The April Election is Just Around the Corner! | Wisconsin Voter Registration Deadlines
April 7th election is only a few days away. You may still register in person until the Friday before Election Day at Early Voting sites and on Election Day at your voting site. | Early In-Person Voting began on March 24
For City of Milwaukee Residents, here are flyers with information about Early Voting and Drop Box Locations. | If you do not live in the city of Milwaukee, check your municipality website
for locations of Early in-person voting and drop box locations (if available). | | Visit MyVote.WI.gov now to get this information about the April election:
- View a sample ballot
- Your polling location
- Update your address if you've moved
| | | Data, Dollars, & Our Health: A Community Earth Month Forum with Tom Content, Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board; Jodi Habush-Sinykin, WI State Senator, District 8; Anne O’Connor, Milwaukee County Supervisor, District 1.
| Save-the-Date:
LWVMC Annual Meeting Luncheon Saturday, June 6
Details on this important -- and fun -- event coming soon! | | We are gearing up for the Third Annual Silent Auction to be held at this year’s Annual Meeting on June 6, and are looking for a few people to join our auction team. Your involvement can include all or just one of the following activities:
- Solicit donations.
- Offer your home as a drop off location for donated items and bring them to the meeting site.
- Work at the auction: Set up the donated items, gather the auction bid sheets and notify the winners, collect payments and distribute the items.
- Send thank you notes to donors.
If you have limited time but want to contribute to the League, this is a great opportunity for you. Your participation will be invaluable in helping us reach our fundraising goal with all proceeds going to support the League’s work empowering voters and defending democracy! Please contact Lorna Grade at l.grade@lwvmilwaukee.org | The Speakers Bureau is growing, and we need LWVMC member volunteers to be SPEAKERS representing the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County in the community:
- To build awareness about who we are and what we do,
- To educate citizens about voting,
- To engage community groups with our mission to empower voters and defend democracy.
Complete the Speaker Interest form here.
or contact Heather Godley at SpeakersBureau@LWVMilwaukee.org for more information. | League Invited To Speak at Marquette University's Justice In Action Seminar | |
On Saturday, March 28, the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County’s Speakers Bureau presented Unite and Rise 8.5 at Marquette University’s Justice in Action seminar. The event highlighted two important League efforts: the Unite and Rise 8.5 initiative and the continued development of the Speakers Bureau. The session invited students to explore issues that matter to them and connect those concerns to civic participation.
After the presentation, students received resource materials and created their own protest signs reflecting causes they care about — a creative and thoughtful conclusion to an inspiring afternoon of learning and action. |  |  | | The Reproductive Rights Team invites you to an upcoming book talk and conversation about Black feminist resistance and reproductive justice with two fantastic scholars.
Friday, April 17, 11am to 1pm
Kuumba Juice + Coffee, 274 E Keefe Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
While calling this a “book talk,” and the conversation will stem from Dr. Falu’s book Unseen Flesh: Gynecology and Black Queer Worth-Making in Brazil and Dr. McCormick’s book We Are Pregnant with Freedom: Black Feminist Storytelling for Reproductive Justice, it is absolutely not required that folks read the books in order to attend or partake fully.
This event is sponsored by UWM Center for 21st Century Studies’ Reproductive Justice Working Group to create a space where researchers at UWM and reproductive justice community advocates in Milwaukee can work together to address systemic injustices disproportionately affecting Black, Latinx, and other women and trans people of color.
This event is free and open to the public. RSVP to Eventbrite so that we can keep tabs on expected head count. Contact Gail at g.sklodowska@lwvmilwaukee.org for more information. |  | | FUTURE LOCAL CLIMATE EVENTS
April 11, 10:15-12:30am - League event: Data, Dollars, & Our Health: A Community Earth Month Forum - See Flyer at the top of this Update. Register at lwvmilwaukee.org.
April 8, 8:15 a.m. light breakfast, 9-10:15 Program- Data Centers and the Energy-Water Nexus. Prof. David Strifling, Director, Water Law and Policy Initiative Marquette U., and Art Harrington, Adjunct Prof of Law and of counsel at Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., will co-moderate a conversation with:
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Tom Content, Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin
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Cheryl Nenn, Riverkeeper, Milwaukee Riverkeeper
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Kate Phillips, Senior Corporate Counsel, WEC Energy Group
Registration here.
Apr. 8, 6p.m. City of Milwaukee ECO Office Public Input Opportunity
Share your thoughts about moving forward with electric vehicle (EV) charging stations: public meeting 6pm, April 8th at the Washington Park Urban Ecology Center or use the link below. Help cut pollution, fight climate change, create good-paying local jobs, and increase access to clean, affordable transportation.
ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY
Nov. 22, 2025 - LWVMC program, Addressing Climate Change in Milwaukee County - Find Video and Slides of this informative event HERE. Spread word of this still-relevant information with others. |  |
Milwaukee’s Food Apartheid
In November 2025, Milwaukee County became the first government agency to declare “food apartheid” a public health emergency. The resolution directs the County Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Equity to develop long-term solutions, incorporate food apartheid measures into the county's racial equity budget tool, and report strategies for improvement. The Board approved $150,000 for emergency food assistance to combat hunger in underserved areas.
