Democratic activists today approved a slate of resolutions that call for the abolishment of ICE, the support of gender-affirming care for young people, and an end to the state’s choice and voucher programs.

The resolutions were largely approved by voice vote without debate. But the party broke out two resolutions for discussion, including one that called for raising the minimum wage to a living wage of roughly $21 an hour.

One delegate argued moving the state’s current minimum wage of $7.25 an hour to $21 immediately wasn’t realistic. He noted the highest minimum wage in the country right now is Washington state’s at just more than $17 an hour with an allowance for Seattle’s higher requirement of $21.30. He said it would be particularly problematic in places like northern Wisconsin, where it would hurt Dems running for office.

But Charlie Schmitt, the vice president of College Dems and a student at UW-Madison, countered it was “reprehensible” to say people in northern Wisconsin wouldn’t want an increase and that people are struggling to get by on the current minimum. 

“This is good for Wisconsin. This is good for all of us,” Schmitt said. “This is how we bring in new voters who are apprehensive about the Democratic Party.”

Activists also approved a resolution requesting the party’s administrative committee to change the rules for electing officers to allow members to vote by mail or electronically. Now, only those who attend the convention in person can cast a ballot.

The party’s platform and resolutions committee compiled proposed resolutions and included a recommendation on each. The voice vote this morning approved all resolutions the committee had backed. The resolutions the committee recommended against approving weren’t approved by the delegates. 

That included one resolution that called for raising the minimum wage by $2 an hour annually until a consensus “Minimum Living Wage” had been reached. The committee believed the proposed increases were too slow.

Some of the resolutions approved deal with artificial intelligence and data centers, including:

  • Affirming the need to create AI regulations and an enforcement agency;
  • Urging local officials to pause and regulate developments, like data centers, that could impact water and pollute air;
  • Calling for a prohibition on law enforcement use of surveillance, AI and biometric technology, such as facial recognition technology and automated license plate readers, to capture people’s data without their consent;
  • Supporting the establishment of certain requirements for data centers, such as environmental impact reviews and water usage standards;
  • Supporting requiring data centers to generate 100% of their electricity onsite with at least 70% renewable energy, to use a combination of closed-loop and free cooling systems, and to have an environmental impact statement.