • Election officials and your clerk cannot inquire about a voter’s disability status beyond the questions described below. No additional steps may be taken to verify the voter’s disability or right to assistance.  

  • Voters with disabilities should explain to the person assisting them that they may be asked a few questions by the election official.  

1. Are you the voter? If not, then:

2. Are you delivering the voter’s ballot because the voter has determined that they require assistance returning their ballot due to their disability? If yes, then: 

3. Are you someone other than the voter’s employer, an agent of that employer, or an officer or agent of the voter’s union? If yes, then the ballot can be accepted.

• Clerks may not create additional requirements or require documentation from voters with disabilities who need ballot return assistance.

• Clerks may not create additional requirements or require documentation from an individual returning the ballot for a voter with a disability.

• You may check with your municipal clerk to determine where your assistor should deliver your ballot. Find contact information for your clerk on MyVote Wisconsin: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/My-Municipal-Clerk

• Voters with questions or concerns may contact the Disability Rights Wisconsin Voter Hotline: 844-347-8683 or email info@disabilityvote.org

Here is a link to Wisconsin Elections Commission guidance on absentee ballot return options under the Federal Voting Rights Act.

If you are interested in learning more about the responsibilities and qualifications please use the following link: 

Learn More about Election Workers

This link will also take you to the online application.

International Relations Committee - Great Decisions Meeting

The Great Decisions meeting will be held Thursday, October 13th at 10 am at the Wauwatosa library at 7635 W. North Avenue. 

The topic is the Two Koreas. 

Everyone is welcome.

If You Are Downsizing or Simplifying, You Can Help Support LWVMC

JUST BRING YOUR GENTLY USED BOOKS, CDS AND DVDS to the Visitor’s Parking Lot at 6737 W. Washington Street, West Allis on Sunday, October 23 between 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Public Safety/Community-Oriented Policing Listening Sessions in Milwaukee:  Opportunity to Share your Ideas

The Community Collaborative Commission (CCC), the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), and the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission (FPC) are holding listening sessions to gather input on what is needed from the police and other community organizations for Milwaukee to be a safer place.  Community members are invited to attend and participate. The listening sessions, to be held in aldermanic districts, stem from and will focus on a commitment to community-oriented policing, with the police working alongside community groups to address many of the issues facing the city. 

Information about the sessions and the schedule for them can be found at Here's how you can get involved in Milwaukee's listening sessions about community-oriented policing from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.  The Police Accountability and Community Safety Committee of the LWVMC is excited about and supportive of these sessions.  We urge you, as members of the Milwaukee community, to attend a session, share your thoughts, and promote the collaboration among the CCC, MPD and FPC.  As noted in the article, you do not have to live in a particular district to attend its meeting.

FIRESIDE CHATS IN OCTOBER CELEBRATE NATIONAL WOMEN’S SMALL BUSINESS MONTH

7 p.m., Tuesday, October 11, 18, and 25

MalamaDoe - A Coworking Community for Women 

4465 North Oakland Avenue

Suite #110 

Shorewood, WI 

MalamaDoe, a local coworking space for women, will host Fireside Chats with Women Entrepreneurs each Tuesday in October to celebrate National Women’s Small Business Month. The event aims to support and encourage female business owners by showcasing local role models, while educating women about pertinent issues forthcoming in the upcoming elections.  Attendees will enjoy a beverage and informal small group chat led by inspiring female entrepreneurs on reproductive rights, gun violence, youth incarceration, and systemic racism. They will share their own inspirational stories, describe challenges they have faced and provide helpful advice for other female business owners. Speakers include:

Tuesday, October 11 – Fireside Chat with Santana Coleman, Co-Producer of the feature length, Emmy winning documentary, When Claude Got Shot. Santana will share her story of creating content to empower, uplift and inspire the Black community. This event is free but registration is recommended. Please register here.

Tuesday, October 18 – Fireside Chat with Jacqueline Boynton, an attorney who focuses on nonprofit corporate and tax law and a long-time teacher of Nonprofit Law and activisit supporting pro-choice women  candidates will walk the audience through the current legal landscape of reproductive rights. This event is free but registration is recommended. Please register here.

Tuesday, October 25 – Fireside Chat with Anne O’ Connor, Kathy Wurzer and Jennifer Koop Olsta, the founders of Bay Bridge in Whitefish Bay whose mission is to address and dismantle systemic racism. They will discuss their strategy to create a welcoming community. This event is free but registration is recommended. Please register here.