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A recent survey showed 65% of Americans will likely trust 2024 election results, compared with 54% in April last year. (John Davis/Adobe Stock)

WI elections administrator: Feds need to help bolster voting infrastrucure

Americans are preparing to vote this year in what's described as a "high-stakes" presidential election. But those who oversee the voting process…

As with previous presidential elections, Wisconsin is considered a swing state for the 2024 vote. (Adobe Stock)

As election season ramps up, WI moves into overhaul mode

In 2024 and beyond, Wisconsin could see big changes related to voting. New political boundaries are expected based on a state Supreme Court ruling…

If Wisconsin were to shift election oversight from an independent commission, and effectively give the Legislature the final say on such matters, the plan would take effect just before the 2024 presidential election, in which Wisconsin will once again be a swing state. (Adobe Stock)

Caution urged as WI sees more election policy proposals

Election oversight remains a controversial topic in Wisconsin. Ahead of the 2024 presidential vote, civic engagement leaders hope state lawmakers …

In a new poll from the group A Better Wisconsin Together, 66% of Wisconsin voters say they would rather see the Legislature prioritize education rather than seek the possible impeachment of a liberal state Supreme Court justice. (Adobe Stock)

New Poll: Most Voters Oppose Impeaching WI Supreme Court Justice

Following last spring's election, where Wisconsin voted in a liberal justice to the state Supreme Court, Republican leaders are further exploring a …

A bill approved by Congress repeals the federal Defense of Marriage Act. That law, passed in 1996, prohibited the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. (Adobe Stock)

WI Attorney: Bill Underscores Legal Needs of Same-Sex Marriages

Congress has signed off on a bill that preserves federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages. A legal expert in Wisconsin says it …

In Wisconsin, polling places are open on Election Day from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Adobe Stock)

WI Voters Urged to Know Their Rights for Election Day

Heightened political tensions have hovered over this election season. For Wisconsinites headed to the polls tomorrow, voters' rights groups say …

A January ruling from the Waukesha County Circuit Court held nearly all ballot drop boxes are illegal, with a narrow carve-out for boxes at clerks's offices and in other specific scenarios. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Call on WI Supreme Court to 'Unlock the Drop Boxes'

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will soon hand down a decision on whether absentee ballot drop boxes are permitted under state law. Ahead of that …

A Marquette University Law School poll finds that those who expressed the greatest doubt about the accuracy of the November 2020 election are also the most excited to cast a ballot this year. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Strong Majority of WI Voters Confident in Spring Election Accuracy

The debate over election integrity has been at the center of the battle for the ballot in Wisconsin since 2020. But new polling of Wisconsin voters …

The bill (SB 941) would also set new reporting categories for municipal clerks, including how many people voted absentee by mail, the total number of voters who cast ballots at the polling place and the number of registered voters in a municipality on Election Day. (Adobe Stock)

Bill Would Give WI Legislature Oversight of Election Funds

Wisconsin's Republican lawmakers are backing a series of bills to set new election administration policies, one of which would give a Republican-…

Researchers say the links between experiences of racial discrimination and negative health outcomes are more pronounced for Black Americans than for any other group. (Adobe Stock)

UW Expert: Rittenhouse Verdict Could Add to Pain From Bias

MADISON, Wis. - The Kyle Rittenhouse verdict continues to evoke a range of emotions from the public. A University of Wisconsin expert says the …

Armed with new census data, Wisconsin leaders are moving forward with redistricting. The new political maps are expected to result in a court fight, but fair-map advocates cite some optimistic signs this time around. (Adobe Stock)

Politics Aside, WI Residents Can Submit Redistricting Input

MADISON, Wis. - Going into the current redistricting cycle, Wisconsin was viewed as a state where political tension would underscore new legislative …

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Black farmers own just 0.52% of the nation's farmland. (Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit Over Federal Aid Underscores Barriers for BIPOC Farmers

