Date: 11/17/2022
Subject: LWVMC: Weekly Update for Nov. 17
From: League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County

Happy Thursday!

Here is your Weekly Update for League of Women Voters Milwaukee County (LWVMC) news, information and events.

Post-Election Work

Even though the election is over, our work and the work of our election officials isn't done. Results aren't final in Wisconsin until they are certified by the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Between now and certification, there are the canvasses, post-election equipment audits and any potential recounts. It’s good to remind everyone that the results aren’t final until every vote is counted and the results have been triple checked!

If you know a poll worker, call and thank them for the work that they did! And if you have the time, call your Municipal Clerk and thank them for the work that they did over this election cycle. You can find you Municipal Clerk’s name and number at this link: Find My Clerk

Virtual program

Thursday, Nov. 17

6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Join the League for an evening of learning, gathering and open, guided discussion. This interactive event is self-reflective and the foundation for more studies to come. Please invite both League and non League members to join us in learning and growing as a community together. LWVWI DEI Senior Specialist Maria Douglas will lead the discussion.

Register Here

Legal Interpretation in State Courts:

Judicial Perspectives

The UW-Madison Law School presents a panel discussion on questions of legal interpretation — how courts determine what constitutions, statutes or regulations mean. State-level legal interpretation typically receives far less attention, even though state courts decide many more cases than federal courts. Join the State Democracy Research Initiative for a hybrid event

3-4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18

on “Legal Interpretation in State Courts: Judicial Perspectives.” The panel will feature four state high court judges, including Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Dallet. Panelists will explore difficult interpretive issues that state courts face, how state approaches to interpretation might differ from federal approaches and aspects of state law that warrant greater attention.

Register here for this free webinar.

Next Public Safety/Community-Oriented Policing Listening Sessions in Milwaukee: November 19 for Aldermanic District 11

The Police Accountability and Community Safety Committee of the LWVMC is excited about and supportive of the Listening Sessions held by the Community Collaborative Commission, the Milwaukee Police Department and the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission. These well-run sessions provide opportunity to give input on what contributes to community safety in Milwaukee and what the community needs to be a safer place. You do not have to live in District 11 to attend this session. The next session will be on December 17th (Aldermanic District 12).

See the flier below for specific information about this Saturday’s session. Scan the QR code to RSVP or click here

We Want Your Feedback

Please take the LWVWI Voter Experience Survey (and encourage others to do so) to help us learn about your voting experience & any challenges you had. We will use this information to work with policy makers to make improvements to voting in Wisconsin.

Find the survey in English and Spanish.

Prepare yourself to help people register to vote! Learn how to register people to vote using MyVote.wi.gov. Learn what is acceptable photo ID for voting in Wisconsin and how to acquire it. Registration required.

Monday, Dec. 12

5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

East Library

2320 N Cramer Street

Conference Room

Questions regarding this announcement please email training@lwvmilwaukee.org.

Civics Education – A Volunteer Opportunity

Have you noticed that there’s inaccurate perception among our fellow citizens of how our U.S. government is designed to operate? How many could pass a straightforward test to name the three branches of government? When individuals become newly naturalized citizens, they have successfully completed a test that many born here would struggle to pass.

The Voter Services Committee of LWVMC is assembling a team of public speakers to do civics education. Meaningful presentation materials have been developed to aid in creating lifelong voters and empowered citizens. While those with teaching experience would be likely presenters, the lesson plans are so thorough that Leaguers of any background can effectively use them to deliver the information.

To indicate your interest, contact volunteer@lwvmilwaukee.org.

Interpreter Volunteers Needed

The Voter Services team is receiving an increase in requests for voter registration events in the Rohingya and Hmong communities. They're providing interpreters but have said it would help if we had voter registration volunteers or simply interpreters as well.

Do you, or someone you know, have any fluency in any of the following languages and would be willing to volunteer from time to time at these events?

Hmong
Vietnamese
Rohingya
Karen
Karenni
Thai
Lao
French

We are also looking for help to translate some of our publications into these languages.

Please contact, Donna Spars, Team Leader for Voter Services Community Outreach Team, at d.spars@lwvmilwauke.org if you would like to volunteer or if you have any questions about this opportunity.

We Still Need a Few Community Volunteers for a Successful Voter Guide

Who:

The Vote411 team, for Spring 2023 in these municipalities:

Greenfield
Hales Corners
Oak Creek

And in Milwaukee County school districts:

Greenfield
Oak Creek Franklin
Wauwatosa
Whitnall

What:

Help us to answer three questions:

Which positions are up for election in (municipality/school district) in April 2023?
Who is running for those positions?
Are there issues of particular importance to you, your community, your school district?

How and When:

To answer question 1, Community Volunteers contact municipal clerks and school district clerks once in mid-November.
To answer question 2, Community Volunteers contact municipal clerks and school district clerks again in December during the candidate filing period, and once more on January 4 the morning after the candidate filing period ends. These contacts can be made by phone, email, in person, whatever works for you. You do not need to live in the district for which you volunteer.
As for question 3, watch and listen for issues specific to your community/school district any time now through November.

If you are interested, contact Sarajane Kennedy at sarajane.kennedy@gmail.com to volunteer or get more information.

Environmental Justice and the Rights of Nature

Join WISDOM for a special virtual conversation about Environmental Justice and the Rights of Nature.

Tuesday, Nov. 22

6:30 pm, Via Zoom

There is a global movement to write the Rights of Nature into law. The Menominee Nation is among the leaders in this movement, and Guy Reiter from the Menominee Menikanaehkem group will help lead this discussion.. The movement calls for recognition that nature - water, earth, animals - have a right to exist and to be healthy. The natural world does not exist solely to be exploited for economic gain. Humanity is part of the natural world, not its owner.

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