A Tumultuous and Chaotic Political Year in Wisconsin Ending with Hope and Optimism for 2026 and Beyond, and My Departure from Common Cause

For release: Thursday - December 18, 2025

Image: Hundreds of people came to the Capitol on Thursday, Oct. 28 2021 to testify against the new voting maps drawn by Republican legislative leaders which advocates characterized as ‘gerrymandering 2.0’ | Wisconsin Examiner photo 

Wisconsin Voters Step Up to Demand Better Politics and Governance

2025 will long be remembered as one of the most traumatic, chaotic and disturbing years in American history with the accession yet again to the Presidency of the most unstable, tyrannical individual ever to hold high political office in our nation’s history. Beginning on Inauguration Day, Donald Trump immediately began spreading terror and sowing chaos and uncertainty upon the people of the United States seemingly determined to establish himself as the first absolute monarch to rule this country since independence from King George III of Great Britain was declared in 1776.

As one of the most closely contested swing “purple” states in the country, Wisconsin immediately emerged as the nation’s first political “ground zero” and the barometer of how MAGA Trumpism was being received in 2025 because of the pivotal and nationally significant Wisconsin Supreme Court election on April 1st. Trump’s close collaborator and the richest person on earth, Elon Musk, came into our state with about $30 million to try to buy the open state supreme court seat for the Trump-endorsed candidate in the most expensive judicial election anywhere in U.S. history. 

But Musk and Trump failed spectacularly as their candidate lost on April 1st by more than 10 percentage points as Wisconsin voters turned out in unprecedented numbers to elect Susan Crawford to the court. Musk was not only driven out of Wisconsin but he was also largely evicted from his role as chief executioner of the Trump regime. Common Cause Wisconsin was proud to have played a leading role in informing Wisconsin voters about Musk’s attempt to hijack our election and supreme court. 

After that decisive repudiation of Trumpism, Wisconsin citizens mobilized throughout the Summer and Fall of this year to protect against legislative attempts to restrict or make absentee and other forms of voting more difficult including a measure to once again prohibit the utilization of secure drop boxes for the timely return of absentee ballots. Wisconsinites stepped up and told their legislators and the Governor that they were not going to stand for Trump-directed attempts to suppress voter participation in our state elections or to stifle dissent from those of us who disagree with the wrong-headed policies and the subversion of democracy emanating from Trump and his allies in Wisconsin.

Also, this past Summer, after two years of concentrated work and effort (primarily by my CC/WI colleague, Erin Grunze), we helped lead to successful completion and promulgation by the Wisconsin Election Commission -- detailed and comprehensive election observer rules which had been absent and causing confusion and confrontation at polling places. The rules were adopted over the very vocal and aggressive opposition of election deniers and conspiracy theorists, with bipartisan support in both the Legislature and by WEC. This was a victory for common sense. And for voter participation and the rule of law.

And this Fall, after more than two years of intensive work, fair voting maps activists have put forward a detailed, comprehensive plan to establish a nonpartisan, independent redistricting commission to take over the critically important work from partisan state legislators of redrawing and reconfiguring state legislative and congressional district voting maps every ten years following the decennial Census. The overwhelming majority of Wisconsinites do not want to ever again see a repeat of the hyper partisan, unfair gerrymandering of our state legislative and congressional districts that occurred in 2011 and then again in 2021-22. Voters instead of politicians will oversee the redistricting process in Wisconsin and this legislative initiative will be introduced in early 2026.

So, while 2025 began with upheaval, turmoil and real fear for the future of democracy -- it is ending, at least in Wisconsin, with a sense of hope and even optimism about what lies ahead. “The will of the people shall be the law of the land,” said Wisconsin’s legendary U.S. Senator and Governor Robert M. “Fighting Bob” LaFollette more than a century ago. And so, it has been in Wisconsin in 2025 and hopefully will be for the years and decades ahead.

***

After nearly 30 years as the executive director of Common Cause Wisconsin, I have decided to retire at the end of this year. It has been quite simply the honor of a lifetime to be able to work in this position and to be able to try to make this state that I love a little bit better and to try to improve the civic lives of the people who live here and whom I cherish. I’m not sure that I have always succeeded in this endeavor but I have enjoyed my tenure immensely and now it is time to move on.

