Before we get to a host of newsy items, an appeal for a vital volunteer position at Grassroots North Shore:
NEW GRASSROOTS NORTH SHORE TREASURER NEEDED!
We are seeking a new volunteer Treasurer to begin in April 2024. The Treasurer position is essential to the management of our organization.
Grassroots North Shore is a small but vibrant organization. The Treasurer is responsible for handling the organization’s bank account, receipts and disbursements, financial reporting, and budget development. They also serve as part of the team that ensures compliance with state and federal election laws (Wisconsin Ethics Commission and FEC). The position is a part-time volunteer role requiring approximately 8 - 12 hours monthly.
We are hoping to find a volunteer who enjoys bookkeeping, is proficient in Excel, and is willing to learn how to navigate various software platforms and ecommerce sites (ActBlue, NationBuilder, PayPal). The role is best filled with someone who enjoys attention to detail. The Treasurer is a member of the Administrative Committee and attends Administrative and Steering Committee meetings once/month.
If you or someone you know is interested in a leadership position with us, please contact Co-Chair Cheryl Maranto or call (414) 429-1583. Thank you.
The state of electoral play with the new Wisconsin legislative maps in place deserves our early attention. And there's news.
- In a star-studded announcement yesterday, Jodi Habush Sinykin jumped into the race for Senate District 8. It's unlikely that she will have a challenger for the Democratic nomination — though of course it's still possible. Her likely opponent will be MAGA Republican Duey Stroebel, an incumbent state Senator representing Senate District 20 under the former maps but drawn into SD8 under the new maps. Grassroots North Shore will be going all out to elect her, not only because she is an outstanding candidate but also because SD8 is pivotal to our ability to win majority control of the state senate in 2026.
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Senate District 4, formerly held by Lena Taylor, has been vacant since late January when Governor Tony Evers appointed her to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court. It's unclear whether there will be a special election to fill this seat before the November 5 election. It's also unclear whether there will be a need for a primary ahead of that special election. If a special election is called, a primary would be necessary only if more than one candidate from the same political party filed nomination papers. It's a pretty safe Democratic seat and largely unchanged from the former maps. One potential candidate got in touch with me this week and I heard a rumor that a second Democrat may also be vying for this seat. SD4 includes Assembly Districts 10, 11, and 12. So Grassroots North Shore supporters in Glendale, Shorewood, and parts of Milwaukee, stay tuned.
- Dr. Kristin Lyerly, an OB/GYN in Green Bay, has launched her bid to for the Democratic nomination for the 8th Congressional District. (Visit her Facebook page.) Michael Gallagher, the incumbent, will be resigning his seat on April 19, making it impossible to hold a special election to fill the seat before the November 5 Election Day and leaving the GOP with a one-vote majority in the House of Representatives until the end of the congressional session in December or perhaps even earlier! In her announcement email, she wrote: "I have seen firsthand the effects of Wisconsin’s abortion ban – which stems from a law passed in 1849 that went into effect after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Most doctors didn’t even know that germs caused diseases back then. It was nearly 70 years before women would even be allowed to cast their first votes. As a result of this draconian ban, I can no longer treat my patients and pregnant women in Wisconsin under threat of criminal prosecution. Republicans have targeted my medical licenses and personally singled me out in their lawsuits for my work with Planned Parenthood to make me an example of what would happen to others who do the same."
And in other political news, let's support Linda Frank, chair of the newly formed Jewish Caucus of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. She's seeking to be a delegate to the Democratic National Convention and needs people to vote for her, TWICE. As President Biden would say, so here's the deal: you have to attend TWO events. The first one is the Milwaukee County Caucus on April 28 at South Division High School, 1515 W Lapham Blvd in Milwaukee. The meeting begins at noon. The second one is the 4th Congressional District Caucus on May 19 at McGovern Senior Center, 4500 W Custer Ave, Milwaukee. Registration begins at noon and the caucus begins at 1:00pm. Although voting for her seems like a pretty heavy commitment, Linda has been a stalwart supporter of Grassroots North Shore for many years. She deserves whatever support we can give her in return.
Last week's newsletter was too soon after Election Day to provide you with much information about what happened and this week is still a bit early. Because Wisconsin elections are all run by municipal clerks and because the spring elections are all local and nonpartisan, it's really difficult to get an early picture of statewide election results. The deadline for the Wisconsin Elections Commission to certify the results of the April 2 elections is May 15. At that point we should be able to assess voter turnout and other data from those elections. In the meantime, John Johnson, a research fellow with Marquette University Law School, has published an extensive analysis of voting in Milwaukee County.
