Happy Thursday! Here's this week's Update for League of Women Voters Milwaukee County (LWVMC) news, information and events. | Support Women's Equality Now
On August 26, we’re demanding our rights be restored and protected.
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Let your reps know that you support women’s equality. Visit LWV.org/WID23 for more info. | Women's Equality Day and LWVMC Potluck Brunch Kickoff! August 26, 2023 | Join the fun at the annual LWVMC Kickoff on Women's Equality Day. The event is traditionally the first all-member event of the new League year and is a great chance to meet new members and connect with friends.
|  | Ballot Bulletin: Pre- and Post-Election Equipment Testing
This summer LWVWI is launching an educational series highlighting various election security topics so we are all better informed about processes to ensure our elections are fair, accessible, and secure. This week highlights the importance of pre-election equipment testing and post-election equipment audits.
Every election, election officials test voting machines and election software before voters use them in the election. After November elections, election officials conduct checks of the voting equipment, called post-election equipment audits, to ensure the machines accurately recorded and counted votes. The tests are open to the public. It shows how Wisconsin’s elections value transparency and building trust in the public.
Share our Ballot Bulletin information with your friends and family.
|  | County Budget Listening Sessions
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is inviting the public to a series of four budget town halls to learn more about Milwaukee County's vision and mission, get connected to key county resources, and share ideas on the upcoming budget.
|  | Civic Health Month
August is Civic Health Month—a time to showcase the link between voting and health and celebrate efforts that ensure each and every voter has the opportunity to support their community’s health at the ballot box.
Every August, over 300 organizations nationwide, including the American Medical Association, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the National Medical Association, join together to celebrate, learn, and take action to improve the civic health of their communities.
80% of health outcomes are determined by non-medical factors like access to food and affordable housing.
Healthcare institutions have a unique role to play in contributing to civic health as frequent, and often trusted, touch points for community members. Empowering community members to register to vote and participate in elections is a critical action healthcare institutions and providers can take to create a healthier democracy. |  | How do leaders share volunteer needs, and how do members find engagement opportunities?
There are many ways to volunteer: voter registrations; committees; writing grants; issue advocacy; social media posting; League social events; and more.
Finding opportunities
Go to our website (https://www.lwvmilwaukee.org/) and click on the Volunteer tab to see date-specific and ongoing volunteer opportunities.
New members
We hope you filled out the Interest Survey as Leaders are notified of your interests. Expect a welcome call from Candice Owley from the Membership Committee to discuss how you may want to become involved.
For Leaders: finding volunteer help
Post your needs on the website and keep volunteer listings updated. Consider promoting volunteer opportunities in the weekly Update.
The Membership Committee welcomes feedback about the volunteer process. Contact Pat McFarland p.mcfarland@lwvmilwaukee.org
|  | WEC Deactivates 108,378 Voter Records
The Wisconsin Elections Commission announced it has deactivated 108,378 voter records through the Four-Year Maintenance process required by law.
WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe said the individuals who were deactivated by the WEC have not voted in the past four years and do not have a record of responding to a mailing from the agency regarding their registration status.
“The Four-Year Maintenance process helps keep our voter registration database as clean and updated as possible,” Wolfe said. “The deactivations are a combination of voters who have moved to a new address without re-registering, voters who have died, others who have asked to have their registrations deactivated, and those who simply have not voted.”
Wolfe said voters who have moved from their previous registration address can simply re-register with their new address.
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Getting ready for 2024 Elections
| | | Recruiting key volunteers for 2024 and beyond.
The VOTE411 team needs tech savvy folks and a Volunteer Coordinator for Waukesha. See the Volunteering page of the website for more information on these two volunteer positions in the Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities section.
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Summer Meeting & Social Gathering
Wednesday, August 16, 6 p.m.
Estabrook Beer Garden
4600 N. Estabrook Parkway, Milwaukee, WI 53211
Join us for the next Natural Resources Committee Summer Meeting and Social Gathering! Munchies will be provided and a limited food and drink menu is available for purchase. You can also bring your own meal. Non-members and spouses and guests are welcome! If questions, please contact Ann Batiza at batiza@msoe.edu. |  | The August 25 League Cafe Book Club will meet at 10:00 a.m. in the Community Room of the East Branch of the Milwaukee Public Library: 2320 N. Cramer St. Milwaukee, WI 53211.
Because we had such a good discussion in July and we still had a lot more to talk about, we decided to continue the discussion of our July book club selection, “400 Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019”, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain.
Whether you attended in July or not, feel free to pick just a single story or a single part or a few parts or a poem or two to read in the book.
At our August meeting, we will take turns talking about what we read in particular and then open it up for discussion. Whether or not you will have read the book, please do not hesitate to come to listen and join the discussion! |  |  | Places of Their Own: Learning Chinese American Legacy in Milwaukee through Oral History
Sunday, August 20
2 - 3:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Jewish Federation
1360 N. Prospect Avenue, Milwaukee, WI
Teachings of Chinese American histories in the United States began with oral histories, pioneered by Chinese American historians such as Philip P. Choy and Him Mark Lai. The project, “Places of Their Own,” documented the personal narratives about Chinese immigrants in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dr. Hongyan Yang interviewed over 20 local community members to unearth the histories of local Chinese laundries, restaurants, and grocery stores. Building on salient oral histories and architectural research, her talk will highlight how Chinese immigrants strived for survival and success in twentieth-century Milwaukee. | League of Women Voters Milwaukee County | 6737 W Washington St, Milwaukee, WI | 414-273-8683 | 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.
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