EAST TROY, Wis. -- Wisconsin is at the center of a lawsuit targeting federal debt relief for farmers of color. The suit was filed this spring by a …

In addition to George Floyd's murder, the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis., last summer spurred widespread calls for police reforms. (Adobe Stock)

Evers Urged to Create Police Reform Commission

MILWAUKEE -- Community leaders from Milwaukee rally today to try to convince Gov. Tony Evers to hear their concerns about police accountability …

Despite no major elections in the coming months, civil-rights groups are pushing more Wisconsin jail administrators to improve voting access before next year's midterms. (Adobe Stock)

WI Sees Improvement in Access for Jail-Based Voting

MADISON, Wis. - New findings have been issued in the effort to get more Wisconsin counties to improve voting access in their jail systems. Advocates …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

MADISON, Wis. -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both …

The Governor's Advisory Council on Equity and Inclusion is scheduled to hold its first meeting Feb. 19. (Adobe Stock)

Mixed Feelings for Members of New WI Equity Council

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. -- As Black History Month begins, 30 people have been appointed to a council, which will recommend diversity and inclusion practices …

As in other states, Wisconsin is seeing data that show its Latinx population is being disproportionately affected by the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

More Outreach Crucial to Help Protect WI Latinos from COVID

MADISON, Wis. - This week, Wisconsin health officials shared more sobering COVID-19 data, and the pandemic's effect has been devastating in Latino …

The City of Milwaukee has more than a dozen absentee ballot drop boxes across the city. Wisconsin voters who have yet to turn in absentee ballots are urged to find a drop-off site rather than mail them. (urbanmilwaukee.com)

WI Elections Commission Addresses Gridlock, Ballot Urgency

MADISON, Wis. - Only a handful of days until the November 3 election, and Wisconsin officials have a simple message for absentee voters who haven't …

Nationally, turnout among Black voters was down about 7% in 2016, but a rebound is predicted in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Final Push is On to Reach WI Black Voters

MILWAUKEE - Political observers say Wisconsin's Black residents have consistently faced voter suppression in multiple forms. The pandemic adds …

A report out this year suggests many of the more than 12,000 people in Wisconsin jails are eligible to vote but may be disenfranchised. Some volunteer groups are working to change that. (Adobe Stock)

Helping People in Jail or Homeless Vote in WI

UPDATED: To include The Marshall Project report. 10-26-2020 3:56pm MST. CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. - COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin are spiking again…

As COVID-19 cases spike again in states such as Wisconsin, those in charge of census outreach efforts are making a push through social media. (Adobe Stock)

Amid Legal Wrangling, Census Outreach in High Gear in WI

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- Community groups and civic leaders are allowed to continue conducting the 2020 census through October, thanks to a ruling from a …

While many cities in states like Wisconsin don't have a reputation for policies deemed racist, areas of the Midwest have some of the worst outcomes for Black residents. (Adobe Stock)

Kenosha Tensions Stoked by Longstanding Racial Gaps in Midwest

KENOSHA, Wis. -- Demands for social justice in cities like Kenosha are linked to racial inequities deeply rooted in the nation's history. But …

Rabbi Bonnie Margulis is one of 57 faith leaders in Wisconsin to sign a letter organized by a national faith group, demanding the Trump administration end policies that are viewed as harmful to immigrant children. (Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice)

WI Faith Leaders Join Call for Changes to Immigration Policy

MADISON, Wis. -- Faith leaders from across the country say it's time for the U.S. to end what they call inhumane treatment of immigrants and their …

Both major parties in Wisconsin have been at odds over how to approach police-accountability policy. Those divisions remain following the police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha. (Adobe Stock)

Kenosha Shooting Prompts Calls for Police Accountability Bills

KENOSHA, Wis. -- Protesters continue to demand justice over the police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha over the weekend. And Democrats in the …

Wisconsin's governor has announced that three retired judges will review applications of people who want to serve on a nonpartisan commission to redraw the state's legislative districts. (Adobe Stock)

Nonpartisan Redistricting Panel Takes Shape in WI. Can it Work?