My incredibly talented and able colleague Erin Grunze will continue on as the Program Manager here at CC/WI and I am deeply grateful to her for her years of amazingly good work and expertise on all that we do. Likewise, my gratitude to our stellar state advisory board chaired by Penny Bernard Schaber and to all of the many wonderful people who have so ably and unselfishly served as board members and advisors over the years. And to you the members and activists that have made CC/WI the terrific organization that has been for over a half century. Thank you.

Bianca Shaw will be taking over as state director next year. You will hear from her and get to know her soon and I know she will do a wonderful job leading Wisconsin in the months and years ahead. I will be around until mid-January and will have something more to say before leaving.

Thank you for everything and best wishes for a joyful holiday season and a peaceful New Year!

Jay

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Jay Heck

608/512-9363 (cell)

Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 Johnson St, Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703

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Common Cause Wisconsin Opposes Almost All of the Election Legislation Under Consideration by the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections Today

For release: Tuesday - November 4, 2025

Written Testimony of Jay Heck Executive Director of Common Cause Wisconsin to the Wisconsin Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections Tuesday, November 4, 2025

TO: Members of the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections

FROM: Jay Heck, Executive Director of Common Cause in Wisconsin

DATE: November 3, 2025

RE: Common Cause Wisconsin Statement for the 11.4.25 Public Hearing on AB599, AB560, AB426, AB595, and AB312

Chair Maxey and Members of the Committee,

Elections in Wisconsin have long been safe and secure and continue to be so. We can always make improvements to be more efficient and to increase accessibility as well as continually engage in updating processes and technology. Legislation that provides uniformity, security, clarity, accessibility, and ease of election administration processes should be a priority for all lawmakers.

Unfortunately, only one of the measures under consideration today by the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections is written to better serve voters and improve election administration (AB 312). The crafting of the rest of these measures before the committee rely not on the reality of how election functions are actually carried out in Wisconsin but instead on disproven election lies and conspiracy theories. Misperceptions about elections and election administration continue to be fertilized and infect our state because of misguided legislation like today’s bills that give them some oxygen and legitimacy. These damaging and ill-considered bills do nothing other than needlessly increase restrictions on the voting rights and access to the ballot of duly qualified Wisconsin voters.

Here are Common Cause Wisconsin’s (CC/WI) positions and brief commentary on the measures under consideration by the committee today:

Assembly Bill 599 - Oppose

Relating to: allowing voters to automatically receive absentee ballots for every election, eliminating the indefinitely confined voter status for receiving absentee ballots, and providing a penalty.

By changing the law requiring photo ID and creating a permanent list, many voters will be disenfranchised, and the ensuing new statute will almost certainly be litigated. Those voters who are not able to secure an ID, from the very restrictive list of photo IDs acceptable for use to vote, are the voters who most need the exceptions that are currently in statute for indefinitely confined voters. This bill as written would exclude many of these eligible voters from their right to vote. The permanent list as described in the current bill language also is not so permanent when voters must provide an ID that when the ID that they possess expires, so does their access to the absentee mailed ballot. Currently in statute, most IDs can be used when they expire as long as they "expired after the date of the most recent general election." No one is “grandfathered” into the new statute - everyone has to reapply which places the burden on voters already forced to overcome considerable challenges to be able to cast a ballot. There is also vague and extremely restrictive language about who can assist voters who require assistance with this process. Experts from the disabled community and clerks should be consulted in the drafting of legislation such as this and it is our understanding that they were not. The current bill seems designed to reinforce and address a misconception and misleading view about how many indefinitely confined people are able to vote rather than addressing any significant problems with the current process.

Assembly Bill 560 - Oppose

Relating to: prohibiting the use of absentee ballot drop boxes for any election.

We strongly support the utilization of secure drop boxes for the timely return of mailed absentee ballots. Wisconsin has long permitted this commonsense practice which makes even more sense after the Wisconsin Legislature — in a very partisan vote some years ago — changed law to require that all absentee ballots must be received by election clerks by 8 PM on Election Day in order to be counted. Prior to that misguided and unreasonably restrictive measure being passed and enacted into law, absentee ballots could be counted if postmarked by Election Day and received up to three days after election day — a practice which is still permitted in many neighboring states. CC/WI strongly opposed the banning of most election drop boxes in 2022 and submitted an amicus brief in support of the restoration of drop boxes by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in July of 2024.

