Tonight: LWVMC New Leaders Orientation

This evening, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Linda Laarman, LWVMC VP-Organization, will lead an orientation session geared to new LWVMC leaders: those who head a committee, team or other group and haven’t previously attended an orientation session. We’ll meet at Summit Place in Room 2135. This event will be in-person only. (In the Fall, we’ll hold a Zoom orientation.) 

We’ll discuss League organization, some key policies, procedures, tools and insights to help you carry out your responsibilities. The format will be more conversational than lecture, and you’ll get a handout on which you may take notes. Please attend if you can!

Register HERE for one, two or all three sessions.

LWVUS Denounces President's False Claims About Elections

LWVUS CEO Celine Stewart issued a statement following President Trump’s address to the nation on July 16. Read the entire statement here.

League of Women Voters Sues Wisconsin Elections Commission Over Guidance That Locks Voters Out of the Polls

Source: Law Forward

Unite and Rise Topic: Voting rights, Election protection

Key Points:

• The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin is suing the Wisconsin Elections Commission to ensure voters whose absentee ballots are delayed or lost in the mail can still cast a provisional ballot on Election Day.

• Mail delays caused hundreds of legally cast absentee ballots to arrive too late to count during the spring election. About two-thirds of clerks surveyed reported problems with mail travel times.

• The lawsuit argues voters should not lose their right to vote because of mail delays. A provisional ballot would provide a safeguard while ensuring no one can vote twice.

See the full complaint here.

August 11th Primary Election Is Just Two Weeks Away

Remember, this is a partisan primary so you must choose a party section to vote and and only fill in bubbles within that section. No crossing party lines. If you vote in more than one party, your vote will not be counted. For example, you can’t vote in the Democratic primary for Governor and cross over to vote in the Republican primary for sheriff.

Absentee ballots are in the mail. Once you receive your absentee ballot the Milwaukee County Election Commission recommends mailing it back to your municipal clerk by July 31st or earlier to ensure they arrive on time and are counted. Even better, find your nearest drop box if your community allows them:

• Ballot drop boxes Link to all Milwaukee County drop boxes

• Deliver to your municipal clerk’s office or designated site.

Still undecided? No problem - you can turn in your absentee ballot at a Drop Box as late at 6pm on election day.

NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE? As of July 22, registration online or by mail ended, but people can still register at an early voting site until 5pm August 7th and at your polling site on August 11, election day.

Important dates and deadlines for the Primary election

• July 28th Early in person voting starts and generally ends on August 9th.  Each city, town or village sets its own hours and locations. 

• August 7th at  5pm - deadline to register to vote in person at your clerk’s office

• August 11th ELECTION DAY

Unsure about who to vote for in one of the primary elections such as for Governor?  Vote411 is the place to get reliable, unbiased information. Use it yourself and share the link with your friends and neighbors.

Voters Who Cast Their Ballots Early and Want to Change Their Vote Can No Longer Do So

On July 17th, Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez withdrew from the Democratic primary in the Governor’s race, and County Executive David Crowley (who had previously withdrawn)  reentered. Earlier, another candidate, Missy Hughes, also withdrew. Absentee ballots were sent out beginning June 25th and unfortunately the candidates who withdrew are still on the ballot for the Democratic primary for Governor. In the past, a voter could request a replacement ballot, but as a result of a recent court ruling the Wisconsin Election Commission ruled that, even if a voter’s chosen candidate dropped out they can no longer receive a replacement absentee ballot. According to the WEC, if you have not yet submitted your ballot you may request a replacement ballot, but once the ballot has been returned, you cannot.

Here is the official guidance from the WEC: https://elections.wi.gov/memo/updated-ballot-spoiling-guidance

Do Your Part to Protect Our Elections

Become an Election Observer!

Help the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin monitor Wisconsin's elections. We are seeking hundreds of volunteers to be trained as Election Observers and placed in polling places in specific areas around the state. We provide training, assign volunteers to a polling place(s) to observe, and provide volunteers with a reporting form to record their observations. We will do our best to assign you to a location near your home. You don't need to be a League member to volunteer for this -- although we'd love to have you join us! Register HERE.

Video - Gubernatorial Candidate Forum

Candidates respond to specific questions.

All the candidates from both parties were invited.

New Initiative by the Common Threads Coalition, a grassroots group newly formed in the fall of 2025, consisting of progressive activists living in and around Waukesha County.  LINK HERE

See Your Candidates for the Fall Primary Election on VOTE411.org

Have you looked at VOTE411.org yet for the Fall Primary? Go to Vote411.org and type in your address. Click on Submit and in the next screen select your language. If you select “all parties” and then click on “save and view all races,” you will see all the races for your address. Click on any race to see the candidates and their answers to the League’s questions. You will find information about races for US Congress and Wisconsin State races. State races include Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State and State Treasurer. You may have a Wisconsin Assembly race. In local races, Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties will each have a Sheriff and a Clerk of County Court races. On VOTE411, voters can learn more about the responsibilities of these offices. 

Now that you have used VOTE411, please help spread the word by talking up VOTE411 to at least one other person that you know. There is power in introducing someone to VOTE411!

Meet the Candidates in their own words

 Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District

To stay informed about legislation affecting the LGBTQ+ community and track advocacy efforts, visit Fair Wisconsin’s Bills to Watch page:
fairwisconsin.com/bills-to-watch

To identify and contact your state legislators and relevant committee members, use MyVote Wisconsin: myvote.wi.gov

Speaking up matters.

LGBTQI+ ... All Letters Matter!

Have you registered for the Philip Chard Training on Saturday, August 15?

