Special Elections this Summer
The Governor has called special elections in State Senate District 4. Special elections often fly under the radar for most voters, so it’s important to plan ahead.
Voters in State Senate District 4 mark your calendars and make your plan to vote in this important special election. The winner of this special election will complete the remaining term of State Senator Lena Taylor. Note that the two candidates in the race are both Democrats, so the winner of the July 2 primary election will be on the July 30 ballot unopposed.
Key Dates:
The candidate guide for this race is on VOTE411.org. FIND YOUR DISTRICT
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TONIGHT!
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, June 27 | 5:30 pm- 7:00 pm | St. Mark AME Church, 1616 W. Atkinson
Questions regarding this announcement? Please email e.aelion@lwvmilwaukee.org
| Juneteenth 2024: We Marched and Empowered Voters for Democracy!
The League was well-represented on June 19 at the annual Juneteenth parade and celebration. We marched along with our “100 Women On The Move” partners including Souls To The Polls, MICAH and Tikkun Ha-Ir raising our voices in song and chant about the power of voting. Throughout the day League members helped staff booths offering voter information and resources. It was inspiring to be part of this coalition of women committed to building an informed and empowered electorate.
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Take Action: Help Voters Be Informed
The 2024 Fall Primary Voter Guide is published. There is one local race in the primary on August 13 which is for Milwaukee County Treasurer.
1) After you have signed into VOTE411.org by entering your address, check if the local candidates have answered the League’s questions.
2) If they have, reach out and thank them. You can use social media, email, or phone. 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 any of the candidates for the local race haven’t answered the League’s questions, contact them and ask that they do so! Write or call your candidates today and urge them to answer the League’s questions! 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 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. Our democracy works when everyone votes!
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Year in Review: Democracy Litigation
in SCOTUS & the States |
Thursday, July 11, 3-4:15 pm
Wisconsin Idea Room, UW School of Education, Madison
Register here for virtual or in-person attendance.
Join the UW-Madison Elections Research Center and the State Democracy Research Initiative for a panel discussion on significant elections-related court decisions at both the state and federal levels, with a catered reception to follow. Panelists will include Derek Muller (Notre Dame Law School), Rylee Sommers-Flanagan (Upper Seven Law), Pam Karlan (Stanford Law Supreme Court Litigation Clinic), and Gowri Ramachandran (Brennan Center for Justice Democracy Program). | Vote NO: August 13 Federal Funds Constitutional Amendment Questions
Overview
Wisconsin voters will be asked two questions to amend (change) the constitution on their August ballot. These potential changes will impact both the process for distributing federal money, and who has the power to make those decisions. These large sweeping changes will impact a wide range of issues voters care about, from education to the environment to how quickly the government can respond to emergencies (like a public health crisis or a natural disaster).
The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin knows that if these amendments are passed they will be harmful to the people of our state. We urge voters to VOTE NO on both questions.
Voters must be prepared to answer these questions in the August 13, 2024 election.
The questions on voters’ ballots 
 Question 1: “Delegation of appropriation power. Shall section 35 (1) of article IV of the constitution be created to provide that the legislature may not delegate its sole power to determine how moneys shall be appropriated?”
Read more about what this question means  Ballotpedia Question 1
Question 2: “Allocation of federal moneys. Shall section 35 (2) of article IV of the constitution be created to prohibit the governor from allocating any federal moneys the governor accepts on behalf of the state without the approval of the legislature by joint resolution or as provided by legislative rule?”
Read more about what this question means Ballotpedia Question 2
What does a “Yes” or a “No” vote mean?
 A "yes" vote supports amending the state constitution to require legislative approval from both the senate and assembly before the governor can expend federal money appropriated to the state.
A "no" vote opposes this amendment, thereby allowing the governor to accept and allocate federal funds without seeking an approval vote from the state legislature.
Stance: The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin opposes these constitutional amendment questions and urges voters to VOTE NO on both questions.
And here’s a toolkit with more information about the amendments, social media posts and other deep dive information about these issues.
NO to Amendments Toolkit
| Want to get more involved? Contact these committees | FUND DEVELOPMENT - MONEY MATTERS |  |
2024 Spring Appeal
If you haven’t responded to the 2024 Spring Appeal, there is still time!! Your donation will help carry out our voter services and advocacy work to empower voters and defend democracy!
