Happy Thursday! Here is your Weekly Update from the League of Women Voters Milwaukee County (LWVMC). Something for everyone! |  |  | Milwaukee Public School Passes Resolution on Student Voter Education & Registration
LEAGUE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
The MPS School Board has passed a resolution, saying in part:
“WHEREAS, The Board believes that all students should be registered to vote before they graduate from school and be equipped to make informed decisions about voting; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That the Administration, in accordance with state law and the Wisconsin Standard for Social Studies, develop a specific plan and timeline to increase voter registration and actual voting by eligible high school students ….”
The League, continuing its partnership with MPS, is collaborating on a plan to incorporate voter registration in the curriculum and calendar of all MPS high schools.
Many volunteers needed for high school events!
MPS has asked the League to work with them to conduct voter registration events at each of their 24 high schools during the open enrollment period, February 22 to March 15, for the April election. LWVMC members who would like to participate in the high school events should access the training materials at the link below. If you sign up on the Google form at the end of the training, your name will be placed on the high school volunteer list. New volunteers will be paired with experienced volunteers. If you have any questions about this please contact p.schrader@lwvmilwaukee.org. |  |
Saturday, Feb 11, 2023 from 1:00 - 2:30 pm Hybrid
Join the Milwaukee Turners, Wisconsin Voices, and Building Unity with a statewide coalition of over 40 groups as we take a deep dive into what the 2023 State Supreme Court Elections mean to Wisconsinites. Why does it matter? What has recent history shown us? And most importantly, why should we vote? This is a HYBRID event.
Panelists:
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Michelle Velasquez, Planned Parenthood
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Matt Rothschild, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
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Craig Mastantuono, Mastantuono, Coffee and Thomas
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Elizabeth Pierson, Law Forward
Moderator: Emilio De Torre, Milwaukee Turners
| WI Supreme Court Election Resources | Wisconsin Courts Matter: Wisconsin 2023 Elections
TONIGHT Via Zoom: Thursday, February 9th from 6:30-7:45 pm
Join the Disability Vote Coalition on Zoom to hear from a panel of experts about why Wisconsin Courts matter. On February 21 and April 4, Wisconsin voters will decide who serves on our courts, including an open Wisconsin Supreme Court seat. The winning Supreme Court candidate will be appointed for a ten-year term. Depending on where you live, you may also vote for Court of Appeals or Circuit Court. State courts make decisions that affect our rights and liberties. They address issues like voting rights, education, mental health, access to healthcare, employment rights, guardianships, and more.
Click here to register for the Zoom event.
Justice Janine P. Geske, former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice
Monica Murphy, Civil Rights Attorney
Martha Chambers, disability rights advocate
Click here to read their bios.
| Understanding Wisconsin's Supreme Court Election
February 17, 2023 at 2:30-3:30 pm via Zoom
The State Democracy Research Initiative (SDRI) and the Elections Research Center at University of Wisconsin–Madison invite you to attend a panel on state judicial elections from 2:30-3:30 pm on Feb. 17, at the University of Wisconsin Law School or via Zoom. The February primary and April general election for the open Wisconsin Supreme Court seat have high stakes, potentially affecting the Court's decisions on a wide range of important issues. But why are Wisconsin judges and justices elected in the first place? What advantages and disadvantages are associated with judicial elections? How do judicial campaigns compare to campaigns for other state offices? Our panelists, Professor Miriam Seifter (UW Law School, SDRI faculty co-director), Professor Barry Burden (UW Political Science, Elections Research Center director) and Professor Jane Schacter (Stanford Law School), will aim to situate this election in broader context. The panel will be moderated by Professor Robert Yablon (UW Law School, SDRI faculty co-director).
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Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and all 20 of its affiliated local Leagues is a priority. Please take the 2022 DEI survey here. Your participation in this survey is vital to help guide the programming and outreach of your local League and of the LWVWI. |  |  |
Milwaukee Public School Passes Resolution on Student Voter Education & Registration
The MPS School Board has passed a resolution, saying in part:
“WHEREAS, The Board believes that all students should be registered to vote before they graduate from school and be equipped to make informed decisions about voting; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That the Administration, in accordance with state law and the Wisconsin Standard for Social Studies, develop a specific plan and timeline to increase voter registration and actual voting by eligible high school students ….”
The League, continuing its partnership with MPS, is collaborating on a plan to incorporate voter registration in the curriculum and calendar of all MPS high schools.
Many volunteers needed for high school events!
MPS has asked the League to work with them to conduct voter registration events at each of their 24 high schools during the open enrollment period, February 22 to March 15, for the April election. LWVMC members who would like to participate in the high school events should access the training materials at the link below. If you sign up on the Google form at the end of the training, your name will be placed on the high school volunteer list. New volunteers will be paired with experienced volunteers. If you have any questions about this please contact p.schrader@lwvmilwaukee.org. |  | VOTE411.org is published!
The 2023 Spring Primary Election Voter Guide is published! Go to VOTE411.org and enter your address to see your primary election ballot.
VOTE411.org is a source of unbiased information about the candidates in their own words. Wouldn’t you like to see all candidates answer our questions? Do you live in one of the above areas or do you know someone who does? Can you contact anyone you know who lives in one of the areas with a primary and ask them to do the following:
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! With Election Day mere weeks away, voters deserve unbiased information about their candidates before filling out their ballot.
This message can be simple: “I am a resident of your district and I want to hear where you stand on the issues. That’s why I’m calling on you to respond to the questions posed to you for VOTE411.org.”