Instead of trying to restrict the ability of voters to be able to return absentee ballots more conveniently and in time for them to be counted, let’s provide voters and election clerks with clear, realistic and uniform guidance about the implementation and utilization of secured election drop boxes with increased input from and collaboration with election clerks.

Assembly Bill 426 - Oppose

Relating to: election observers and providing a penalty.

This bill as written interjects vagueness which will cause confusion and possible chaos for election observers, election officials, and voters by mandating that the law “shall provide election observers uniform and nondiscriminatory access to all stages of the election process.” It also creates misguided and extreme punishment for election officials through the imposition of fines or even imprisonment. This very wrong policy framing assumes the election official is always at fault and the observer is never at fault in the event of a dispute at the polling place. Overall, this bill offers no substantive value to improving or clarifying the election observer role.

Assembly Bill 595 - Oppose

Relating to: compliance with the federal Help America Vote Act, voter registration data sharing agreements, removing ineligible voters from the official voter registration list, and fees for obtaining the official voter registration list.

We have grave concerns about all that is contained within this single bill package and how each section will be applied to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, clerks, and voters in real life. Additionally, there are concerns about the timeline to implement major database requirements for data sharing and areas of uncertainty about how voter privacy and confidentiality will be maintained. While some of the ideas in this bill may be worth exploring, more input should be taken from the agencies involved, municipal and county clerks, and voting rights experts about how the implementation, management, and practicality of these processes are carried out. There is merit to making improvements to the voter registration list or implementing data sharing but not how they are laid out in this legislation. The two areas of most concern in this large bill are the sections on the citizenship verification audit and removing ineligible voters from the official voter registration list. Much of these two sections are sloppily written with vague references, are based on misunderstandings about how the current voter registration system is maintained and used, and contain unreasonable timelines for voters to take action.

Assembly Bill 312 – Support as amended

Relating to: hours for voting by absentee ballot in person at the office of the municipal clerk or an alternate site.

This legislation provides voters with more consistent opportunities that are clearly communicated within the municipalities and reliably notify voters with dates and times of in-person absentee voting hours. The bill, as amended, takes into consideration the size of a municipality’s voting population and the number of mandated in person absentee voting hours required. The legislation also includes funding to support the additional work and staff time required to provide in-person absentee voting opportunities. Support to counties and municipalities for increased election security through a grant program is also a welcomed measure.

In sum, we are very disappointed with four of the five bills that are being considered today and urge that none of those four measures (AB599, AB560, AB426, AB595) be favorably considered and advanced by the members of this committee for consideration by the full Assembly. We support the advancement of AB312 as amended.

Thank you for your consideration of our views.

 

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Jay Heck

608/512-9363 (cell)

Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 Johnson St, Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703

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What You Can Do to Fight Back and Reclaim Democracy and Freedom!

For release: Tuesday - October 14, 2025

Image: Rally to End Gerrymandering October 16

Upcoming Opportunities to Get Involved

There has been one and only one thing that has been and is effective this year in standing up to and stopping the encroaching tyranny and ongoing attempted dismemberment of our state and national democratic norms and sensibilities. That thing is active resistance and participation in collective endeavors to defend and then advance against those who seek to control us. Joining together with other like-minded citizens and participating in events not only negates the sense of isolation and despair that so many of us experience from time to time but it also works! Therefore, Carpe Diem. Seize the Day!

Just this year in Wisconsin, the collective effort of active, engaged citizens stopped cold in its tracks the attempted purchase and control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court by the world's richest person, megalomaniac Elon Musk despite his expenditure of over $30 million here. We have stopped voter suppression measures from being enacted into law here in Wisconsin this year. And let's not forget that our collective effort and years of hard struggle resulted in the enactment of much fairer state legislative voting maps for Wisconsin in 2024, and we now have a state legislature that more accurately reflects the closely divided, 50/50 state we are and long have been.

