Happy Thursday! Here is your Weekly Update from the League of Women Voters Milwaukee County (LWVMC). | Wednesday, May 24th at 5 pm- register now!
Annual Meeting Reminder - Meeting Kit Now Available
We hope to see you at the LWVMC Annual Meeting at Summit Place, 6737 W. Washington in West Allis, on Wednesday, May 24!
Check out the 2023 Annual Meeting Kit (look for the link below). The kit includes the meeting agenda and annual reports from Board members and League leaders.
Important votes:
The business portion of the annual meeting will include these important votes:
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Adoption of the FY 2023-2024 budget
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Adoption of changes to the bylaws
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Adoption of the slate of nominees for office & the 2023-2024 Nominating Committee
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Adoption of program priorities
Social time is at 5:00 p.m., dinner is at 5:45 p.m. and the Business Meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.
| | Parking Directions:
You can park in the Visitor Parking area near the Visitor Entrance to the building. See map below. | Register for the LWVWI Annual Meeting, June 9-10 | |
Next Wednesday, May 24 is a hard deadline for all in-person Annual Meeting registration. Both in-person and virtual attendees must register, although the deadline for virtual attendees is June 7. This year, LWVWI has made it possible for virtual participants to attend breakout sessions in real time. Therefore, virtual attendees can participate in all of the scheduled programming, just like in-person attendees.
Registration and more information here.
You can view the full Agenda, speaker bios, breakout topics, the plenary packet and more by going to this website.
Please reach out to Brandi Rodriquez, LWVWI Membership & Events Manager, with questions/concerns at BRODRIQUEZ@lwvwi.org or (414) 841-8785.
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LWVUS 2022-2024 Edition of Impact on Issues
The LWVUS 2022-2024 edition of "Impact on Issues", the League’s cornerstone policy positions document, is now available online and in print.
Throughout its 103 years, the League has served dual purposes of education and advocacy, engaging in studies on representative government, international relations, natural resources, and social policy. Although our history of advocacy goes back to our beginnings, this version of Impact on Issues covers our advocacy efforts beginning in the 1960s.
Impact on Issues provides a clear understanding of LWVUS positions, how they interrelate, and how they can complement and reinforce state, local, and regional Inter-League Organization (ILO) positions, strengthening the League’s impact at all levels of government.
The paperback is $5 and can be ordered on Amazon here. LWVMC also acts in support of The League of Women Voters - Wisconsin positions and The League of Women Voters - US positions. |
Seeking Members For Reproductive Rights Program Planning
In 1983, the LWVUS announced the adoption of a position affirming reproductive rights:
The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that public policy in a pluralistic society must affirm the constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices.
In May 2022, after a draft majority opinion in Dobbs was leaked revealing that the Supreme Court was prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the LWVUS Board of Directors agreed to support filibuster reform, including elimination of the filibuster, as a targeted strategy to protect reproductive rights. Since then, LWVUS has supported state Leagues’ advocacy efforts to protect and expand reproductive rights.
LWMVC is calling for volunteers who would like to help plan programming related to reproductive health care rights. If you are interested in helping to plan or coordinate the efforts, please contact Program VP Lorna Grade at l.grade@lwvmilwaukee.org. |  |
A Pack of Poison Pills
AB245 is a variety pack of consequential, unrelated proposals. Its prescriptions and supposed remedies include numerous poison pills. Each of these provisions should be considered and voted on separately based on its merits and potential consequences.
The shared revenue provision appears to offer large amounts of money to local governments. However, the money comes with strings attached that do not allow local governments to fund the services its elected officials determine to be most in need.
Limiting the ability of local health departments to make emergency declarations during a health crisis seriously curtails decision-making by staff who are most qualified to make judgements based on their knowledge of local conditions.
Limiting the ability of a local government to place limits or conditions on the operation of non-metallic quarries does not allow the people most affected by these uses to have a say in how they will affect their lives.
Deep in the Legislative Reference Bureau’s analysis of AB245 is a single sentence that represents a particularly egregious move: “The bill prohibits a county or municipality from holding an advisory referendum.” Removing the ability of local governments to hold advisory referenda takes away a basic right of citizens to weigh in on state and local public plans and policies, such as the many referenda passed on gerrymandering.
These and many of the other provisions of AB245 have significant consequences that should be considered openly and carefully. Most problematically, their enactment would displace several decision-making processes moving them further and further away from those who are most affected.
Recommended action:
Contact your local legislators to inform them that the many poison pills in AB245 make it too much to swallow. |  |
Clerk Engagement Project
For over a year now, All Voting Is Local, America Votes, the League of Women Voters, and members of the WVRC's municipal working group have worked with volunteers across the state to build relationships with local clerks and advocate for ballot access. As a result, we’ve been able to expand early voting hours, support pro-voter policies, and gain valuable insight into the experience of election officials in Wisconsin.
Municipal clerks play a critically important role in election administration -- including managing poll workers, determining early voting hours, and making sure polling sites are accessible. From now until 2024, clerks and municipal governments are making big decisions about funding, staff, and equipment, which will impact ballot access for the presidential election.
That's why we’re once again expanding this project and need your help to spread the word! After undergoing a basic orientation and training, volunteers will:
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Meet with their local clerk and build a positive relationship
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Learn about local election procedures
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Identify any areas where the clerk may need assistance
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Advocate for improvements to make voting easier and more accessible
Time commitment is flexible, averaging approx. 2-3 hours per month. After signing up, a member of our clerk engagement project team will follow up with next steps.
