The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities is thrilled with today’s order from Chief U.S. District Judge James Peterson in Carey v. WEC.  Judge Peterson confirms the federal rights of the four plaintiffs and all Wisconsin voters with disabilities to receive assistance in returning their absentee ballots so that they can vote without fear that their ballots will be rejected. This order confirms that needing assistance from a person of their choice with completing and returning a ballot is a right that is protected by federal law.  Therefore, the Wisconsin Election Commission is now required to issue guidance to

MADISON, Wis. – Cedar Wedge Farm in Bonduel, Wis., is issuing a voluntary recall of bacon produced for individuals and sold from its retail store. The recall includes the following: Smoked bacon, vacuum sealed in approximately 1-lb. packages. Product is marked with a packaging date between August 5 and August 29, 2022, and includes a mark of inspection with plant No. 593. This is a Class I recall, initiated based on evidence collected during a routine inspection by state inspectors. Evidence shows that the product was produced without the benefit of inspection. More information on the U.S. Department of Agriculture

(August 31, 2022 – Green Bay, Wisconsin) Green Bay became the fourth Wisconsin city to back down in the face of voter lawsuits over the use of unmanned absentee ballot drop boxes in elections. A Brown County Circuit Court hearing was the scene of the Thomas More Society’s latest election integrity victory for Wisconsin voters. On August 31, 2022, the attorney for Green Bay told the presiding judge that the city will no longer use the illegal ballot drop boxes in elections. Green Bay’s defense was declared moot following a July 8, 2022, Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling affirming that the absentee ballot

[Madison, WI] – Serve Wisconsin proudly announces that Wisconsin received $13.1 million in grant funding from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and community volunteerism, to support 31 programs and planning grants across the state. Included within those funds is $1,576,663 in AmeriCorps funding for eight AmeriCorps programs specifically centered in Dane and Columbia counties, with several other statewide AmeriCorps programs also having members serving in area. “This funding will put 880 AmeriCorps members on the ground at over 200 service sites throughout the state, including over 140 AmeriCorps members in Dane County and Columbia County, to help make a difference

MADISON, Wis. – In response to Wednesday’s U.S. District Court ruling in Carey v. Wisconsin Elections Commission, the Wisconsin Elections Commission plans to meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, September 6 to consider guidance in compliance with the court’s order.

OSHKOSH  – The Ron Johnson campaign today launched an effort to bring more transparency to Lt. Gov. Barnes’ excessive and unprecedented use of taxpayer funded security. In the months from his inauguration in 2019 to just after he announced his Senate campaign in 2021, Lt. Gov. Barnes ran up more than $600,000 in State Patrol costs for events like two out of state marathons, concerts, trips to campaign events and even going to church. All this despite Barnes’ past support for defunding the police and abolishing ICE. But much of Lt. Gov. Barnes’ calendars, obtained through an open records request,

MILWAUKEE – State Senator Lena C. Taylor (D-Milwaukee) and State Representative Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D-Milwaukee) released the following statement regarding Drug Overdose Awareness Day: “Today, on National Overdose Awareness Day, I am marching to celebrate legislative victories to address substance abuse  and overdose deaths. While reflecting on the family, friends, and neighbors, we have lost during this period of historically high drug related deaths, today is also a time to recognize all the work that remains to prevent further overdoses in Wisconsin” said Rep. Ortiz- Velez. “As a staunch advocate for drug reform and life-saving overdose intervention, I was excited to

Madison, WI- Republican Candidate for Secretary of State Amy Loudenbeck has issued the following statement regarding the Wisconsin Election Commission staff proposal to operate an Elections Inspector General program within the commission: “The fact the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) is even considering spending more than a million dollars in taxpayer money to set up an agency within an agency to be a check on its own responsibilities is just another painful reminder of why WEC as currently structured does not work. “If WEC is looking to restore confidence in our elections, which most certainly needs to be done, they should

WISCONSIN – Protect Our Care will be hitting the road for its fourth nationwide bus tour, Lower Costs, Better Care: Help is on the Way, to celebrate The Inflation Reduction Act’s measures to drive down health care costs and to let Americans know how and when they can access these new benefits. Kicking off in Bangor, Maine, on October 3, Care Force One will roll into districts and states, including Wisconsin, for events with elected officials, health care advocates, and storytellers to educate Americans about how the bill could save them thousands of dollars a year on health care. Over five

Disability Rights Wisconsin welcomes today’s order from Chief US District Judge James Peterson in Carey v. WEC. Judge Peterson confirms the federal rights of the four plaintiffs and of all disabled Wisconsin voters to receive assistance in returning their absentee ballots so that they can vote without fear that their ballots will be rejected or that they will be sanctioned. This order confirms what DRW always knew: that voters with disabilities may have assistance from a person of their choice with voting, including with ballot return assistance, and that these rights are protected by federal law. The federal court required

MADISON, Wis. – Yesterday, at an American Legion event Ron Johnson attempted to explain away his record of  voting against health care for veterans and threatening funding for Social Security and Medicare. Unfortunately for Senator Johnson his actions speak for themselves. “Wisconsin veterans are sick and tired of Ron Johnson putting his self-serving agenda ahead of standing up for them. They will not forget that when it mattered most Johnson played political games with their health care and is on a crusade to cut critical programs like Social Security and Medicare,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Senate Communications Advisor Philip Shulman.