The 2022 election season in Wisconsin has taken off already and is moving full speed ahead, so we want to share with you some exciting, upcoming opportunities for you to learn, explore, and help direct your citizen activism to preserve and protect our freedom to vote.
- LOCAL ELECTIONS MATTER (webinar)
The Spring Elections are very important! Join our partners at the Disability Vote Coalition to learn why voting in local elections matters so much and why we need to vote in the Spring Elections. That event will occur on Wednesday, February 2nd (Groundhog Day!), from 6:00-7:15 PM. You will hear from a politically diverse panel of disability advocates, who have held local office, about what motivated them to run, and how local government makes an important difference in our lives.
Register for the Local Elections Matter webinar. ASL interpreters and captioning will be provided.
- FAIR MAPS and NEXT STEPS (virtual, interactive training)
As we proceed into the next phases of the redistricting process, the Fair Maps Coalition partners want to make sure that our passionate volunteers and activists are equipped to keep our quest to end partisan gerrymandering moving forward. We must continue to hold our elected officials, candidates for public office, and our courts accountable and committed to delivering fair voting maps for all of Wisconsin.
If you’re “all in” for continuing to participate in this growing grass roots movement, to help organize with us, and to learn more about the next phases of the fight, register for this Fair Maps Activist Training now. One day-long, virtual training on Saturday, February 5th, followed by a half day “check-in” on Saturday, February 26th. Common Cause Wisconsin Consultant Erin Grunze will be facilitating a session of this training. Join her!
- HOW ELECTIONS WORK IN WISCONSIN (webinar)
Want to protect our right to free and fair elections and our freedom to vote? Start by getting to know how Wisconsin elections really work from the people who know them best — municipal clerks and election administrators!
Election administrators throughout Wisconsin make decisions about how elections are run and that can determine how, when, and where you cast a ballot. On Wednesday, February 9th at 4:30 PM, join our friends at All Voting Is Local and a panel of Wisconsin election officials from across the state to get a “behind the scenes” look at what goes into planning an election — from recruiting poll workers to counting the votes. You will learn so much!
- LOCAL VOLUNTEERS FOR CLERK ENGAGEMENT (in-person local volunteer)
We are looking for Wisconsinites like you to volunteer to meet and build positive relationships with your local municipal clerks. Sign up today if you are interested in strengthening free and fair elections by helping your local election officials and helping to make sure that every Wisconsin voter’s rights are protected.
Municipal clerks play a critically important role in election administration — including determining safe and secure drop box locations for returning absentee ballots, managing poll workers, and making sure polling sites are accessible to everyone.
As a volunteer, you will:
- Meet with your local clerk and build a positive, respectful relationship
- Gather information about local election procedures
- Identify any areas where the clerk may need citizen assistance
- Advocate for improvements in election procedure
- Report back to the Wisconsin Voting Rights Coalition with your findings
You don’t need to know all the ins and outs of election law or how to run an election. We’ll provide you with training and support. We just need your dedication to democracy. Sign up to volunteer for the Clerk Engagement Project today!
- PROTECT ELECTIONS BY OBSERVING POLLS (in-person volunteer)
Volunteers will help ensure we have fair elections by watching for signs of voter disenfranchisement and intimidation, and by monitoring the way Wisconsin’s election laws and procedures are being applied. Even if you only have a couple hours to spare on Election Day, you can still sign up to be an election observer with the League of Women Voters Election Observation Program.
Being an election observer is a vital way you can help maintain the freedom to vote in our state. Learn more and sign up to volunteer to be a poll observer today for the April 5, 2022 election!
Once you sign up, you will be provided with everything you need to volunteer: online training, a reporting form, a polling place assignment with flexible shifts, and an Election Day hotline number if you have a question or need to report a problem.
- GO VOTE in 2022! (vote by absentee ballot or on Election Day)
Elections are already underway in Wisconsin. Check to see if you have a primary election on February 15. (Not everyone in the state will, but those who do have a significant responsibility and opportunity to exercise their voting power.) Go to MyVote.wi.gov and enter your address information or contact your municipal clerk. You can find more voting information at the Common Cause Wisconsin website including resources for how to get assistance and answers for your election questions.
Stay involved. Stay encouraged. Stay connected! Your active engagement makes our democracy stronger and preserves our freedom to vote and have our voices heard.
Thanks, and all best to you,
Jay Heck
