Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Breathing New Life into Non-Partisan Redistricting Reform/Ending Partisan Gerrymandering




For Release: Tuesday - April 26, 2016

Breathing New Life into Non-Partisan Redistricting Reform/Ending Partisan Gerrymandering

Finally – A Public Hearing, A Promising Lawsuit and Action Citizens Can Take

For three years, from 2012 through 2014, non-partisan redistricting reform was the "hottest' political reform issue in Wisconsin, with meetings and forums about the subject all over the state (CC/WI organized nearly 20 alone), support and frequent editorials from virtually every Wisconsin's daily newspaper (21) and thousands of calls and messages pouring into the Capitol to legislators demanding that they end partisan gerrymandering of state legislative and congressional districts.

But Republican legislative leaders, chiefly Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau), jealously guarded their command of redistricting because of the enormous political power they possess. Consequently, they allowed virtually no Republican legislators to publicly support non-partisan redistricting reform and they refused to allow the scheduling of even a public hearing on legislation that would establish a non-partisan process, such as the one that has worked so well in Iowa since 1980.

During 2015, Vos and Fitzgerald shifted their attention to expanding their power, such as destroying the non-partisan Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, transforming Wisconsin's campaign finance law into among the worst, least regulated and least transparent in the nation, and to exempting politicians from effective investigation and prosecution from political corruption. Consequently, good government reform groups such as CC/WI had to shift their emphasis and focus from educating the public about anti-gerrymandering and instead, deploy all of our energy and resources towards fighting those new battles and trying to mitigate the damage caused by the GOP offensive to turn Wisconsin into a one-party state that they could completely control, long into the future.

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Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Walker & WISDOT Never Even Considered Establishing a Mobile Van Program to Help Get Required Voter ID to Underserved Rural & Urban Communities




For Release: Tuesday - April 19, 2016

Walker & WISDOT Never Even Considered Establishing a Mobile Van Program to Bring Required Photo ID to Eligible Voters in Underserved Communities

Some Former Confederate States Make it Easier to Obtain Required
Photo ID to Vote Than Does Wisconsin

In June of 2015, CC/WI and 12 other state and national public interest organizations sent this letter to Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WISDOT) Secretary Mark Gottlieb requesting the establishment of a mobile Division of Motor Vehicles program comprised of vehicles that visit under-served communities throughout the state to distribute DOT-issued photo ID – two of the various forms of ID now required in order to cast a ballot that will be counted in Wisconsin elections.

The letter was never acknowledged and a follow-up phone inquiry on February 1, 2016 also never received a response, despite assurances that we would receive one.

On March 3, 2016, CC/WI sent this letter to Governor Scott Walker, requesting that he rectify this situation that his own Department of Transportation has completely ignored. We had hoped to receive his affirmative response in short order as there had only been a little more than four weeks until the April 5th Spring election. On March 25th, we received this response from WISDOT Secretary Mark Gottlieb, which had obviously been forwarded to him from the Governor's office. In it, Gottlieb talks a lot about how his agency has responded to increasing demands for DOT-issued ID's, but there is no mention whatsoever about our repeated inquiry into the establishment of mobile vans or some kind of program to bring the required photo ID to underserved rural and urban communities!

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Tuesday, April 5, 2016

TODAY is Election Day in Wisconsin - Vital Information You Need to Know and Share




For Release: Tuesday - April 5, 2016


Don't miss this opportunity to make your voice heard – go to your polling place and vote!

Polling places throughout Wisconsin areopen today from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

If you are unsure of the location of your polling place, go to MyVote.WI.gov, select "Regular Voter," enter your name and date of birth, and then click "Where Do I Vote" in the left sidebar.

Remember – even if you are already registered to vote – in order for your vote to be counted, you must present one of the forms of photo identification pictured left.

Many college students already have the ID they need to cast a ballot (e.g., a WI driver license or a passport). Those students who do not have one of the other acceptable IDs for voting can look up their college/university on the appropriate list linked below to see if their institution's student ID can be used as a voter ID or if their school offers a special photo ID card for voting and how to get it:

University of Wisconsin – 4-Year Schools

University of Wisconsin – 2-Year Schools

Wisconsin Private Universities & Colleges

Wisconsin Technical Colleges


If you are registered to vote but do not have, or cannot find one of the required forms of ID for voting, you can cast a "provisional ballot." However, your provisional ballot will only be counted if you either return to the polling place with an acceptable photo ID before the polls close at 8:00 PM today OR you present one of the required forms of photo ID to your municipal clerk by 4:00 PM on Friday, April 8th.