Why do we need financial donations from members when we pay dues? Because individual membership is currently $75, with LWV US receiving $32 and LWV WI $30. That leaves $13 staying here at LWVMC. Not enough to pay for our budgeted operating and program expenses!
You can donate by check made payable to League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County and mailed to the league office at 6737 West Washington Street, Suite 2218, West Allis, WI 53214. Or you can donate by credit card HERE.
Another way to give is to donate all or part of your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from your IRA. Talk with your financial advisor about the tax benefits of making a Qualified Charitable Distribution gift from your IRA to the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County. Have the check made out to the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County. Our EIN number is 39-6096750
THANK YOU!! |  | June 28th, 10:00 a.m.
Milwaukee Public Library East Branch Community Room
2320 N Cramer St, Milwaukee
At our May meeting we chose our books for June and August. In June we will discuss: These Are the Plunderers: How Private Equity Runs―and Wrecks―America by Gretchen Morgenson and Joshua Rosner. For a synopsis of it, as well as info on our August selection, CLICK HERE.
We encourage everyone to come to the League Cafe. Remember, it is not necessary to finish the book (or read it at all!) to come to a meeting of the League Cafe.
Please contact any one of us should you have questions. Thank you!
Marie Garnhart: smgarnhart@gmail.com
Pat McFarland: p.mcfarland@lwvmilwaukee.org
Mary Ellen Spicuzza: me.spicuzza@lwvmilwaukee.org |  |
Zeidler Group Community Conversation: Exploring Our Election Beliefs and Expectations
TONIGHT- Thursday, June 27th, 6:00-7:30 PM Central
Online via Virtual Zoom Meeting Please click here to register.
Join the Zeidler Group for a nonpartisan discussion designed to gain insights about political engagement. This virtual gathering will provide a space for reflection and sharing in anticipation of the estimated 50,000 visitors and untold attention the RNC Convention will bring to the Milwaukee area. | |
Election Integrity and Security Panel Discussion
Tuesday, July 9, 2024 from 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Milwaukee County War Memorial Center
750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, Suite 320
$25 for Milwaukee Press Club members, $30 for non-members, $20 for students; lunch is included.
Registration and pre-payment required; register here.
A program focused on election integrity and security will be held Tuesday, July 9, hosted by a partnership among the Wisconsin Alliance for Civic Trust [WisACT], Rotary Club of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Press Club, WisPolitics.com and WisconsinEye. The panel discussion will be moderated by Patrick Marley, reporter for The Washington Post, who reports on voting and election issues in the Upper Midwest.The panel includes:Kathy Bernier, Wisconsin State Director, Keep Our Republic; Paulina Gutierrez, Executive Director, Milwaukee Election Commission; Meagan Wolfe, Administrator, Wisconsin Elections Commission. |
Weaving a Legacy: Ho-Chunk black ash basketry
Museum of Wisconsin Art
205 Veterans Avenue, West Bend, WI
August 3 - November 10, 2024
This Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) exhibition will introduce audiences to the historically important and visually compelling tradition of Native basketmaking in Wisconsin. Featuring nearly 200 works by more than 40 Ho-Chunk makers from the mid-1800s to the present, the exhibition is curated by Ho-Chunk artist and University of Wisconsin–Madison Professor of Photography, Tom Jones. In an act of cultural preservation, Jones has collected and studied thousands of Ho-Chunk baskets—piecing together tribal history—for more than a decade. “This project raises serious questions regarding historical and gender-based injustice, the cultural impact of tourism, and the importance of primary Indigenous-driven research to reset the art historical canon," said Laurie Winters, MOWA’s Executive Director
|  | Dairyland Decides: The Pivotal Battleground of American Politics
Wednesday, July 17 at 12:00 noon at the UWM Union or Virtual
Join this enlightening discussion and luncheon during the Republican National Convention, featuring an all-star team of political commentators. Delve into the dynamic political landscapes of Wisconsin and across the United States as our experts dissect current trends, predict upcoming shifts, and analyze the impact of recent policy decisions on future elections. This session promises to offer a deep dive into the critical races and key battleground states that could determine the balance of power. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain unique perspectives and valuable insights into the evolving American political scene. More information and registration here.
|  | Accessing Members-Only Website Portal
The LWVMC website has information and resources that are available only to LWVMC members. To access the membership directory or members-only resources and volunteer opportunities, click on the button below. Contact Mary Ellen Spicuzza at me.spicuzza@lwvmilwaukee.org with any questions. | Support Local 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! LWVMC
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