With the new Commission on Election Integrity getting a lot of news coverage lately, here are some important things voters should know about what this commission is.

1.       What is the Commission on Election Integrity? The Commission on Election Integrity is an executive order put forth by President Trump to see if there were any cases of voter fraud or illegal voting in the 2016 Presidential Election.
2.       Who is a part of the commission? The commission is led by Vice President Mike Pence and by Kris Kobach, who is the Secretary of State of Kansas. The other members include Secretary of States from Indiana, New Hampshire, Maine, and Ohio, as well as representatives and members of the judicial branch from several states. The full list of members can be found here.  
3.       What have they done so far? So far, the commission has requested voter data from all 50 states, but many states have denied the commission’s request for that data. The states that have provided data are Colorado, Missouri, and Tennessee. Florida, Idaho, and Nebraska are still reviewing the requests. In their investigation, so far, there have been little findings of voter fraud or illegal voting.
4.       Where does Wisconsin fall in all of this? Currently, Wisconsin has denied the request to turnover voter data. Speaker Paul Ryan says he has seen no evidence that voter fraud happened in the state. The request was denied earlier this summer; no Wisconsin voter data has been handed over at this point.

​Have an opinion or a question about the Election Integrity Commission? Call you representatives and to find out more information or to voice your opinion!

Link to Executive Order - https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/05/11/presidential-executive-order-establishment-presidential-advisory
More information on the Commission on Election Integrity - http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trumps-election-commission-holds-1st-meeting-amid-pushback/story?id=48713462

In an effort to guarantee that all eligible voters are registered in time for the November 8 election, National Voter Registration Day will be held on September 27, 2016. 

There will be hundreds of volunteers nationwide, online and in your neighborhood hitting the streets to make sure that we all exercise our constitutional right to a ballot.  And, of course, Ask. Learn. Vote! is going to be part of the action.  

Kicking off at 12 p.m. central on September 27, 2016, we will be hosting a Twitter Storm in which topics like civic engagement, voter registration, Wisconsin’s photo ID law and more are on the menu. Find us at @asklearnvote and track the Storm with #makeyourvotematter and  #VoterRegistrationDay. 

Until then, find us preparing your Ask. Learn. Vote! “Iron Jawed Angels” filming packages! 
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Leah Voskuil, Intern

From potential changes in our Voter ID Law to being able to cast a ballot for the Fall Primary Election early, it is a busy time for the Wisconsin voter.

First and foremost, the Wisconsin voter can avoid any long lines for the Fall Primary Election by voting early right now! Find your City Clerk’s office here, bring a Photo ID and show up before 5 pm. Early voting is available until August 5.

Perhaps the biggest piece of grander voter news is brought to you by the pending district court case Frank v. Walker. If won, Wisconsin would be required to offer voters without a photo ID the ability to receive a ballot by signing an affidavit verifying their identity. Note that currently affidavit voting will not be provided for the August 9 congressional and state legislative races but it will greatly affect the November election.*

With all this election talk, it is important that you, the voter, are prepared before you vote. Verify that you are a registered voter; see who is on your ballot, and double-check on your polling place. If a candidate has an (I) next to their name, that means that they are an incumbent and therefore have a public voting record. See how they have voted on your behalf. If you like what you see, vote for them again. If not, now is your chance to change it.

 Local elections matter a great deal and so does your vote. See you at the polls!

-Leah Voskuil, Intern

*UPDATE as of 8/24/16:

Affidavit voting is no longer a plausible option for the November 2016 election.

Specifically, after the state appealed Judge Adelman of Milwaukee's request for affidavit voting, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago further overturned his request saying that it was too broad. The plaintiffs of the Frank v. Walker case then appealed. 

Ask. Learn. Vote! is participating in Techsoup's Storytellers online competition this year with a video submission highlighting the importance of voting across three generations of Wisconsin women. 

Watch our video below, and click here to like our submission! Voting ends June 15th, 2016. 

To be updated on the results of our submission, make sure you have connected with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Until next time, 

Leah Voskuil, Intern

April is National Women’s Health Care Month. To celebrate, Ask. Learn. Vote! wanted to create health tip sheets for the Wisconsin woman voter so she can be the healthiest advocate for the causes that matter most to her at any stage of life. 
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Find your age group on this infographic to see how you can be your healthiest self!

