Wisconsin Appeals Court Issues Stay on Drop Box Restrictions

On Monday, January 24th the 4th District Court of Appeals unanimously issued a stay in a case that would have prohibited the use of dropboxes and assistance in delivering an absentee ballot for the Feb. 15 primary election.  This means that drop boxes will remain in place and voters in need will be able to ask a trusted person to deliver their ballot on their behalf through the February 15 Spring primary elections.  

Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, co-lead of the Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign (WIVEC) (along with Wisconsin Council of Churches), is a party to the underlying lawsuit, Teigen vs the Wisconsin Election Commission. We are gratified that the appeals court saw fit to issue this stay, thus avoiding a lot of unnecessary confusion among voters and work for our already-taxed election officials. However, there is still much to be done. The stay only is in force through the Feb. 15 primary. 

The lawsuit, which attacks the use of dropboxes and also the ability of voters to receive assistance in delivering their absentee ballots, is being appealed. WIVEC remains committed to supporting the use of drop boxes and decries the original ruling by Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren to remove them.  WIVEC continues to assert that ballot drop boxes should remain accessible to every voter regardless of age, disability, or where they live.  Furthermore, the use of drop boxes in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic assured that voters could remain safe and the election remained valid. Additionally, we stand with the rights of voters, especially those living with disabilities, to have the assistance of the trusted person of their choice to deliver their absentee ballots for them.

WIVEC stands with all people of all faiths and will continue to work toward an equitable and just future for all of Wisconsin.

Today marks the first anniversary of the horrific attack on our country when right-wing extremists assaulted our nation’s Capitol, threatening to overturn the will of voters and undermine our very democracy. 
 
As we remember the terror, shock, and revulsion we felt that day, we are more committed than ever to ensuring that every vote is counted, and every voice is heard!  This January 6th, Americans across race, place, party, religious affiliation, and background are coming together to say: In America, the voters decide the outcome of our elections!
 
Sadly, the violence of that day was not the end, but only the beginning of ongoing efforts to sabotage our elections and curtail our freedoms. Some politicians have been working ever since to prevent you from exercising your right to vote, especially if you are a person of color. 
 
Wisconsin has been in the forefront of these efforts.  Legislation, lawsuits, sham investigations, and attacks on the Wisconsin Election Commission and election officials have conspired to sow distrust in our elections and erect barriers to common-sense voter protection measures such as the use of drop boxes, absentee ballots, and early voting. The legislature and state Supreme Court have upheld partisan gerrymandering, which could enshrine minority rule in our state for decades to come.
 
As people of faith, we understand that the right to vote is sacred and that it is each person’s responsibility to safeguard that right.  Every eligible voter should have equal access to the ballot box, regardless of where they live, the color of their skin, their background, or their political party.
 
Coming together, we can demand that our Senators pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to create national standards that protect our rights, ensure that trusted local election officials count every vote, and prevent partisan politicians from sabotaging the results of our elections.
 
Please call Senators Baldwin and Johnson today, on this important anniversary, and urge them to vote to pass these vital pieces of legislation and ensure that your voice is heard!
 
Faithfully,
 
                                       
Rabbi Bonnie Margulis                                                Dr. Peter Bakken
Executive Director                                                       Justice and Witness Coordinator
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice                              Wisconsin Council of Churches
             Co-leads, Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      December 1, 2021
 
Contact: Rabbi Bonnie Margulis, Executive Director, 608-513-7121, wifaithvoices4justice@gmail.com
 
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice applauds the sacred work of the Wisconsin Election Commission
 
MADISON: As people of faith, the members of Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice believe that all of us are made in the image of God and endowed with worth and dignity and worthy of respect.  Part of living a life of dignity and respect is the right to be heard and to be counted. In a democracy, that means having the freedom to vote.  We believe, along with the late Representative John Lewis, that the right to vote is sacred.  We applaud the tireless work the Wisconsin Election Commission and all election workers have done over the last year to ensure that our elections are fair, secure, and safe, and that everyone is able to exercise their constitutional right to vote, even in the midst of a global pandemic.
 
Executive Director Rabbi Bonnie Margulis said of the WEC, “the current hyper-partisan atmosphere around voting rights is deeply disturbing. Reports of election workers facing harassment and even death threats are abhorrent. If we agree on nothing else, let’s all agree that our election officials are heroes and the work the Wisconsin Election Commission does to ensure free and fair elections is sacred and praiseworthy.”
 
The recent report from the Legislative Audit Bureau showed once again what we already know – that the November 2020 election was the safest, most secure, election in our nation’s history.  Nevertheless, some of our elected leaders continue to advocate for policies that will make it harder for people to vote, especially people of color and people with disabilities. These proposals are anathema to all who value democracy.
 