In 2026, City of Milwaukee officials have introduced three pieces of legislation to address the lack of access to food: a resolution declaring “food apartheid” as a public health emergency in the city; an ordinance requiring grocery stores and pharmacies to provide a 60-day notice to the city before closure so officials can determine if there is something the city can do to help keep the store in business; an order that directs the city's health department and the Department of City Development to work together to determine the best course of action to attract and retain grocery stores. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services continues to make changes to the FoodShare program as required by the OBBB (One Big Beautiful Bill.) These changes, which include increasing work requirements and restricting the types of foods enrollees can purchase, are exacerbating the food apartheid in Milwaukee.
| Medicaid/FoodShare Task Force Action Call
Here is a way to volunteer in your community!
Rooted & Rising Washington Park Food Center Volunteer |  |  | | Dr. Charlie Gaebler-Uhing (pictured on the far right), Reproductive Rights Co-Lead, participated in a media day for the Contraception Rights Act. Charlie has been following this legislation as part of the LWVWI Legislative Committee and wrote a League position statement in support of the Act. The media day, sponsored by the Committee to Protect Healthcare, highlighted how Reproductive Health Care continues to be on the ballot for the WI Supreme Court Race.
Most Wisconsinites are unaware that access to contraceptive healthcare is being challenged in many states and at the federal level. The Contraception Rights Act ensures that Wisconsinites are guaranteed the right to obtain and use FDA-approved contraceptives and that health care providers can provide them. Should there be challenges to existing or new laws, the WI Supreme Court will interpret laws and, in essence, create the policies we will be forced to abide by in this state, which is why the State Supreme Court elections matter.
Thank you Charlie for your expertise and unwavering efforts in defending women’s reproductive choices from government intervention.
Read Charlie’s comments in the press release. |  |
LGBTQ+ Youth at Risk After Supreme Court Decision
The Supreme Court has delivered a deeply concerning ruling, striking down Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ youth in an 8–1 decision that prioritizes “free speech” over the well-documented safety of young people. This decision sides with a conservative Christian licensed counselor who argued that restricting conversion therapy, a practice widely condemned by major medical organizations, violates First Amendment rights. For decades, experts have warned that conversion therapy is not only ineffective but can cause lasting psychological harm, including increased risks of depression and suicide among LGBTQ+ youth. Advocates across the country are raising alarms that this ruling could dismantle protections in more than 20 states that have enacted similar bans to safeguard vulnerable young people. The decision reflects a broader and troubling trend of courts elevating religious and speech claims at the expense of LGBTQ+ rights and protections. For communities committed to equality and dignity, this moment underscores the urgency of continued advocacy at the local and state levels. | To stay informed about legislation affecting the LGBTQ+ community and track advocacy efforts, visit Fair Wisconsin’s Bills to Watch page:
fairwisconsin.com/bills-to-watch
To identify and contact your state legislators and relevant committee members, use MyVote Wisconsin: myvote.wi.gov
Speaking up matters.
LGBTQ+ ... All Letters Matter! |
Spring Candidate Forum Season Ends
This election cycle, LWVMC facilitated candidate forums for these nonpartisan municipal races:
--March 8 for Shorewood Board of Trustees
--March 19 for Menomonee Falls School Board
--March 25 for Whitnall School Board.
The Candidate Forum team, led by Peggy Creer, includes moderators Kaye Vance and Barbara Beckert and these additional volunteers:
Deon Canon, Mary Ann Lara, Jenna Lara, Lou Ann Van Fossen, Mary Voelker-- with help from Menomonee Falls and Whitnall high school students. Thanks to all who help strengthen local democracy!
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VOTE411 VOTE411 VOTE411 VOTE411 VOTE411 VOTE411 | | Note from a first-time VOTE411 visitor:
Just used Vote 411. It clearly provided information that I needed before I vote in the spring election including what will be on my ballot, candidate choices and their positions. It is also very user friendly. Kudos to the League of Women Voters (of Milwaukee County.) | VOTE411 VOTE411 VOTE411 VOTE411 VOTE411 VOTE411 |  |  | No Kings III
March 28, 2026
The League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County’s Unite & Rise team participated in the NO KINGS rally on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Washington Park, empowering voters and defending democracy.
Four to five thousand (4,000-5,000) Milwaukee protesters attended Washington Park's NO KINGS Community Fair, speakers, and march event.
Over 150 attendees had their photos taken with the League of Women Voters picture frame, our creative poster paddles and/or their own posters, representing reasons why they were there. They were asked to upload their photos to social media to spread the word about the League of Women Voters' work.
1,580 postcards were completed to be delivered to Senator Ron Johnson asking him to support specific rights including peaceful protest and due process for all. Postcards were completed for the Common Council thanking them for moving forward with ‘ICE OUT MILWAUKEE” measures. Postcards were also completed for Mayor Cavalier Johnson to encourage him to support the ICE OUT MILWAUKEE legislation.
NoKings.org announced that between 8 and 9 million people participated in 3,267 locations on six continents, including LWVMC members at protests throughout Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties.