If you are not sure where your municipal clerk's office is, visit MyVote.WI.gov, select "Regular Voter," choose "Address Search" in the left sidebar, and then enter your address. Remember, if you have lived at your current address for less than 28 days before the election, you must vote at the polling place for your previous address.

What if you're not already registered to vote? You can register at your polling place today when you go to vote. Be sure to bring either the number and expiration date of your current and valid Wisconsin driver license or DOT-issued WI ID card OR (if you have not been issued a WI driver license/WI ID) the last four digits of your social security number. If you've been issued a WI driver license/WI ID card, but it is no longer valid, you should provide BOTH your WI driver license or WI ID number and the last four digits of your social security number. When registering to vote, you must ALSO provide a proof of residence document (this document can be shown electronically).

Examples of proof of residence documents can be found here.

Common Cause in Wisconsin is once again partnering with the nonpartisan Election Protection coalition, led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, to provide "guidance, information and help to any American, regardless of who that voter is casting a ballot for."

Election Protection’s highly-trained legal volunteers are available to assist voters with any questions or problems, no matter how simple or complex. Voters may call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) toll-free with any questions or issues that may arise. This English language hotline is available today and will be staffed live from 7:00 AM until the polls close at 8:00 PM. Spanish-speaking voters may seek assistance through the 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (1-888-839-8682) hotline.

Please share this information with family and friends, and be sure to cast your ballot!




CONTACT:

Jay Heck
608/256-2686 (office)
608/512-9363 (cell)




Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 W. Johnson St., Suite 212
Madison, WI  53703
608/256-2686

Want Good Government?
Join Common Cause in Wisconsin!
www.CommonCauseWisconsin.org




Monday, April 4, 2016

Basic, Vital Information for Election Day in Wisconsin - April 5th!




For Release: Monday - April 4, 2016


Tomorrow – Tuesday, April 5th, 2016 – is Election Day. Exercise your most precious civic right and duty and go to your polling place and vote!

Polling places throughout Wisconsin open at 7:00 AM and close at 8:00 PM.

If you are unsure of the location of your polling place, go to MyVote.WI.gov, select "Regular Voter," enter your name and date of birth, and then click "Where Do I Vote" in the left sidebar.

Remember – even if you are already registered to vote – in order for your vote to be counted, you must present one of the forms of photo identification pictured left.

If you are registered to vote but do not have, or cannot find one of the required forms of ID for voting, you can cast a "provisional ballot." However, your provisional ballot will only be counted if you either return to the polling place with an acceptable photo ID before the polls close at 8:00 PM on Election Day OR you present one of the required forms of photo ID to your municipal clerk by 4:00 PM on Friday, April 8th.

If you are not sure where your municipal clerk's office is, visit MyVote.WI.gov, select "Regular Voter," choose "Address Search" in the left sidebar, and then enter your address. Remember, if you have lived at your current address for less than 28 days before the election, you must vote at the polling place for your previous address.

What if you're not already registered to vote? You can register at your polling place on Election Day. You will need to provide either the number and expiration date of your current and valid Wisconsin driver license or DOT-issued WI ID card OR (if you have not been issued a WI driver license/WI ID) the last four digits of your social security number. If you've been issued a WI driver license/WI ID card, but it is no longer valid, you should provide BOTH your WI driver license or WI ID number and the last four digits of your social security number. When registering to vote, you must ALSO provide a proof of residence document (this document can be shown electronically).

Examples of proof of residence documents can be found here.

If you experience difficulties in trying to vote or trying to register to vote and/or you experience any type of harassment or intimidation at the polling place, you can and should call this non-partisan, statewide, toll-free "election protection" number: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).




CONTACT:

Jay Heck
608/256-2686 (office)
608/512-9363 (cell)




Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 W. Johnson St., Suite 212
Madison, WI  53703
608/256-2686

Want Good Government?
Join Common Cause in Wisconsin!
www.CommonCauseWisconsin.org




Friday, April 1, 2016

In the News - April 2016