The best way to ensure that every vote is counted, and every voice is heard, is to ensure the ballot box is accessible to every voter, regardless of age, disability, or where they live.  There are many important strategies that can be implemented to make this happen.  The use of absentee ballot dropboxes is one such strategy.
 
The widespread use of dropboxes in 2020 was key to helping people to vote safely during the pandemic.  The Election Commission should ensure that dropboxes are available 24 hours per day, and are available in traditionally low voter turnout communities, near public transportation hubs and places people frequent.  The availability of dropboxes in neighborhoods is vital for voters who experience barriers getting to the polls on Election Day, whether because of job obligations, lack of transportation, disabilities, or other issues.
 
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice calls upon all Wisconsin residents to support election workers and to thank the WEC for their efforts.
 
The mission of Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice is to draw on the wisdom, courage, and strength of our various faith traditions to advance the common good. As progressive people of faith committed to crossing religious boundaries, we uphold the dignity of all human beings. We lift the voices of those who are underserved and marginalized, through advocacy, education, and partnership. WFVJ partners with the Wisconsin Council of Churches on the Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign. 
 
 
 
 
 

Any West Wing fans out there?  There’s a great episode, which demonstrates the strength and power of the Senate filibuster. Senator Stackhouse, a gruff old guy who doesn’t get along with anyone, has decided to filibuster a bill he doesn’t like.  He’s old, he has a cold, but he stands in the well of the Senate for hours, holding up the business of the Senate while he reads Hoyle’s Official Rules of Card Games, The Joy of Cooking, anything else he can think of, all to hold up the vote on this bill.  Finally, our intrepid heroes on President Bartlett’s team figure out what the issue is, and they send friendly Senators onto the Senate floor, one by one, each equipped with a list of questions on autism, having figured out that Stackhouse has a grandchild with autism and wants funding for research put into the bill. His filibuster succeeds, and the Senate begins deliberations on including autism funding.
 
If only life were a West Wing episode!
 
Unfortunately, the filibuster has more often, and more and more in recent years, been used by the minority party to put a stranglehold on all Senate debate.  Today the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act are both frozen in place due to the filibuster.  These two vital pieces of legislation would eliminate dark money from politics, end partisan gerrymandering, ensure automatic voter registration, make absentee voting more accessible, and restore elements of the Voting Rights Act that were gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013 and again just a few weeks ago.  These two bills would essentially kill the nearly 400 anti-voter, anti-democratic bills sweeping through state legislatures, including over 20 bills right here in Wisconsin. (see Law Forward’s Election and Voting Bills in Wisconsin – Analysis)
 
What is the filibuster, anyway?  It is a Senate rule (not in the Constitution, not a law, just a self-imposed rule of the Senate) that says you need 60 votes to invoke ‘cloture’ – meaning to stop debate on a bill and put it up for a vote. So a Senator can filibuster a bill for all eternity, and unless the bill’s supporters can come up with 60 votes to end debate, the filibuster precludes a vote on the bill. Sadly, in today’s hyper-partisan atmosphere, it becomes nearly impossible to get to 60 votes on anything.
 
Further, the so-called ‘talking filibuster’ is a thing of the past.  All a Senator needs to do is threaten filibuster, and that is sufficient to kill a bill.
 
There is a long history of the filibuster used as a tool of white supremacy, to thwart efforts to extend civil rights to Black Americans. In 1922, it was used to defeat an anti-lynching bill.  Notoriously, in 1964, Southern Democrats (yes, Democrats) used the filibuster to delay passage of the Civil Rights Act for a record 60 days. Read more about the shameful legacy of the filibuster and white supremacy here.
 
A recent Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) resolution on the filibuster noted,
“…a growing body of evidence shows that today’s filibuster has contributed to political stalemate and obstruction by the minority. Senate action requires not merely a majority but 60 votes within the 100-member body, which happens rarely. Though there were just 49 votes to end a filibuster (invoke cloture) between 1917 and 1970, there were 298 votes to invoke cloture in 2019-2020 alone – indicating the exponential growth in use of the filibuster as a legislative tactic. The filibuster, once a rarity, is now a central governing principle of the Senate. Rather than encouraging compromise between senators with differing views, the filibuster allows senators to avoid the need to compromise – or even to discuss.” (https://urj.org/what-we-believe/resolutions/urj-resolution-filibuster-reform#_ftn2)
 
Over the years, there have been many changes and modifications to the filibuster.  “Budget reconciliation” is a process whereby budgetary items can pass by simple majority.  In 2013 and 2017, carve-outs were made to allow simple majorities for confirmation of Executive Branch and judicial nominees, including Supreme Court nominees.
 