We all know that being part of something bigger than oneself has been and always will be the key to combatting injustice and oppression. The key is to just get involved and participate. Be inspired and inspire others by taking part in one of more of these activities being organized by some of our voting rights, fair maps and democracy coalition partners:

Protest Safety Webinar

- League of Women Voters of Wisconsin - Wednesday, 10.15 - online

The Know Your Rights, Protect Your Voice LWVWI Webinar will prepare you for upcoming rallies and protests. Join this online webinar on October 15 beginning at 6:00pm. Click here for more information  

Rally for Fair Maps

- Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition - Thursday, 10.16 - in person, Madison

Join your neighbors, your community, and Fair Maps activists at Noon, Thursday, October 16 at the Capitol on the corner of State Street as we come together to make our voices heard about the importance of Fair Maps for Wisconsin. Click here for more information

>>>BONUS: The Community Hearings on the next steps to ensure fairly drawn maps in Wisconsin continue around the state. See the schedule and register for an event here.  (Watch the virtual hearing CCWI co-hosted here.)

No Kings Rally

- Common Cause and various sponsors - Saturday, 10.18 - in person, many locations throughout Wisconsin and the country

The current administration knows that we the people are not going to bow to a regime that acts out of step with democratic norms and values. We, the majority of millions, are united to remind the world: America has No Kings. Our movement is growing. Our voices are being heard, and we are bringing them together again on Saturday, October 18th. There are over 70 events planned across Wisconsin. Find the nearest rally to you and join the call to build power for accountable and responsive government.

Our Wisconsin, Our Constitution

- Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, CCWI, and partners - Tuesday, 10.21 - in person, Cedarburg

Join partners and the community for a dinner and education event beginning at 5:30pm in Cedarburg on October 21st that explores the Wisconsin constitution and amendments. For more information and to register, click here.

Money in Politics Trivia

- Wisconsin Democracy Campaign - Monday, 10.27 - in person, Madison

Join the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign for trivia night at Delta Beer Lab at 6:30pm on October 27th. The trivia will be a fun way to learn about money in politics and campaign finance reform with Halloween treats. Click here for more information and to register.

Understanding Wisconsin's Municipal and County Canvass Processes Webinar

- League of Women Voters of Wisconsin - Monday, 11.3 - online

Come with your questions, leave with confidence in and knowledge about our election canvass process in Wisconsin. Join the LWVWI at 6:30pm on November 3rd to find out how the ballots are tallied and canvassed after the voting ends from the election officials who carry out and check (and double check) the processes. Click here for more information and to register.  

These are a few of the many events that you can participate in. There are gatherings and meetings of like-minded citizens like you in almost every community in the state. Talk to your friends and your neighbors and find out what they are doing to change things for the better during this tense and trying time.

Remember that the antidote to despair is positive action and civic participation. Contact your state legislator or Member of Congress about an issue of concern to you. E-mail is fine but a phone call is better and a good old-fashioned letter (with a stamp on the envelope) is better yet! The key is to do something.  

Together we can and shall overcome!

On Wisconsin. Forward!

Jay Heck, Executive Director, Common Cause Wisconsin

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Jay Heck

608/512-9363 (cell)

Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 Johnson St, Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703

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Common Cause Wisconsin Elects Six New Democracy Activists to State Advisory Board

For release: Tuesday - September 23, 2025

Image: Wisconsin State Capitol

Size of Board Doubled from Six to Twelve at September Meeting

Common Cause Wisconsin (CC/WI), the state’s largest nonpartisan democracy citizens advocacy organization, with nearly 10,000 members and activists in every county and corner of Wisconsin, added six new members to its advisory board at its September 10th quarterly meeting in Madison. The advisory board now numbers 12 members and is chaired by former Wisconsin State Rep. Penny Bernard Schaber of Appleton.

Elected were:

· Cindy Carter, also from Appleton who is a long-time citizen activist and has been involved in numerous organizations and causes over the years including the Fair Maps Coalition, the League of Women Voters, Citizen Action, the Fox Valley Area Labor Council (currently serving as Secretary), Alliance for Retired Americans and many other groups including more than a dozen environmental and wildlife organizations. She brings multiple connections to CC/WI and is well versed in many different issues.

“I believe in the mission of Common Cause Wisconsin and have been an active participant in democracy since as long as I can remember,” Carter said. “I have always been one to fight for the underdog,” she added.