Remember that this training is for all League members, not just for speakers talking with groups. Whether we interact with the public at a tabling event, a voter registration drive, or an advocacy meeting, we want to be at our best and use skills that meet the need of the moment.  Even if we have received interpersonal skill training in the past, knowing best practice will help us meet the public for a positive interchange with each community member! If you have had some difficult interactions, bring these examples and get feedback about how it might have gone differently. See the attached flyer for more details.

Dr. Phillip Chard is providing this free training on Saturday, August 15, 2026 from 9:00am-12:00 Noon at Summit Place (6737 West Washington Street, West Allis) in Room 2135. 

Click here to see the flyer.

Register here. All League members are invited, along with their non-member guests.

ICE has Killed Two More People

Lorenzo Salgado Araujo lived in the United States for 35 years, raising three boys who are U.S. citizens. He was on his way to work when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stopped him – supposedly because he "resembled" the person they were looking for – then shot and killed him.

Days later, an ICE agent shot and killed a 26-year-old man from Colombia in Biddeford, Maine. Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero's 3-year-old daughter and wife watched in horror as he took his last breaths. EMS took over 30 minutes to arrive, and he was in the street for approximately 5 hours. Neither Mr. Durán Guerrero nor Mr. Salgado Araujo was the target of the warrants ICE had. Both men leave behind devastated families.

How many more people will die at the hands of ICE? We're demanding an end to the fatal, lawless operations from Maine to Texas to Florida and beyond.

Take action: Tell Congress to stop ICE's deadly operations and ensure a full and independent investigation of Mr. Salgado Araujo's and Mr. Durán Guerrero's killings before one more person is hurt or killed.

TAKE ACTION HERE

History Shows Us that Protests Matter

Why do protests matter?

Visible resistance is essential so the government and its supporters see the number of citizens who don’t agree with their actions. Nonviolent visible protest activity encourages those sitting on the sidelines to join in. Here is the link to the listing of ongoing weekly protests: Protest Rallies

Can’t get out to join the protests for the LWV Unite and Rise 8.5 Campaign? Become a LWVMC Sustaining Donor!

Are you wanting to join the LWV Unite and Rise 8.5 campaign but can’t get out to join the protests? Consider becoming a sustaining donor to the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County to show your support and be part of the campaign. Become a LWVMC Monthly donor to empower voters and defend democracy. Your sustaining support will provide the resources the League needs to fight for our democracy today, tomorrow and every day. Your monthly gift helps the League amplify the voices of its members to reach bigger and more lasting impacts. The erosion of voting rights cannot be ignored, and your recurring gift provides year-round help to the League in its efforts to fight voter suppression.

Click here and follow the prompts to set up your Monthly Donation.

Wisconsin Justice Institute:

Ensuring Due Process for Immigrants

Wednesday, Aug. 12, Noon, Turner Hall-Milwaukee

Outrage and public outcry largely shut down the public use of aggressive ICE tactics that impacted parts of Minneapolis over the winter, but ICE has far from left the scene, and we've seen their presence in Milwaukee, too. Grant Sovern, administrative director and founding attorney of Community Immigration Law Center will discuss the history and work of Wisconsin's only public defender organization for immigrants and how people are organizing in Wisconsin. He will address the immigration system and what can be done to ensure due process for everyone. FREE PARKING with code to be provided after registration. Park in the lot directly north of Turner Hall (toward Fiserv Forum). Buffet lunch is $18, $15 early-bird through Aug. 7. You do not need to purchase lunch to attend, but please register so we know how many chairs to set up and you get the parking code. Register HERE.

Join us for a workshop on Black and Brown community members owning their story in the media facilitated by Enjoyiana Nurdin followed by a discussion about how communities stay informed. 

All community members are welcome and encouraged to come. Food and refreshments provided. Bring a friend, listen, learn, connect and share. We hope to see you there!

WHAT: Community Listening Session: Owning Your Story In the Media 

WHEN: Sunday, August 2nd, from 1-4 p.m. CT

WHERE: MLK Milwaukee Public Library, 2901 N Doctor M.L.K. Jr Dr, Milwaukee

WHO: Hosted by Free Press with Guest Speaker Enjoyiana Nurdin, M.A.  

RSVP LINK 

The Civic Health Challenge will take place during Civic Health Month -- August 2026. Sign up here to receive updates and instructions for participating.

The goal of the Civic Health Challenge is to raise awareness of the Civic Health of Wisconsin Initiative and participating organizations, educate Wisconsinites on how they can contribute to civic health in their communities, and encourage habits and actions that contribute to local civic health.

How to sign up: FREE to participate. Register online by July 31 to receive challenges starting the first week of August.

Milwaukee Turners Sound Mind Series

Milwaukee Turners Sound Mind program is a series of free, nonpartisan workshops to educate the public on how to make changes in their community through civic engagement. Upcoming workshops:

Democracy 101: July 29, 4-6 pm at Historic Turner Hall

Civic Engagement at any level. Understand local, state and federal government, policies and people that affect us daily. Gain practical skills for making change in your community through advocacy, voting, and more.

Intro to Structural and Implicit Bias: August 2, 11 am-1 pm at Planned Parenthood NW Community Center

Learn about the complex identities we share and how to support yourself and others in a diverse world. Break down biases in the media, systems and ourselves to promote tolerance and begin to uncover the roots of injustices from our history to today.

Registration and information here.

Is Your Member Profile Up-to-Date?

The Member Portal of our website has resources (including a member directory) just for members. Please login to the website, click Member Resources in the top menu, go to your Member Profile and complete/update your Additional Member Data and Interests (found under Website Functions). Contact roster@lwvmilwaukee.org with questions. Thank you!