The URJ resolution proposes six modifications to Senate rules, to encourage debate and bi-partisan cooperation. Specific to the filibuster is a call to bring back the ‘talking filibuster’, and a suggestion to reduce the number of votes needed to invoke cloture, perhaps to 55 votes.
 
Recently, Senate Majority Whip James Clyburn suggested a carve-out be made to the filibuster, similar to the carve-out for nominations. This carve-out would be for issues involving Constitutional rights, including voting rights.  It would allow for passage of the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. 
 
President Biden has spoken about the need to pass these two bills, and yet he is reluctant to modify or end the filibuster.  Two senators, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, refuse to consider these options.  Yet, without changes to the filibuster, or ending it entirely, the future of our democracy is hanging in the balance. 
 
As people of faith, we recognize the importance of cooperation, of healthy debate, and most importantly, of protecting the minority against the tyranny of the majority. But we also cherish democracy and the right to vote.  The filibuster is an undemocratic procedure, steeped in white supremacy and racism.  It has to go!

Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice Indigenous Land Acknowledgement Statement:
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice is based in Madison, but we are a statewide organization.  As people of faith committed to justice for all peoples, we acknowledge that we are situated on the Indigenous lands of the Menominee, Ojibwe (Chippewa), Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), Potawatomie, Sauk and Meskwaki,  Kickapoo, and other nations who cherished this place. (discover whose land you are living on here. Learn more about land acknowledgement here.) We make this acknowledgement to honor the history, culture, traditions, and rich legacy of the Native peoples who have lived here and continue to live here and contribute to our society.  We further make this acknowledgement as one small piece of ongoing efforts to end the erasure of their contributions and of the true history of how the United States was formed. We will continue to lift up Native American rights and issues in our work and to reach out in ally-ship with the Indigenous Nations in Wisconsin. For information and resources on how you can help support this work, please see our blog from 11-25-20 and the resource list below.  This is a work in progress and by no means comprehensive. Check back for updates.

Native American Resources and Organizations to Support:
National
Native American Rights Fund - Since 1970, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) has provided legal assistance to Indian tribes, organizations, and individuals nationwide who might otherwise have gone without adequate representation. NARF has successfully asserted and defended the most important rights of Indians and tribes in hundreds of major cases, and has achieved significant results in such critical areas as tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, natural resource protection, and Indian education.

Local, National, and Tribal Organizations
 
Native American Agriculture Fund - The Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) provides grants to eligible organizations for business assistance, agricultural education, technical support, and advocacy services to support Native farmers and ranchers.

Inter-tribal Agriculture Council - The Intertribal Agriculture Council was founded in 1987 to pursue and promote the conservation, development and use of our agricultural resources for the betterment of our people.
 
Illuminative - Created and led by Native peoples, IllumiNative is a new nonprofit initiative designed to increase the visibility of – and challenge the negative narrative about – Native Nations and peoples in American society. 

National Museum of the American Indian - A diverse and multifaceted cultural and educational enterprise, the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is an active and visible component of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex. The NMAI cares for one of the world's most expansive collections of Native artifacts, including objects, photographs, archives, and media covering the entire Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego.

Indian Country Today – indigenous news source

Land Acknowledgement Resources:

Are you planning to do a Land Acknowledgement?

NATIVE AMERICAN AND INDIGENOUS INITIATIVES: Land Acknowledgement

Native Land Digital: We strive to map Indigenous lands in a way that changes, challenges, and improves the way people see the history of their countries and peoples. We hope to strengthen the spiritual bonds that people have with the land, its people, and its meaning. We strive to map Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages across the world in a way that goes beyond colonial ways of thinking in order to better represent how Indigenous people want to see themselves.We provide educational resources to correct the way that people speak about colonialism and indigeneity, and to encourage territory awareness in everyday speech and action.

Native Governance Center: A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement 

Native Land: Territory Acknowledgement

'I regret it': Hayden King on writing Ryerson University's territorial acknowledgement

​Beyond territorial acknowledgments

Wisconsin
Menīkānaehkem, Inc: Menīkānaehkem is a grassroots community organization based on the Menominee Reservation in Northeast Wisconsin working to revitalize our communities.

Wisconsin Department of Health Services – American Indians in Wisconsin: History

American Indian Chamber of Commerce - The American Indian Chamber of Commerce (AICCW) exists to promote economic development in Wisconsin Indian Country through directed service delivery to American Indian entrepreneurs. The mission of our sister organization, the First American Capital Corporation (FACC) is to perform economic development activities that benefit Wisconsin's Indian Country by increasing access to capital in the form of business loans, providing technical assistance services that strengthen the skills of Native entrepreneurs, and by advocating for Indian owned businesses to create new business opportunities -- both on and off the reservations. 