Especially notable is the chart showing the presidential preference vote by municipality. The split between votes for The Former Guy and Nikki Haley in our North Shore communities shows deep dissatisfaction with Benedict Donald. In Shorewood, for example, only 13% of voters participated in the Republican presidential preference primary. Of that sliver, only 47% voted for him while 37% of the Republicans voted for Hayley. In Whitefish Bay, 29% of the votes cast were Republican. Of that bunch, Adolf Twittler garnered 56% of the vote and Nikki Haley received 32%. These numbers are pretty astonishing since Hayley suspended her campaign weeks before the Wisconsin primary. You can look at the chart to get a picture of the Republican strength in the North Shore and to see what share of that vote went to Hayley. The big takeaway, though, is that the numerous Hayley voters in our midst should be our "persuasion targets" as we gear up for the crucial fall elections.
Make sure you look at the new legislative maps in Wisconsin. You can find WisPolitics' maps and an assessment of the partisan lean of the new Assembly Districts 10, 22, 23, & 24 (as of March 11) and the new Senate Districts. You should take a look at Senate Districts 4 and 8 with their partisan lean to get a sense of what the Democratic candidate in each of those districts will have to contend with. On May 19th, Grassroots North Shore will be hosting a presentation about the new maps, featuring Representative Deb Andraca and GRNS Co-Chair Deborah Patel. You can get more information and sign up now.
Finally, some good news for WisDems. According to WisPolitics' Battleground Wisconsin (March 29), "the state Dem Party has outraised its GOP counterpart 15-to-1 over the first three months of 2024 — a huge resource advantage ahead of what’s expected to be a fierce battle for legislative seats this fall.
"It also shows the fundraising disparity between the two parties hasn’t improved since Republicans brought on Brian Schimming as a full-time, paid chair in late 2022. Last year, with both parties heavily involved in a state Supreme Court race that flipped control to liberals for the first time in 15 years, the fundraising disparity was more than 4-to-1 in Dems’ favor."
Meanwhile, in the MAGA movement, things are also looking a little dicey. A blogger on Daily Kos points to a Raw Story article that suggests the Cowardly Lyin' and his campaign are a little green around the gills: "Two Republican operatives privately told NBC News Trump and the Republican National Committee have fewer than five staff members between them in Pennsylvania and Michigan. And Trump reportedly can't afford to expand the campaign's staff to full capacity in some places, like Pennsylvania, until the summer." Yay for our side, I say.
Spring has surely sprung, weeks early this year it seems. One of my dogwood trees is already blooming! So herewith a bit of coming attractions. The next election cycle is nearly upon us. So not much rest for the weary. Hopeful candidates for the November 5 election will begin circulating nominating papers as of April 15 — that's this coming Monday (also the start of Don the Con's first criminal trial). As usual, Grassroots North Shore will make as many of them as we can available on our web server for you to download. I also hear that the WisDems are going to host some signing parties in the next few weeks. Keep an eye out for them. The nomination papers will be due in Madison by 5:00pm on June 3. Shortly thereafter we will know which races will have primaries. Regardless of how competitive the primaries are likely to be, we have to show up in force. There are likely to be two new ballot questions in the primary. If they turn out to be what Ballotpedia says they are, we need to pull out all the stops to defeat them.
Worthy Actions
"Kneel for 9," a nine-minute silent vigil at a busy rush hour intersection in the Washington Heights neighborhood, occurs M-F at 5:30 at the corner of Vliet Street and Hawley Road (Central West Side about one mile N. of Miller Park). It has been going continuously for 4 years since the murder of George Floyd. It is . Plenty of free side-street parking for anyone in the area able to spend 15 minutes. For more information, contact Shep Crumrine, MICAH leadership council.
Vote Forward is launching new letter-writing campaigns to California and New York voters in highly competitive U.S. House districts. Election outcomes in these key races are likely to determine the House majority this fall. As you finish writing a batch of letters this year, address and stamp your envelopes—but if you'd like to continue enhancing them throughout the year, don’t seal them quite yet. We’ll be in touch with details on how you can do this soon! Sign up.
EVENTS
Saturday, April 13
Stand for Peace, 12:00 - 1:00pm
51st St and Silver Spring Dr, Milwaukee
Stand for Peace demonstrates for peace at a different intersection in Milwaukee County every Saturday.
No One Asked You, 12:45pm
Downer Theater, 2589 N Downer Ave, Milwaukee
The Milwaukee Film Festival, which runs from April 11-25 is showing the documentary No One Asked You, which was a runner-up for the audience award at last November's DocNYC film festival. No One Asked You follows Lizz Winstead, co-creator of The Daily Show and founder of advocacy non-profit Abortion Access Front, through her group's efforts to protect Roe and support folks who work at clinics through the Trump administration and up to last year. Much of this is accomplished with comedy, and it all acts as an excellent reminder that protest can be joyful, even when the hills we climb are steep. Lizz Winstead will be in attendance! Buy your tickets here.
Sunday, April 14
No One Asked You, 10:00am
Avalon Theater, 2473 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee
The Milwaukee Film Festival, which runs from April 11-25 is showing the documentary No One Asked You, which was a runner-up for the audience award at last November's DocNYC film festival. No One Asked You follows Lizz Winstead, co-creator of The Daily Show and founder of advocacy non-profit Abortion Access Front, through her group's efforts to protect Roe and support folks who work at clinics through the Trump administration and up to last year. Much of this is accomplished with comedy, and it all acts as an excellent reminder that protest can be joyful, even when the hills we climb are steep. Buy your tickets here.