Best,

​Leah Voskuil, Intern

This year was my first  time at the Wisconsin Alliance for Women's Health Policy Summit held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and I I loved every moment of it. 

Hundreds of passionate and inspiring individuals gathered in the Marcus Center for Performing Arts for a full day of education, engagement and networking. Together we listened to a panel of dedicated activists and speakers, learned how to use our health insurance, registered to vote and even expressed our creativity with coloring pages placed at every table! 

I thought it would be a worthy adventure to record the 7th annual Summit through the eyes of a young advocate eager to capture the wonder and strength of such a powerful day, take a look below:
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A huge thank you to all who participated in the day and continue to work hard and change the world one policy at a time. 

Uncut footage of the Summit is available on the WAWH Vimeo page, found here. 
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Together in women's health,

-​Leah Voskuil, Intern

With four days until the first Wisconsin election, make sure you're prepared. Are you a registered Wisconsin voter? Check here. Do you know where your polling place is? Enter your information here and then look to the dropdown box on the left to select the "Where Do I Vote" tab. Use helpful resources like this to learn about the candidates. And finally, make sure you bring a valid photo ID to the polls. 

See you at the polls,

Leah Voskuil, Intern

Proper democracy starts with the individual. Being informed, empowered, and committed to voting in all elections is crucial in protecting ourselves, our families, and our neighbors. 

Below is a clip from President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address on Monday night in which he discusses the power and importance of exercising one’s voice. Here at ALV, we couldn’t agree more.  

That being said, make sure your voice will be heard by registering to vote here!


​Happy New Year,

​-Leah Voskuil, Intern

With so much potential residing in the upcoming election year, it is more important than ever to have a contextual timeline of events that have shaped the current political climate. As you think about what candidates are right for you, here at Ask. Learn VOTE! we want to help make the process easier by tracking the decisions of those in office and the bills that directly affect Wisconsin women and girls. That being said, here is the Wisconsin pro-women voter’s guide through a chaotic 2015:

Early Winter 2015

-Planned Parenthood announces that they will need to close four clinics in Wisconsin due to elimination of state funding.

Spring 2015

-The United States Supreme Court declines to hear an appeal of Wisconsin's voter photo ID law. This means that Wisconsin voters must now present a valid form of identification and a signature at the polls, a complex issue for college students, those without a driver license, and individuals with outlier circumstances.

Summer 2015

-The Supreme Court votes to uphold the legal right to federal subsidies for low-income Americans.

- Governor Scott Walker signs a bill that outlaws non-emergency abortions at or beyond 20 weeks. This bill does not allow exceptions in the case of incest or rape.

Fall 2015

-The American Association of University Women (AAUW) releases a report showing the gender pay gap for Wisconsin women, right down to how women in certain Wisconsin districts fair worse than women in other Wisconsin districts. The median earning for men in Wisconsin is $47,518 compared to $37,481 for women.

-The Wisconsin State Assembly passes a bill that further cuts funding to Planned Parenthood and other community health centers, and allows healthcare providers to refuse to provide family planning, birth control, and cancer and STI screening services to patients.

-Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Insurance Bill is introduced and would guarantee Wisconsin workers paid leave in order to take care of serious health conditions—of their own or of a family member—or care for a new baby.

-Patients Reproductive Health Act is introduced and believes that patients should have the freedom and safety to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions.

-The Affordable Care Act open enrollment is resulting in a high level of participation, sure to pass 10 million enrollees in the next few months. 

-AB 310 and AB 311, known as the Right to Life Bills, are introduced and would redirect about $7.5 million annually of taxpayer money away from Wisconsin’s Planned Parenthood clinics and would ban Wisconsin family-planning centers from “overbilling” the state for prescriptions.

Late Winter 2015

-Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, withstands a five hour hearing defending and combating questions raised by the House Oversight Committee regarding women’s health.  

-Paul Ryan, House Speaker and Wisconsin native, brings light to the importance of balancing family and work, yet remains firmly against expanding paid family leave.

 
Clearly, it has been quite the year.

There’s plenty of work to be done for the upcoming elections and we want to help you be the most effective advocate for women’s health. Stay tuned for monthly blog posts, timely information, and exciting opportunities for the pro-women voter. Together we can make sure that policy happens with us in 2016 rather than to us.
 

Until next year,

-Leah Voskuil, Intern