Why This Election is Critical

The Wisconsin Supreme Court currently has 4 conservative members and 3 progressive members. One of the conservatives is retiring this year. Electing a progressive will change the composition of the court and give us the opportunity to get a fair hearing on important issues, such as gerrymandering and the 1849 abortion ban. It could also have a critical impact on voting rights and the selection of electors in the 2024 presidential election.

Here is an excellent New York Times article from January 25th on what is at stake in Wisconsin and how difficult and costly this race will be. We cannot afford to lose this election! Once again, democracy is on the ballot.

Election Dates and Candidates

This is a non-partisan race. However, it is clear who are the progressives and who are the conservatives (read: Trump supporters) in this race. The primary election is on February 21st. The progressive candidates are Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz and Dane County Circuit Judge Everett Mitchell. Learn more at https://www.janetforjustice.com and https://www.judgeeverettmitchell.com. It is critical that at least one of these two candidates makes it through the primary. The other two candidates are too extreme for Wisconsin.

The General Election, the race between the two top primary voter getters, will be on April 4th.

What YOU can do to make a difference

First, a huge THANK YOU to our volunteers who canvassed on Saturday February 4th. Given the weather, we were thrilled that so many of you volunteered your time to talk with voters and make a difference.

Our next canvass is the weekend of February 18th and 19th, again talking with infrequent Spring Democratic voters to ensure they know the importance of this race and vote on February 21st as well as April 4th.

REGISTER HERE to canvass with us on February 18th (9am, 12pm and 3pm) or February 19th (12pm and 3 pm). The canvass location will be 9 Winterset Circle, Madison.

If you prefer to phone bank, on Saturday February 11th we will be calling voters who live in apartment buildings that are not accessible to canvassers. We will have the same conversations we are having at the doors. This will be a virtual phone bank using Zoom to kick-off each shift.

REGISTER HERE to phone bank with us on February 11th. Shifts at 9am and 12pm.

THE GENERAL ELECTION

Starting Monday February 27th, we will be canvassing each Monday at 5pm through March 27th. The canvass location will be 1826 Breezy Trail for each of these. Here are links for the first two Mondays:

REGISTER HERE to canvass on February 27th at 5pm.

REGISTER HERE to canvass on March 6th at 5pm.

On the weekend of March 4-5, we will be canvassing with shifts at 9, 12 and 3 on Saturday and 12 and 3 on Sunday. These will be held at the home of Saswati and Abhik Bhattacharya, 9117 Eaglewood Drive, Madison.

REGISTER HERE to canvass on March 4th and 5th.

We will also be canvassing the weekends of March 18-19, March 25-26 and, to Get Out the Vote, April 1-4. Details below.

REGISTER HERE to canvass on March 18-19 , hosted by Diana and Don Trask, 9 Winterset Circle, Madison. Saturday at 9, 12 and 3; Sunday at 12 and 3.

REGISTER HERE to canvass on March 25-26, hosted by Pam Woodruff, 7825 W. Oakbrook Circle, Madison. Saturday at 9, 12 and 3; Sunday at 12 and 3.

REGISTER HERE to canvass over GOTV April 1-4. Let’s Get Out The Vote will be hosted by Barbara Arnold, 1826 Breezy Trail, Madison. Shifts on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday at 9, 12 and 3 and on Sunday at 12 and 3.

Voting Information

If you want to vote by absentee ballot this Spring, you can request your ballot by going to MyVote.WI.gov. In Wisconsin, you must request your absentee ballot each year. If you requested an absentee ballot for the November 2022 election or for all of 2022, that request expired at the end of 2022. The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin has an excellent explanation of the timeline and process for voting by absentee ballot in Wisconsin.

A big shout out to our amazing canvassers and support teams who made it possible for us to turn out the vote so effectively for Governor Evers, Attorney General Kaul, Assembly candidates Alex Joers and Lisa Subeck, State Senate Candidate Dianne Hesselbein, and Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett.