MADISON, Wis. - The State of Wisconsin is now accepting applications for people to serve on a nonpartisan redistricting panel, aimed at eliminating …

WI Supreme Court to Hear Controversial 'Voter Purge' Case

MADISON, Wis. -- The issue of whether nearly 130,000 Wisconsin residents should be removed from the voter rolls has resurfaced, as the state Supreme …

In Milwaukee County, black residents make up more than 40 of the area's nearly 60 COVID-19 deaths reported so far. (Adobe Stock)

Wisconsin Part of Higher Numbers of COVID-19 Cases in Black Communities

MILWAUKEE -- In a handful of states, including Wisconsin, racial data is being used as part of tracking of COVID-19 cases. The information shows …

The debate over whether Wisconsin should hold an in-person primary during a pandemic is prompting more calls for universal voting by mail. (Adobe Stock)

WI to Hold Tuesday Primary Amid Public Health Concerns

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin still will hold its presidential primary today, despite late action by the governor to try to postpone it. Voting rights …

Just as in 2016, Wisconsin is viewed as key battleground state in the upcoming election. The state's primary is April 7. (DodgertonSkillhause/Morguefile)

WI Ensnared in 2020 Voter-Purge Debate

MADISON, Wis. - The legal wrangling continues over whether 200,000 Wisconsin voters should be removed from registration rolls - as one political …

In the past 20 years, Wisconsin has accepted roughly 17,000 refugees. (Fabio Penna/Flickr)

Federal Refugee Policy Creates Tension in the Midwest

MADISON, Wis. -- Tense debates have surfaced in the upper Midwest over whether to accept refugees at the local level. Local governments were given …

Sudden problems with balance, vision or speech, or sudden weakness in one arm, or paralysis in one part of the face may be a sign of a stroke. (Adobe Stock)

Take Care of the “Plumbing in Your Brain”

MADISON, Wis. – May is American Stroke Month, and the American Heart Association is urging folks to take the occasion to check the "brain's …

National Week of Conversation events (Oct. 5-13) encourage people to learn and engage in civil, civic conversation and dialogue. (Pixabay)

National Conversation Project Promotes #ListenFirst

MADISON, Wis. – This week, a national movement is helping people to listen and exchange ideas instead of shunning others with differing views…

Vel Phillips is the first black woman to graduate from a Wisconsin law school. She is the first woman and the first African-American to be elected Secretary of State and later was elected as a judge. (WI Dept. of Public Instruction)

Wisconsin Black History Month Message: A Long Way to Go

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – As Wisconsin celebrates Black History Month, an African-American state senator is calling on Wisconsinites to work together …

Wisconsin's annual ceremony to honor the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. is the oldest state celebration in the nation. (Wikimedia Commons)

Wisconsin Observes Martin Luther King Jr. Day

MADISON, Wis. – With speeches, music, and awards, Wisconsin's official state observation of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday will begin at …

The Supreme Court will decide this spring whether or not political boundary maps were drawn fairly in Wisconsin and Maryland, with implications for many other states. (Wikimedia Commons)

Wisconsin Case Will Make National News in 2018

MADISON, Wis. -- A Supreme Court decision expected this spring will likely impact the way every state draws its political boundaries. The case…

Setting clear expectations about what kind of behavior is not acceptable at a holiday party can go a long way toward minimizing bad outcomes. (Wikimedia Commons)

Avoiding Holiday Party Pitfalls

MADISON, Wis. – Holiday parties can be fun, but they can also create an environment for bad judgment. With the ongoing revelations about high …

A UW-Madison legal expert says those seeking to renew their DACA permits should also seek other forms of immigration relief. (house.gov)

Legal Help for Wisconsin’s Dreamers

MADISON, Wis. – About 7,600 young immigrants living in Wisconsin are DACA participants, who were children when they arrived in the U.S…

A federal report says as many as 300,000 Wisconsinites do not have a driver's license or other acceptable form of voter ID. (Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation)

Federal Probe Into Voter Fraud: Unnecessary?

