Voting Rights.
Greetings from the remote outpost along Wisconsin's northern border.
The following was released today. It is shown below here in its entirety and there isn’t a link on the governor’s website yet. Some interesting observations.
All 17 governors who signed the letter are Democrats, so no bipartisan agreement on the issue here. The Freedom to Vote Act is an interesting title. Apparently, the democrat left doesn’t think that we as Americans have the freedom to vote. Can we get an answer on what their idea of freedom to vote for Americans looks like? I’ll wait.
They want to - Stop gerrymandered election maps. Be careful what you wish for. Here in Wisconsin, we’ve recently gone through an exercise in redrawing congressional districts and had it vetoed by Governor Evers. The bottom line is they didn’t like it. However, there was no alternative offered by the democrats. My only conclusion is that the maps need to be in favor of the democrats or no one.
Their letter goes on to say they want to, Push back against new voter suppression laws. Yet I’ve yet to see any provided evidence that voters are being suppressed. My only conclusion is that the democrats would be ecstatic to let anyone showing up at the local polling place on election day and vote, regardless of their status.
We’ve not resolved the current issue of vaccine passports and their necessity for Americans to conduct their daily business, and yet democrats seem to be nonchalant, uninterested, and unconcerned with the voting status of illegal immigrants. My only conclusion is that the democrats are happy to let anyone vote, regardless of their status. However, perish the thought that an unmasked and unvaccinated individual shows up at the polling place to complete their civic responsibilities, and it’s off to the pandemic internment camp with you.
As we’ve seen for the past two years, and now with these 17 governors, they have no concern for their constituents when it comes to their health or their ability and right to vote.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 13, 2021
Contact: GovPress@wisconsin.gov
Gov. Evers, Sixteen Governors Urge Senate Action to Protect Voting Rights
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today, together with 16 other governors, sent a letter to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell expressing concern over threats to the nation’s democracy and calling for action on federal legislation to protect voting rights and the right of every eligible voter to cast their ballot.
The letter specifically calls for the U.S. Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, two federal bills that would ensure fairness in our elections, end partisan gerrymandering, modernize voter registration, and fight back against voter suppression efforts in Wisconsin and across the country.
“Working to ensure every eligible voter has the right to cast their ballot shouldn’t be a partisan or political issue—it's a fundamental part of our democracy and ensuring we continue to have free, safe, and secure elections,” said Gov. Evers. “Hundreds of bills have been introduced in states across our country by politicians trying to abuse their power to overturn or predetermine election results. Federal action is needed now more than ever to strengthen our democracy and ensure folks who are eligible to vote have free and fair access to the ballot box.”
The governors’ letter comes as states across the country are seeing elected officials abuse their power to make it harder for eligible voters to cast their ballots, attack election administrators and workers, and undermine election laws. In Wisconsin, Legislative Republicans have signaled they may pursue efforts to take over election administration after rewriting the laws only a few years ago, have attacked and disparaged election administrators, and have spread disinformation about the November 2020 election.
Earlier this year, Gov. Evers vetoed a set of legislation passed by Republicans in the Legislature that would have added unnecessary hurdles for eligible voters to cast their ballots, including specific provisions that would have made it more difficult for older voters and voters with disabilities to participate in elections. The legislation vetoed by the governor also included bills that would have limited absentee voting and restricted local officials’ ability to administer elections. Additionally, after Republicans in the Legislature last month passed legislative and congressional maps that the governor slammed as “gerrymandering 2.0” and that received “F” ratings from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, Gov. Evers fulfilled his promise to veto gerrymandered maps sent to his desk.
The Freedom to Vote Act would:
Stop gerrymandered election maps;
Support continued election transparency;
Push back against new voter suppression laws;
Protect local election officials and poll workers from partisan attacks and harassment; and
Establish standards for post-election audits. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would:
The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would:
Restore the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the federal government’s ability to respond to discrimination at the polls;
Update federal law in the wake of the Supreme Court decision in Shelby v. Holder;
Modernize the formula used to determine where there are patterns of discrimination;
Ensure last-minute changes to voting do not adversely affect voters; and
Strengthen the federal government’s ability to send federal observers to jurisdictions where elections are facing threats of discrimination.
A copy of the governor’s letter can be found here. The letter is jointly signed by 17 governors from Wisconsin, Michigan, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington.
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Office of the Governor • 115 East Capitol, Madison, WI 53702
Press Office Email: GovPress@wisconsin.gov