Democracy for All
The long-term health of Wisconsin is inextricably linked with the health of our democracy. A free, fair, and equitable political process is essential to ensuring that elected officials reflect the values of their constituents and advance protections that are critical to our health, our environment, and future generations.
Our democracy fails when any voices are excluded.
Wisconsin Conservation Voters recognizes decision-making power is too often in the hands of the few and the most privileged. We are committed to shifting that power to individuals and communities by making voting more accessible to all.
For a decade, our state was heavily gerrymandered and anti-democracy forces in the state legislature passed laws that disenfranchise voters. After years of work, those maps are now gone. In 2024, elections for state offices will no longer be predetermined by the gerrymander. This year is an opportunity to elect leaders who reflect Wisconsinites' values.
Wisconsin Conservation Voters is focused on opportunities to defend our right to vote and support voter access both on the local and state levels because we understand without a healthy, accessible democracy we cannot properly address the climate crisis.
Matt Rothschild, former executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, speaks at a fair maps rally in August 2021.
A Wisconsin Conservation Voters Organizer speaks to community members at a tabling event in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee.
Disenfranchisement in Wisconsin
In the United States – and in Wisconsin in particular – many people are disenfranchised. Racist legislation has made it more difficult for Black, Indigenous and people of color to vote, and other laws have targeted low-income people, disabled people, young people, previously-incarcerated people, and people whose first language isn't English.
For over a decade, anti-democracy forces have pushed legislation to make it harder to vote in Wisconsin. Under Governor Scott Walker's Administration, Wisconsin decision makers and the GOP-led state legislature made access to the polls significantly more difficult. They passed legislation that added a complicated proof of residency process for registration, a photo ID requirement for voting, and other systems that make voter registration more difficult. These restrictive voter laws have the greatest impact on Black, Indigenous, and communities of color.
Today, the assault on voting rights continues. Following the 2020 Presidential Election, which elections experts have deemed
fair and free, the GOP-led state legislature has sowed doubt about the
election results and introduced legislation that further restricts
voting access. Some politicians like Robin Vos and Michael Gableman are
attacking our freedoms, wasting our taxpayer dollars, and using
anti-voter scams in Wisconsin to spread lies about an election that
trusted officials conducted and verified.
Read more about the history of disenfranchisement in Wisconsin and how to take action here.
“Conservation enriches our quality of life and strengthens our economic future.”
father. angler. voter.
Nick Milroy, Superior
Victories!
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People Power is how we win – and you can make it happen
Every day, Wisconsin Conservation Voters members are standing up to protect our air, land, water – and people. Clean drinking water, protected lands, and clean air begin with you. Join us and help us ensure a healthy, beautiful Wisconsin for all to enjoy.
BECOME A MEMBER