We are disappointed that we were unable to elect Mandela Barnes and defeat the worst sitting US Senator. Given the overtly racist ads run against Mandela and his late start on being able to respond effectively, we are proud at how close he came. However, the work continues. Moral victories, such as Mandela’s, simply aren’t enough.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and year end holidays, whatever you may celebrate. It is time to relax and enjoy family and friends.

We will be back at it early next year as we work to elect a progressive candidate to the open Wisconsin Supreme Court seat. The primary is February 21st and the General Election is April 4th. Control of the court by either conservative justices or progressive justices will be on the ballot. This is likely to be the most expensive Supreme Court race in Wisconsin’s history.

If you are interested in learning more about Team Gold over the holidays, please let us know. You can reach out to us at teamgoldwi@gmail.com. We will explore with you what you would like to do so we can collaboratively determine how we can best put your talents and time to work.

You can also complete our short volunteer interest form and we will be in contact to find the right opportunity for you.

VOLUNTEER INTEREST FORM

When we are in the thick of things, it can sometimes be difficult to remember all of the good that has happened since Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were elected President and Vice President. Take two minutes to look back at a very successful first year by watching this video narrated by Tom Hanks. Then think about how much more we can do with more Democrats in the House and, especially, in the Senate and join us to help make that happen.

Here’s the link to the video: https://youtu.be/hZyaREUfnh0

On Friday, January 21, at Noon, Fair Courts End Gerrymandering rallies will be held at over 15 locations around Wisconsin. The goal is to let the Courts know that we, the people of Wisconsin, are watching and we expect them to act in a nonpartisan manner, in the best interest of the people, not politicians.

The Madison rally will be at Noon starting at the
bottom stairs of the State Street entrance to the Capitol.

Details:
Beginning at Noon come to the steps leading to the State Street entrance to the Capitol, near the Forward statue. Sign in. You can pick up a sign at the sign-in table or come with your own. Respectfully walk along the public sidewalk surrounding the square holding your sign.

At 12:25 begin congregating near the State Street entrance steps. At 12:30 a short program will be held. Speakers include Rabbi Bonnie Margulis, Executive Director of Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, and Carlene Bechen, Organizing Director, Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition.

If you make your own sign, keep it positive with a focus on doing the right thing. We want to show the respect a fair and non-partisan court deserves.

Even though the rally will be outdoors we ask that you wear a mask. Stay safe while shining a light on the Court and championing Fair Maps.

Sign Up HERE

Learn more: fairmapswi.com/JanRally

George Jesien is the press contact for the Madison rally.
Mobile: (301) 509-2397; email: geojesien@gmail.com

Team Gold will be working hard in 2022 to re-elect Governor Evers, Attorney General Kaul and other Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. We will also be working hard to defeat Senator Johnson. Why? What is at stake?

One answer can be found by reading Laura Thornton’s recent column in The Washington Post.

Ms. Thorton is the director of the Alliance for Securing Democracy of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. In her column she lays out what American authoritarianism looks like and shows that it is already here. Focusing on Wisconsin, she deplores the statements of Senator Ron Johnson and Republican lawmakers who are openly demanding control over election management in the state.

“I spent more than two decades living and working overseas to advance democracy and credible elections—giving me plenty of opportunity to see the lengths to which autocrats will go to gain power,” Thornton writes. “Even so, the proposed Wisconsin power grab is shocking in its brazenness. If this occurred in any of the countries where the United States provides aid, it would immediately be called out as a threat to democracy. U.S. diplomats would be writing furious cables, and decision makers would be threatening to cut off the flow of assistance.”

Democracy matters first and foremost if we are to tackle that long list of other critically important issues: racism, women’s reproductive health, social justice inequities, climate change, poverty, gun violence, medicaid expansion — and on and on. If you believe in any of those issues and the need for change, then first you need to join the fight to save our democracy. There is only one party who wants to do that, the Democrats. Join us and join the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in this effort. This is the fight of our time and every volunteer is critical.

Come back in January as we lay out our next steps. No matter which holidays you observe at this time of year, may they be happy and safe. See you in 2022!