Indian Nations of Wisconsin: Histories of Endurance and Renewal by Patty Loew

Wisconsin Tribes and Organizations: Wisconsin Judicare 

Wisconsin First Nations: American Indian Studies in Wisconsin - 
This collection of resources provides educators and pre-service teachers accurate and authentic educational materials for teaching about the American Indian Nations of Wisconsin 

Wisconsin Indian Education Association - 
The Wisconsin Indian Education Association (WIEA) was established in 1985 by a group of concerned Indian Educators to carry on the efforts of the former Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council (GLITC) Education sub-committee.

Last Thursday the legislative Joint Finance Committee (JFC) received the last testimony from citizens about the 2021-23 State Budget.  Immediately after the comment period ended, the Committee’s leaders released a huge list of items they intend to "remove from consideration."  Clearly, the list was prepared before they heard or reviewed the public comments.  The timing of the release gives the impression that they intended to make clear that they were not paying attention to the input from citizens and taxpayers.
 
The Committee will be meeting on Thursday, May 6, beginning at 11:00am.  Please call the Committee members using the list below and protest the removal of so many vital and important items from the budget that would go a long way toward improving the lives of so many Wisconsin residents.
 
Some of the many items the JFC intends to remove from consideration in one big motion on Thursday include:

• Provisions that would have protected people’s ability to vote
• Expansion of Medicaid
• Drivers' licenses for undocumented people
• The "raise the age" provision that would send 17 year-olds back to the juvenile system

 
Their list includes much more - see the Memo from JFC here.
 
Please take action to let JFC members know that you are unhappy with their decision to summarily remove from consideration so many items from the state budget.  Let them know if there are items you are particularly concerned about.  Or, let them know that you are upset by the complete lack of transparency in the process.
 
The Joint Finance Committee intends to meet and to pass their omnibus motion on Thursday morning at 11:00 am.  We are asking each of you to call one or more members of the Joint Finance Committee Thursday morning at 10 am.  Ask them to slow down and re-consider this sweeping show of disregard for the people who believed there was meaning to their participation in the process the JFC itself established.  Below are the names, emails and phone numbers of the JFC members.
 
Please, make at least one phone call Thursday morning.  Do not accept the excuse that they are "just removing policy that shouldn't be legislated through the budget."  All of these items have significant budget impacts. 
 
Here are the members of the Joint Finance Committee:
Representative Mark Born (Co-Chair)
Rep.Born@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-2540
Senator Howard Marklein (Co-Chair)
Sen.Marklein@legis.wiscosin.gov
(608) 266-0703
Senator Duey Stroebel
Sen.Stroebel@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-7513
Senator Dale Kooyenga
Sen.Kooyenga@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-2512
Senator Mary Felzkowski
Sen.Felzkowski@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-2509
Senator Kathleen Bernier
Sen.Bernier@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-7511
Senator Joan Ballweg
Sen.Ballweg@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-0751
Representative Amy Loudenbeck
Rep.Loudenbeck@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-9967
Representative Terry Katsma
Rep.Katsma@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-0656
Representative Shannon Zimmerman
Rep.Zimmerman@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-1526
Representative Jessie Rodriguez
Rep.Rodriguez@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-0610
Representative Tony Kurtz
Rep.Kurtz@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-8531
Representative Evan Goyke
Rep.Goyke@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-0645
Representative Greta Neubauer
Rep.Neubauer@legis.wisconsin.gov 
(608) 266-0634

WISCONSIN FAITH VOICES FOR JUSTICE STATEMENT ON THE CONVICTION OF DEREK CHAUVIN
 
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice is grateful at the triple guilty verdict against Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd.  We pray that George Floyd’s family is able to find some peace and some comfort in this verdict. 
 
However, we are cognizant that, far too often, police are afforded a presumption of innocence when their use of force results in injury or death.  The verdict today is a victory for justice, but we cannot allow it to be an isolated incident. We hope that this verdict reflects a sea change in the ways that this country is willing to value black lives and hold police accountable for their actions against black bodies. 
 
Let us celebrate this victory while also continuing the fight to hold police responsible for their actions: ban the use of chokeholds, knee holds, and other deadly use of force; end qualified immunity; and bring about a justice system that is truly just and equitable; one that serves and protects all citizens equally, regardless of their color. One important first step is to press our Senators to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
 
There is still much work to be done. Let us move forward, together.
 