Well done, America!
| What is Fascism? What is Authoritarianism?
We read the terms fascism, authoritarianism, dictatorship, but how are they really defined? A League member has provided us with definitions of forms of government and defining characteristics of fascism. Click on Governments and scroll down to this banner: | Types of Governments
14 Facts About Fascism | Yes! Protest Rallies are Ongoing!
Why do protests matter?
Visible resistance is essential so the government and its supporters see the number of citizens who don’t agree with their actions. Nonviolent visible protest activity encourages those sitting on the sidelines to join in.
Here is the link to the listing of ongoing weekly protests: Protest Rallies |  |  | For You, Your Family and Friends: Send a Message to Your Legislators
Let your legislators know that you expect them to stand up against authoritarianism and support democracy in our country. We have League-branded postcard packets available for you to pick up at members’ locations in West Allis, Milwaukee's East Side or in Wauwatosa. The packets contain postcards addressed to Senators Johnson and Baldwin, Congressperson Moore or Steil and an unaddressed card for whoever you choose. Take the opportunity at a family or friend gathering to complete postcards. The postcards take a standard stamp. Postcard stamps cost a bit less.
Please email Donna Spars at d.spars@lwvmilwaukee.org if you'd like to pick up a postcard packet. Indicate how many packets you'd like, for which Congressperson (Moore or Steil,) and whether you'd like to pick them up in West Allis, Wauwatosa or on the East Side. Then you’ll receive an address for pickup.
Thank you, and please help us spread the message of defending democracy by sharing postcard packets with friends and family. |  | The fourth of the five-lecture series presented by the Interfaith Conference, “Faith and Civic Life: Raising Our Moral Voice,” on March 24th was given by the Very Rev. Ricardo Martin, Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee Vice-Chancellor, and Pastor of St. Adalbert’s Church: “A Catholic Examination of the Immigration Crisis: The Border is Now Everywhere.”
He noted that Catholics represent around 20% of the U.S. population with 28% of Congress, 38% of Governors, and 67% of the Supreme Court being Catholic. This, however, does not reflect a unanimity of opinion on the topic of immigration (or other issues) with Catholics being on all sides of the liberal-to-conservative spectrum. Church leadership and parish pastors must always consider the balance between the common good, human dignity and the law when deciding how to address issues that affect people’s lives and always acting from a foundation of love for all people.
Fr. Martin shared the Church’s great concern about mass deportations and inhumane treatment of immigrants addressed by Pope Leo XIV in his October 4, 2025, apostolic exhortation, Dilexi Te, by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in a Special Message on Immigration on November 12, 2025, and by the Wisconsin Catholic Conference Bishops’ Statement on Federal Immigration Enforcement on December 18, 2025. |  | Help Voces de la Frontera Prepare for May Day - the Next Protest!
Voces is looking for volunteers to help make May Day art at this family-friendly event. All materials and supplies are provided. No RSVP is required. | |
A tribute gift to the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County is a meaningful way to recognize, honor, and celebrate the people that matter most in your life. These gifts also strengthen our mission, which allows the legacy of the person you honor to live on through positive impact in our community. Tribute donations can honor someone’s memory, achievements, or celebrate a milestone in a person’s life.
Make a tribute donation to the League of Women Voters here. | The Fund Development Committee will be meeting on Monday evening, April 13th at 6pm via video conference. We will be working on Funding progress for the League through grants and focusing specifically on how we can nurture and celebrate our individual contributors in the coming months. If you are interested in joining the committee or just dropping in to see what it is all about, please contact funddevelopment@lwvmilwaukee.org and we will send you an invitation to the meeting. |  |  | Thursday, April 16, 5:30-7:30pm
Get the latest and most accurate immigration news from the experts. Learn what our rights are and how they can be exercised in our communities. This event is FREE, but to help us plan, registration is encouraged. Bring a friend and enjoy an evening of information & community building. Opportunities to support neighbors in crisis will be available.
Topics will include:
- What’s the forecast for Milwaukee? How is ICE operating in WI right now?
- Know Your Rights: identifying judicial vs. administrative warrants; public vs. private spaces, filming interactions, etc.
- Safely Exercising Your First Amendment Rights
- Constitutional Rights
- Additional Trainings Available in Milwaukee
- How to Help Our Neighbors in Crisis
Event Format
- 5:30 – 6:00 Arrival, Light dinner, Music by DeeJay Pan Fino
- 6:00 – 6:45 Panel Discussion
- 6:45 – 7:00 Q & A
- 7:00 – 7:30 Info fair, Sign-up for action steps, Dessert
Register Here:
| Lots of Ways to Support Local Democracy and Your League. Thank You! | Is Your Member Profile Up-to-Date?
The Member Portal of our website has resources (including a member directory) just for members. Please login to the website, click Member Resources in the top menu, go to your Member Profile and complete/update your Additional Member Data and Interests (found under Website Functions). Contact roster@lwvmilwaukee.org with questions. Thank you! | Follow us on Social Media! | You have received this message from the mailing list of League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County. If you would prefer not to receive these emails in the future, go to the opt-out page and modify your privacy settings. You can also request to be removed from our database completely. | |