Updates from League of Women Voters Wisconsin Print
Elections, Elected Officials, Political Parties
Written by League Women Voters WI, Andrea Kaminski   
Sunday, 01 October 2017 21:32

VoterMADISON - The state office staff had a busy week. Here is a summary of the highlights.

National Voter Registration Day was Tuesday, September 26. More than a dozen local Leagues and many League members participated. We had wonderful local print and broadcast new coverage. Here is one example from Appleton. Thanks to all of our Leagues and members who participated Tuesday, as well as those who are scheduling additional registration events this fall.

On Wednesday, Andrea Kaminski and Carolyn Castore were honored by Community Shares of Wisconsin for their long-term dedication and work with the League. Andrea received the Linda Sundberg Civil Rights Defender Award for her years of championing voting rights as our executive director, as well as for enhancing the capacity and strength of our organization. Carolyn Castore, a long-time member of LWV Milwaukee County before moving out-of-state, received a Backyard Hero Award for creating and organizing our now statewide Election Observation program. We are so grateful for both Andrea and Carolyn’s work. If you're on Facebook, click here to see Andrea accept her award and hear her inspiring speech which resonates with all of us to bond together to make positive changes in our communities.

Next week Tuesday, October 3, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the Gill v. Whitford partisan gerrymandering case from Wisconsin. Locally, you can support the plaintiffs in the case with a send-off rally on Sunday, October 1 in Milwaukee.  More information on that event here.  LWV US also will be holding a rally in Washington DC the morning of October 3. Both LWVUS and LWVWI filed amicus briefs in support of the plaintiffs.  

Andrea Kaminski’s Op-Ed this week outlines reasons why the U.S. Supreme Court should put an end to partisan gerrymandering, a position LWV has long held. Elections should be won, not rigged.

Debra Cronmiller, LWV WI President, is returning from Washington, D.C. after a 2-day meeting of the LWV US Steering Committee for the “League Transformation” which will guide the League at every level into its second century. She will update Leagues in Wisconsin about the meeting and progress of the organizational transformation at this year’s Issues Briefing in Madison on October 28.

Speaking of Issues Briefing, have you registered yet? You can register online now through October 19. More information can be found online or in the upcoming edition of the Forward newsletter which you should receive in the next week. Check out the knowledgeable speakers and great topics in this year’s agenda. 

Finally, our online contribution form is repaired. Thanks to the members who let us know that it was down following a recent web hosting transition. You can once again make a secure contribution to LWV WI via our website. Your contributions support all the work that we have been able to accomplish this week and our ability to continually assist local Leagues in their direct action within their communities. Please consider giving today.