 

Equity in vaccine distribution has been a problem across the country, no less so here in Wisconsin.  Recognizing this problem, the Racine Interfaith Coalition (RIC) decided to be pro-active in problem-solving.  RIC Co-president Tamerin Hayward shared with us the steps they took.  We hope this will inspire others around the state to take similar actions in their localities.

1) Racine Interfaith Coalition observed from documents and first-hand testimony that the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccinations was not equitable toward our inner-city minority neighborhoods. This applied to both African American and Latinx communities. Racine is about 45% people of color.
 
2) We wrote a letter to the County Health Department expressing our concerns with the evidence we had seen of this inequity. They responded but in a manner that was less than concerned and seemingly not believing there was a good answer to our issues, but almost inviting us to suggest something better.
 
3) We decided to do just that and asked if they would meet with and accept suggestions from an advisory committee comprised of impacted persons. Even before we received an answer, we started to connect with other groups in Racine that could suggest persons for the committee such as the African American Round Table, NAACP, LULAC etc. One of our members remained on the committee, but otherwise it was made up entirely of people of color. Some were fairly well known in their communities and would therefore be trusted by their communities. We had equal numbers of African Americans and Latinx members.
 
4) We were therefore prepared when we got a tentative acceptance from the County and could move right into setting a date for the first joint meeting. 
 
5) We did encourage our Advisory Committee to meet alone first to set their agenda and discuss their responses and plan who would lead the group and who would take notes.
 
6) They have now met several times and while not perfect, there have been improvements such as a community vaccination site opening on a bus line and the bus company announcing that anyone who says they are going to get a vaccination will ride free in both directions. They continue to meet.
 
Tamerin Hayward, co-president
Racine Interfaith Coalition
 

No matter our race, background, or zip code, most of us want Wisconsin to be a place where freedom is for everyone, we can make our voices heard, and we can easily and fairly participate in elections.

Together, we can ensure every eligible Wisconsinite has the freedom to vote and that the results of our elections reflect the will of the people of Wisconsin.

That’s why we’re coming together, from Up North to Milwaukee’s northside, to thank Governor Evers for including important measures in his budget like extending early voting hours, implementing automatic voter registration, and making voting accessible to all in Wisconsin. Send an email to the Governor to show your support for fair and accessible voting policies in the state budget. 

Sample Thank You Email (please personalize with your own thoughts about why access to voting for all is important to you)
:
Dear Governor Evers,
Thank you so much for including automatic voter registration and other important pro-voter policies in your budget. We know how important voter access is to Wisconsinites across the state. We appreciate your commitment to voter access and making sure every Wisconsinite has the freedom to vote.
​
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Email]
[Your Address]

As people of faith, we have always held the right to vote as a sacred obligation. The Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign mobilized our faith communities in 2020 to help make sure every eligible voter was able to cast their vote. This work paid off as we saw the greatest voter turnout nationwide in US history.
 
This turnout was a great victory for democracy.  Sadly, that victory is now at risk, as anti-democratic forces in our state houses are doing all they can to restrict people’s ability to vote.  Over 250 anti-voter bills have been introduced in 43 states in the last two months. Thirteen such bills are currently being proposed in our state legislature which will create steep barriers to exercising the right to vote.
 
Some of the more egregious elements in these bills include forbidding the Wisconsin Election Commission from sending out absentee ballot applications to every voter, as they did for the November election. They include forbidding more than one dropbox in every community, regardless of the size of the community, and the dropbox must be attached to the building where the city clerk’s office is located. 

Employees in nursing homes are forbidden from helping residents to vote, and the family of residents must be notified whenever special voting deputies come to the facility to register voters.  Elderly, disabled, and indefinitely confined voters no longer would be able to request an absentee ballot for all upcoming elections, but have to make the request and provide ID for each and every election.  Anyone indefinitely confined would need to affirm their status under oath, and if they are under 65, the sworn statement has to be signed by their health care provider.  Further, anyone who identified as indefinitely confined between March 12, 2020 and November 3, 2020 would lose that status and have to reapply.

These are just a few of the many anti-democratic, anti-voter bills being proposed.  Sadly, polls show that few people are aware of these measures, not just in Wisconsin but nation-wide.  The best way to counter these extreme voter suppression efforts is to shine a spotlight on them.  The more people become aware, the more there will be a public outcry.  Please help spread the word and raise your voices with your Senators and Assembly members and tell them you are counting on them to protect our democracy and people’s right to vote!

Read more information on these bills here. 

To find your legislator -  Call the toll-free legislative hotline at 1-800-362-9472 (266-9960 in Madison).
Or go to the directory for State Senators and for Assembly members.