MADISON, Wis. – During his campaign, President Donald Trump repeatedly alleged massive and widespread voter fraud in the U.S. election system…

In November, a three-judge federal panel ruled Wisconsin's political boundaries must be redrawn to make everyone's vote count equally. (bbourdages/iStockPhoto.com)

Landmark WI Redistricting Ruling Could Resonate Nationally

MADISON, Wis. – In November, a three-judge federal panel ruled that Wisconsin's political maps were unconstitutionally gerrymandered, and in …

A driver's license is valid photo ID for voting in Wisconsin today. (Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation)

What You Need to Know to Vote in Wisconsin Today

MADISON, Wis. – The most important thing Wisconsin voters should know about today's election is that photo ID will be required to vote…

A federal judge's ruling has thrown out many parts of Wisconsin's Voter ID and related laws, which will impact the fall presidential election. (CreativaImages/iStockPhoto)

Wisconsin’s Voting Laws Still In Flux

MADISON, Wis. - Once again, another federal judge has ruled that many parts of Wisconsin's new election law are unconstitutional, and voters will …

On the state's largest university campus, police have strong feelings about whether students should be allowed to carry guns. (Ahlapot/iStockPhoto.com)

UW Police: Guns on Campus Bad Idea

MADISON, Wis. – Five years ago, Wisconsin passed a law with a provision that colleges and universities must allow concealed carry on campus…

Older Wisconsin voters might assume they don't need a photo ID to vote in the presidential primary on April 5 because they've voted at the same polling place for years, but that isn't the case. (lisafx/iStockphoto)

Wisconsin Voter ID: Make Sure You Have It Now

MADISON, Wis. – The Boy Scouts' motto "Be Prepared" is a good one to keep in mind leading up to the state's presidential primary on April 5th…

The non-presidential primary election on Tuesday will be the first statewide Wisconsin election where Voter ID will be required. A driver's license is acceptable. (WI Department of Transportation)

Wisconsin Election to Require Voter ID

MADISON, Wis. – Those wishing to cast a ballot in Wisconsin’s non-presidential primary election on Tuesday will need to show appropriate …

There is bipartisan support for legislation in Wisconsin to return to treating 17-year-old non-violent, first-time offenders in Juvenile Court. Credit: Arva Csaba/iStockphoto

Giving 17-Year-Old Wisconsin Kids a Second Chance

MADISON, Wis. - Seventeen-year-olds in Wisconsin may be getting second chances. In early December, there will be another hearing in the state Senate …

UW-Madison police say allowing firearms at Camp Randall Stadium would be a security nightmare. Courtesy: UW-Madison

Guns at Camp Randall Stadium, in Classrooms?

MADISON, Wis. – A bill to allow students to carry firearms at Wisconsin's technical colleges and University of Wisconsin System schools is …

The Midwest Conference on 21st Century Policing, to be held Oct. 7 at UW-Platteville, will discuss the rapid evolution of community police departments into paramilitary organizations. Credit: usdoj.gov

Wisconsin to Host Midwest Conference on 21st Century Policing

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. - The militarization of local policing will be one of the principal topics at the Midwest Conference on 21st Century Policing…

PHOTO: Professor, author, and cultural critic Marc Lamont Hill will deliver the keynote address tomorrow in a celebration of Black History Month on the UW-Madison campus. The award-winning activist, journalist and TV host will talk about what he observed in Ferguson, Mo., several months ago. Photo credit: BET.

Prominent TV Host to Give Black History Month Keynote Speech in WI

MADISON, Wis. - Marc Lamont Hill, a host on HuffPost Live and BET news and a CNN political contributor, will give the keynote address Thursday at the …

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WI: Civil Rights