· Ann Groves Lloyd of Lodi currently serves as the nonpartisan mayor of the city of Lodi, a position she has held since 2020. She served as an Alderperson in Lodi for five years prior to being elected Mayor and she was also a candidate for the Wisconsin Assembly in 2018. Groves Lloyd was a petitioner in the successful gerrymander lawsuit that brought fair state legislative maps to Wisconsin in early 2024. She received her BS, MS and PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she then served as Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs in the College of Letters and Science there. She is involved in many civic organizations including the Lodi Library Board and Lodi Optimists Club, the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras and others.

Groves Lloyd’s passion is working on grass roots advocacy for her community and Wisconsin and supporting the work Common Cause is a natural fit. “I am honored to be serving on the Common Cause Wisconsin Advisory Board and I look forward to working on non-partisan reforms to improve our democracy,” she said.

· Peter Igel of Mequon is a retired sales and marketing representative for various healthcare, manufacturing and corporate entities. A native of St. Louis, Igel has resided with his family in Mequon for over 30 years and had been very active in the community as a youth sports coach, referee, scheduler and trainer as well as a volunteer at the Mequon Nature Preserve and Riveredge Nature Center, and as a stream flow monitor for the Wisconsin DNR. He serves as an election official both as a poll worker and a special voting deputy.

· Mary Ann Phalen of Middleton is a long-time member and strong supporter of CC/WI and has served in a variety of professional capacities throughout Wisconsin, Chicago and in Montana including developing a pilot outreach program for the USDA as a liaison serving Native American farmers and ranchers. She also worked in the Renewable Energy Department for the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corps which held the state contract for the “Focus on Energy” program. A Madison-area native and UW-Madison graduate, Phalen has been active in many community and democracy organizations including the local food movement, the Fair Maps Coalition and other democracy and fair election groups and initiatives.

“I am concerned about safeguarding fair access to the ballot, supporting a free press and working toward common sense gun laws,” Phalen said about her decision to join the CC/WI board. “If I have the means, the values and the time, I feel I have the responsibility to contribute and act by serving on the Common Cause Wisconsin board,” she added.

· Wendy Sue Johnson of Eau Claire currently serves as a nonpartisan Eau Claire County Court Commissioner. An attorney, she has practiced family law. She served on the board of the Eau Claire Family Resource Center and volunteered for the Afghan asylum seekers back in 2021. She has taught in high school including coaching dance teams and founding a local dance studio. Johnson was one of the original “Whitford plaintiffs” back in 2018 challenging the gerrymandered Wisconsin state legislative maps. Johnson also ran for the Wisconsin Assembly in a gerrymandered district in 2018.

“I am interested in joining the CC/WI Board because I value community service but am prevented from engaging in partisan activity by judicial ethics rules,” Johnson said. “During this critical time in our nation, I want to join others to promote ethical, responsible, democratic government,” Johnson added.

· Mark Unak of Milwaukee is an economist who consults on labor, education and investment trends for public policy and university organizations. A Yale University undergraduate and University of Chicago PhD in economics, Unak has worked for many well-known corporations and banks including AT&T and in developing AI for Google Maps and other applications. He also consults on labor, education and investment trends for public policy and university organizations.

“In these turbulent times, economic issues in Wisconsin surrounding labor, insurance, banking, and telecom are even more important given the chaos and uncertainty due to climate change, rapid automation using AI, and the large changes in demand for agricultural products and their resulting effects on rural areas,” Unak said. “These are all issues that I see Common Cause needing to address with actionable recommendations for the common person,” he concluded.

The six new board members join the current six CC/WI State Advisory Board members; Penny Bernard Schaber of Appleton, Mary Lynne Donohue of Sheboygan, Kristin Hansen of Waukesha, E. Michael McCann of Pewaukee, Calvin Potter of Sheboygan Falls and Wanda Sloan of Beloit.

If you would be interested in serving on the CC/WI State Advisory Board, please let us know and we will be happy to put you in touch with our Chair to discuss this opportunity for civic involvement and service with you.

All best.

Jay Heck, Executive Director, Common Cause Wisconsin

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Jay Heck

608/512-9363 (cell)

Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 Johnson St, Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703

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