Candidates who have questions about their invitation to participate can contact the Voter Guide team at voterguide@lwvmilwaukee.org.
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LWVMC’s Vote 411.org Candidate Responses
The League of Women Voters asks candidates running for office to answer nonpartisan questions about issues that are important to the people that they represent. These answers are now available for the February 21 primary at our website Vote411.org. If you would like to look up your specific candidates and their answers to these questions you may do so at this website.
However we have found that some people don’t have access to the internet, so we have developed a document with the candidates' answers. The document is more than 30 pages so it does not lend itself to massive printing. It might be convenient in a group setting where people have the time to look at it, read it and leave it for the next person.
We hope that this is useful to educate individuals about the very important races coming up, especially the Wisconsin Supreme Court race.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Primary 2023 Candidates Positions
Wisconsin Local Elections Primary 2023 Positions
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Primary Election February 21, 2023!
There are very important primary elections coming up which will determine who will be on the ballot for the April General Elections.
Primaries include:
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State Supreme Court Judge,
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Special Election for Senate District 8.
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City of Milwaukee Alder Districts 1, 5. 9
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Elmbrook School Board Member At-Large
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Oak Creek City Alderman District 1
Below you can link to a calendar in both English and Spanish that outlines the important dates for the February primary election and lists the candidates for each of the primary races noted above.
2023 February Primary Calendar and Contested Races
2023 Bilingual February Primary Calendar and Contested Races
We have gathered resources that you/your organization or your constituents might find useful. Of these resources the first five fliers provide information about the various levels of the Courts and the importance of the upcoming judicial elections. Click link below.
LWVMC Resources 2023 Elections
Please contact Voter Services chair Peg Schrader at p.schrader@lwvmilwaukee.org if you have any questions or requests for printed materials. |
If you have this sign, now’s the time to show it! | | | | 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.
Thursday March 9th | 6pm-7:30pm
Escuela Verde's Newline Community Cafe
3618 W Pierce St, Milwaukee, WI 53215
Questions regarding this announcement? Please email e.aelion@lwvmilwaukee.org.
Register here: My Vote Training Sign Up |  | “Adopt a Library” Call for Volunteers
Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the first "Adopt a Library" meeting. Please find below the volunteer sign up survey and presentation link for review if you were unable to join us. If you have any questions, please contact Heather Lesko at h.lesko@lwvmilwaukee.org.
| Time to Gear Up Again for Voter Registration at the DMV!
The DMV Mill Road was a strong site for us for voter registrations last fall with 54 in six weeks. The days and times are Monday, Wednesday or Friday from 11:00-1:30pm. If you haven’t been at this location before you’ll have the support you need to be comfortable…and successful. This is a great opportunity to talk with potential voters, inform people about the importance of the positions on the Spring ballot and, of course, register them to vote! Questions? Email Ellen Trytek at e.trytek@lwvmilwaukee.org.
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Dis/Misinformation Monitors Needed
(League of Women Voters of Wisconsin) | League Cafe Will Meet on Friday, February 24 |  |
Feb 24 from 9:30-11 am
On February 24, League Cafe will meet for general discussion from 9:30-11:00. League Cafe is a wonderful way to meet fellow League members and to find out more about League activities in general, as well as the book club. At this meeting, we will be nominating books for our May and July book discussions. The video link for February 24 is here. Or dial: (US) +1 508-970-9069 PIN: 657 465 389#. For further information contact Mary Sussman at m.sussman@lwvmilwaukee.org.
On March 24, the book selection for discussion will be The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama. The book is widely available in the Milwaukee Public Library System. It is also available with a 10% discount at Boswell Book Company. Just mention League Cafe. “Miraculously, these self-help bromides don’t come across as cloying, mainly because Obama is so disarmingly honest about her fears, failures and all-too-human flaws. . . . You can’t argue with the hard-fought wisdom of such an accomplished woman.”—The Guardian.
League Cafe meets monthly and welcomes League members old and new, as well as community members. In a small-group setting, we get to know each other better, share knowledge and have interesting conversations. In rotating months, we meet as a general discussion group, and in opposite months, convene as a book club to discuss noteworthy books on racial equity, immigration and/or voting. Our gatherings range in size from 8 to 20 people. We have a core of "regulars" but new people are especially welcome.
| LWVMC SEEKS FACILITATORS FOR LEAGUE CAFÉ | | If you enjoy reading and discussing good books, consider volunteering to be a facilitator for the League Café. In a small-group setting, League Café participants get to know each other better, share knowledge and have interesting conversations.
In rotating months, League Café meets as a general discussion group, and in opposite months, convenes as a book club to discuss noteworthy books on racial equity, immigration and/or voting. Books are generally nominated by members, who then vote on selections for the next book club or two. League Café members tend to be enthusiastic and active participants but some people come just to listen. Please apply if you love to read, enjoy good conversation, have good organizational and communication skills, are comfortable with Zoom, and/or have any experience facilitating discussions.
Interested? Contact Mary Sussman at m.sussman@lwvmc.org. Will train as needed. | | |  | Thurs, Feb 9, 7:30 PM, Channel 10.1
Black Nouveau profiles artist Rosy Petri who was named the Pfister’s 2020 Artist in Residence. She was the first Black woman to obtain that position. Her art incorporates various mediums, including fabric portraiture, quilt-making, photography and mixed media.
Check out other PBS offerings here.
| | | Support Democracy. Support your League.
Your support is critical to help our nonpartisan grassroots organization reach voters play a critical role in democracy. It would not be possible to empower voters and defend democracy without your support. Thank you.
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