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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Taking Action, Making a Difference and Getting Involved During Difficult Times in Our State, Our Country and The World

For release: Wednesday - September17, 2025

Image: Our Wisconsin, Our Constitution

 The Alternative to Despair and Discouragement is Engagement for Positive Change

The profoundly disturbing and almost incomprehensible events of the last week in Utah, earlier this summer in Minnesota, and elsewhere in the nation and in the world can leave us all wondering if there is anything we can do to change the current trajectory toward chaos and division. The seemingly headlong dive into depression and disaster we sometimes feel is overtaking many of us in many different ways. If we choose to do nothing then nothing will change for the better. Or, we can choose to engage and try to do what each individual can to improve the community, state, nation and the world in which we live and strive to make life better for ourselves and for others.

The choice is obvious, but the question is what we can do to get involved in moving things in a positive and more hopeful direction. We have some suggestions!

Common Cause Wisconsin (CC/WI) is proud to join state partners in sponsoring events that increase our community connections and our civic engagement. Join us and your neighbors in one or more of these events near you!

Fair Voting Maps Community Hearings Roll On

Last week, CC/WI was happy to host a webinar detailing the comprehensive statewide reform initiative of the WI Fair Maps Coalition. The redistricting reform seeks to wrest control of Wisconsin's redistricting process of state legislative and congressional district voting maps from partisan legislators. The process would entrust the voters of Wisconsin with the task of drawing the maps through an Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) and establishing that voter-centric process in time for the next redistricting process following the 2030 Census.

In case you missed the virtual presentation last week, here is the link to the video recording.

The Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition continues to bring community hearings to new places across the state this Fall. We want to hear from YOU! Join local leaders and activists in these interactive spaces to shape the future of redistricting in Wisconsin.

Stops and hearings are currently scheduled for:

• Madison on September 25

• Milwaukee on September 26

• La Crosse on October 14

• Winnebago County on October 15

AND MORE!

Check out all the locations and dates and plan to attend!

Then join an outdoor public Rally to End Gerrymandering at the Capitol on October 16 from Noon-1pm.

Join the Fair Maps Coalition for this rally at the Capitol to demand an end to partisan gerrymandering once and for all! Go here for more information and to register.

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Our Wisconsin, Our Constitution!

Join us for interactive, community-focused events exploring the Wisconsin Constitution and how amendments shape our democracy both positively and negatively.

At this events, we will:

• Learn how the amendment process works and why it matters.

• Unpack the impact of recent harmful amendments and the way the process has been weaponized.

• Explore tools, ideas, and reforms that can put power back in the hands of the people.

• Engage in fun, interactive activities that make constitutional history come alive.

Come for the education, stay for the community connection, and leave with concrete ways to stand up for a stronger, fairer democracy. For more information and to register for an event near you go to: bit.ly/OurWisConstitution

Phonebank for a Better Federal Budget

A federal budget that works for the people is currently being fought for in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. The People’s Promise is a long-term commitment to build a better democracy from the ground up - powered by people like you. Right now, we are calling on members of Congress to urge them to pass a federal budget that upholds the People’s Promise. Let’s flood the US Capitol switchboard with stories and pressure on our US House and Senate Members! Sign up here to empower people to advocate for a better federal budget.​

No Kings October Rally

On October 18th, Common Cause members and activists are urged to join with communities across the nation to rise up to make clear to President Trump that in this country, we don't have kings or wannabe dictators. America belongs to us - the people. No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.

With nearly 30 events already planned in Wisconsin, you can find one near you to join. More information at https://www.nokings.org/. Join the rally. Join the movement.

There you have it. A variety of actions and events you can participate in to improve the state of our state and nation in the weeks ahead. Choose one or several things to involve yourself and make a difference. I guarantee you will feel a great deal better about the direction of democracy and our national purpose by joining with others to push for positive change. And particularly now it is worth repeating what the American anthropologist Margaret Mead famously asserted a century ago:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

On Wisconsin. Forward!

Jay Heck, Executive Director

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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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