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.
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.
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