We have been busy here at Common Cause Wisconsin (CC/WI) in the aftermath of the historic and pivotal April 1st election — with its unprecedented campaign spending, record voter turnout and decisive rejection of the richest person in the world, Elon Musk, and his failed attempt to buy our Wisconsin Supreme Court election with more than $25 million. CC/WI is proud to have played a leading role in informing Wisconsinites about Musk's outside interference in our state election, and in driving him to step down from his destructive position as the genesis of "DOGE" and all the cruelty and misery that DOGE has caused in our state, nation and around the world.
Since then, CC/WI has been actively participating in advising and advocating for the very much needed and critical Wisconsin Election Commission Election Observer Rule over the past two years before the Wisconsin Legislature. Why? Because election observers need clear rules in order to carry out their critical tasks at polling locations and currently the rules are very vague and uncertain. Having this rule in place will help ensure the safety of voters, observers, and election officials. The rule strikes a careful and important balance between the election officials being able to carry out their jobs, an observer’s access and ability to be able to view the voting process, and a voter's right to privacy and confidentiality while casting a ballot. This past Tuesday the Joint Committee of Review for Administrative Rules held a public hearing as they now consider adoption or rejection of the rule. Here is my testimony on that rule and why we need it.
Also, as the Wisconsin Legislature's all powerful Joint Committee on Finance wraps up its public hearings (the final two meetings are this coming Monday and Tuesday), CC/WI has submitted the following testimony in support of funding election administration and operations in our state. The Wisconsin Election Commission, as well as county and municipal clerks, need the necessary resources to meet the increased demands on their staff and to their workloads so that they can carry out their jobs and to strengthen confidence in state elections. The request for election funding is modest and ought to be fully supported by the full legislature. Here is my testimony.
Earlier this month the US House of Representatives passed the so-called SAVE Act - a harmful anti-voter bill that will put millions of currently eligible voters’ registration at risk and lose their voting rights and access to the ballot. This piece of legislation is now being scheduled for a vote by the full US Senate. Please join the thousands of Americans all over the nation who have signed this petition to demand that Wisconsin US Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson know that this bill must be resoundingly rejected, by voting NO on the SAVE Act. Common Cause will continue to track the harmful ramifications of the SAVE Act and let you know what actions can be taken next, so be on the lookout for more to come. Thanks for speaking out and signing on!
Finally, our partners at the Wisconsin Conservation Voters are hosting a lobby day at the Madison Capitol on May 6, 2025, and would like to invite you to join them. Their advocacy includes many pro-voter and pro-democracy issues that we champion with them. For more information and to sign up go to https://conservationvoters.org/events/cld-2025.
As I said at the outset, Spring has finally arrived in Wisconsin. Hurray! Take time to enjoy it, get outside and find some joy! For me, it is hiking through the beautiful and quiet environs of Cherokee Marsh, just northeast of Madison. Take care of yourselves and each other. Thanks for your continued dedicated vigilance and action in support of our democracy.
On Wisconsin,
Jay Heck
Executive Director, Common Cause Wisconsin
608/512-9363 (cell)
152 Johnson St, Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703
www.commoncausewisconsin.org