Volunteers from throughout the state are welcome, but in particular we're looking for folks from City of Waukesha, West Allis, Brookfield, and Greenfield.
| “Adopt a Library” Call for Volunteers
We have a couple of opportunities to volunteer as the League's primary contact for the following libraries; the Shorewood Library, the East Branch Library and the St. Francis Branch Library. If you are interested in working with one of these libraries please find below the volunteer sign up link below. If you have any questions, please contact Heather Lesko at h.lesko@lwvmilwaukee.org.
| | | “Adopt a Library” Call for Co Leadership
The Adopt-a-Library Team is in need of a Co-Team Leader. The individual would collaborate with Heather Lesko the current Co-Team Leader to help communicate with the volunteers, write reports and coordinate volunteers and in-person events. The expectation is that this would require on average two to three hours per week of your time. If you have an interest in discussing this please contact p.schrader@lwvmilwaukee.org. |  | Jail-Based Voting Call for Co-Leadership
The Sentencing Project recently released a new report, “Increasing Public Safety by Restoring Voting Rights,” which finds that restoring voting rights for people with felony convictions can improve community safety. The report highlights that having the right to vote or the act of voting is related to reduced recidivism for Americans who have been involved with the criminal legal system. Voting rights restoration also influences justice-impacted individuals' perception of themselves as community members and of their ability to remain crime-free.
The report finds that:
- Having the right to vote and the act of voting are related to increased public safety and lower recidivism rates.
- Having the right to vote shapes community re-entry experiences and is linked to intentions to remain crime-free.
- Excluding people from voting based on their conviction offense does not advance public safety.
Here in Wisconsin individuals with a felony conviction have their voting rights automatically restored after completing the terms of their sentence and are “off paper.” Wisconsinites convicted of a misdemeanor (except treason or bribery) retain their right to vote even while incarcerated. LWVWI, local Leagues around the state, and our partners are actively collaborating on programs to make voting more accessible for eligible voters in our county jails and to increase voter participation among Wisconsinites who have had their voting rights restored after a felony conviction.
We are seeking a Co-Leader who will work at MCJ. This person will be coordinating with our contact at MCJ, setting up (for now) two voter registration events a month at MCJ, scheduling our pre qualified volunteers for these events and completing a report on the activities of the voter registration event. This leader will refer people to VoteRiders when we need to acquire a duplicate Wisconsin Driver’s license and they will mail paper applications (when electronic voter registration is not possible) along with proof of residence to the appropriate Municipal Clerk.
The weeks when voter registration events are scheduled, the time required will take four hours. On other weeks less than 1 hour. You must be able to pass a background check and will be required to be fingerprinted and have your picture taken in order to qualify for this work. You will be given training and provided guidance until you are comfortable with the leadership responsibilities.
If you are interested in this work please contact Peg Schrader at p.schrader@lwvmilwaukee.org.
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A new report from the Human Rights for Kids (HRK) organization has released some startling statistics about children and the criminal justice system in Wisconsin. HRK is a bipartisan, nonprofit organization working to promote human rights protections for children in the U.S. They are focused on developing trauma-informed and age-appropriate measures for children in the criminal justice system.
The report shows ways that Wisconsin is an outlier compared to other states in the U.S.
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Wisconsin is second only to Louisiana in having more than 7% of its prison population sentenced for offenses committed before turning 18.
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Nine states have 1,000 or more people serving sentences for childhood offenses. Wisconsin’s population is 1,709 and 67% are people of color.
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Wisconsin is one of 29 states that allow children under the age of 14 to be convicted and sentenced as an adult.
You can read the full report and/or engage with the interactive map for more details. The takeaways are clear—Wisconsin can and must do better.
What can you do? Contact your legislators in the Wisconsin senate and assembly and draw their attention to this issue. Raise the Age Wisconsin provides more information on this important topic including their support of legislation to bring those under 18 back into the juvenile justice system. We are all responsible for the children of Wisconsin. |  | NEXT MEETING: Friday, May 26 - 10:00 a.m.
LOCATION: Community Room of the the East Branch of the Milwaukee Public Library East · MPL, 2320 N. Cramer St.
Our May meeting will be a book club meeting. We will discuss “Poverty, By America” by Matthew Desmond, author of Pulitzer Prize-winning "Evicted." We hope you get a chance to read the book, but even if you do not, or don’t finish it before the 26th, please do not hesitate to come and listen to the discussion of the book and to discuss the issue of poverty in America.
The room is large enough to spread out; please feel free to wear a mask or not. There is plenty of parking available behind the building.
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Police Accountability and Community Safety (PACS) Committee
PACS was formed in the summer of 2020 to address community concerns about policing in the Milwaukee area. After many months of meetings, guest speakers, and research, in the fall of 2021, the committee created a report, "A Clarion Call for Change: Report and Recommendations on the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission" which can be found here. The report was sent to the Fire and Police Commission (FPC), the mayor and the Common Council, the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), other government officials, and the media. We were invited to speak with the police chief, members of the FPC, and other community leaders to discuss the report recommendations.
The newly expanded FPC and its new executive director as well as the police chief have been receptive to the proposals in our report and some changes have already taken place. At this time, we are focusing on a few specific issues to suggest more detailed recommendations, particularly in the area of diversity in the police force.
The PACS Committee meets on the second Monday of each month from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. These meetings are usually virtual. We welcome new members to join us in our efforts to contribute to the community call for accountability and transparency in the MPD, and for the creation of a city-wide safety plan. An interest only is required; orientation to the subject and to our past work will be provided.
| Public Safety Listening Session
The Milwaukee Police Department, the Fire and Police Commission, and the Community Collaborative Commission are holding their monthly district-by-district community listening session on Saturday, May 20 for Aldermanic District 6. See particulars below. This is a great opportunity to express both your concerns and your vision for creating a safer community. You do not need to live in the district, or even in the City of Milwaukee, in order to participate in the sessions. Data from all 15 districts will be compiled into a report to help create a city-wide public safety plan. Scan the QR code on the flyer below to RSVP. | 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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