(WISCONSIN)- Voces de la Frontera Action (VDLFA), Wisconsin’s leading Latinx and immigrant rights grassroots organization, congratulates their endorsed candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Judge Janet Protasiewicz, on her advancement to the Spring General Election.
In her Tuesday night victory speech, Judge Protasiewicz told supporters, “Everything we care about is going to be determined by who wins this election.” VDLFA couldn’t agree more. In what’s been called ‘one of the nation’s most important elections’ by Politico and the New York Times, the results of the Wisconsin Supreme Court election will decide the balance of the court which currently leans conservative.
If elected, Judge Protasiewicz would be able to challenge an extremist right-wing agenda responsible for one of the “most aggressive partisan gerrymanders” in the country. In addition to restoring fair maps and the will of the voters through the democratic process, the future of immigrant rights, abortion rights, the Wisconsin governor’s appointment powers, and other key measures are at stake.
“I voted for a progressive candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court because as a future educator, I know that education policy will affect not only me, but the future of our state,” said Diego Martinez, a VDLFA member, a Puerto-Rican voter, and UW-Madison student studying education. “I voted to make Wisconsin a welcoming place that supports educators and provides students with inclusive environments that foster critical thinking to set them up for future success. This should be something that all Wisconsinites can agree on, and that’s why I’m going to continue to encourage others to vote as well because we have this chance right now to make a positive impact on the state of education for the next ten years.”
With so much at stake, VDLFA staff, members, and volunteers have been organizing tirelessly across Wisconsin over the past weeks to reach new and infrequent voters as well as engage seasoned voters through an innovative relational statewide voter program called “Voceros por el Voto”. Voceros por el Voto reaches over 30,000+ Latinx and youth voters and provides crucial basic political education, such as key dates and how to vote information.
“The result of the State Supreme Court primary election is a source of inspiration for the April 4th General Election and reflects the fact that so many voters are frustrated and angry with gerrymandered maps that have created gridlock in our state capitol and are undermining democracy,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera Action. “Latinxs and immigrant youth- our base of voters- are ready to spread the word of the importance of the general election so we can advance the struggle for driver licenses for immigrants, restore reproductive rights for women, win fair maps, and expand voting rights that have been under attack by the right wing.”