6th CD Convention, 10:00am - 3:00pm
La Sures Banquet Hal, 3125 Washburn St, Oshkosh
You’re invited to join us at the 6th CD Convention. You can buy your ticket here. Prices: $40 advance | $50 at the door | $25 students. The ticket price includes lunch. Featured Speakers includes DNC Member Alex Lasry. We’ll have carpools going – would love for you to attend. As a delegate from Ozaukee County, you are eligible as a delegate to the DPW State Convention on June 8 & 9.
Women's Rights Demostration, 12:00 - 1:30pm
Port Washington & Mequon Rd
Join other concerned citizens as they peacefully gather to show support of Women’s Rights during this critical election year. We're meeting at Einstein's Bagel, 10950 {ort Washington Road. Interested in participating? We'll stand at the corner of Pt Washington & Mequon Roads together with signs (we have some, could always use more). Contact Mike Kofsky. Sign up and get more information.
Monday, April 15
Chris Sinicki Fundraiser with Governor Tony Evers, 5:00 - 7:00pm
Hawthorne Coffee Roasters, 4177 S Howell Ave, Milwaukee
Can you join us on Monday, April 15 for Chris Sinicki's campaign kickoff? Protecting her seat is crucial to winning a majority in the Assembly. Taking back the majority means we can stop Republican extremists from running the Assembly and we can enact our agenda that will deliver change for Wisconsinites. RSVP. Suggested Donation Levels: Champion - $1000 | Host - $500 | Partner - $250 | Sponsor - $100 | Ally - $50.
Toast to Winning More in '24 with Oz Dems, 5:00 - 7:00pm
Sip Mke, 1515 W Mequon Rd, Meqon
Join us for an evening of socializing as we celebrate our April election victories with the candidates and raise money to fund our November ’24 election success. Click here to purchase tickets. Included in your donation are delicious appetizers, soft drinks, and two fine alcoholic beverages of your choice.
Tuesday, April 16
Lunch and Learn, 12:00pm
Zoom
Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County, Lunch and Learn is an exchange of ideas which leave no woman left behind. We meet at noon on the third Tuesday of the following months: April 16, July 16, October 15. Join us online as we follow the lead of inspiring Global Majority Indigenous women in our community. Do you have any suggestions for future presentations? Text or call Pat at 414-630-1978 Please save this quarterly Zoom link. Meeting ID: 917 6803 1142 Password: league
Wednesday, April 17
Oz Dems General Meeting, 7:00 - 8:00pm
1930 Wisconsin Ave, Grafton
Dr. Charles Franklin (Marquette Law Poll) will give us insights from the last election cycle as well as what's at stake during the general election. Join us at our Grafton office every third Wednesday of the month at 7:00. Meet like-minded people who are your neighbors and committed to electing Democrats here in Ozaukee County.
Friday, April 19
New Voting Districts — Now What? 9:30am
Knickerbocker Hotel, Juneau Rm, 1028 E Juneau, Milwaukee
Wisconsin activists have worked for years to reform Wi voting maps which were dramatically gerrymandered under Gov. Scott Walker to favor Republican candidates. How are the new maps different and how will they impact election fairness in 2024? Review and discuss the new district maps with Assembly Democratic Leader Greta Neubauer. Specific candidate information at the following links:
Please RSVP to Tom Callan.
Saturday, April 20
Fair Maps 2024 Activist Strategic Planning Day, 10:00am - 3:00pm
Unitarian Universalist Society, 504 Grant St., Wausau
As members of the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin would like to extend an invitation to join us in planning and mobilizing for Fair Maps through 2024 and beyond. This coalition cannot work without your support, and we need your voice to help us plan and execute our goals so that we can finally have a representative government for all in Wisconsin for decades to come. Join activists from all corners of Wisconsin to participate in a strategic planning day for fair maps. (Lunch will be provided.) We need your voice. In-Person Participation Preferred but Virtual Option Available! Register.
League of Women Voters Milwaukee County (LWVMC) Climate Action Group, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Room 2212 Summit Place, 6737 W. Washington St., Milwaukee
Climate change has been identified by the World Health Organization as the single biggest health threat to humanity. Climate change is causing extreme weather including flooding, extreme heat, and drought all of which have serious health effects. The adverse impacts of a warming climate are also not felt equitably. Disadvantaged communities face an even greater burden from the climate crisis. The League’s policies and positions allow us to play a significant role in addressing the climate crisis. In response, the LWVMC is establishing a Climate Action Group. The group's goal is to create a plan of action for our League. Anyone interested in sharing ideas about possible local climate advocacy is invited to attend this meeting or one held on Sunday, April 21. Registration requested.
1st CD Convention, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
UW-Whitewater Community Engagement Center, Whitewater
Business at CD Conventions typically includes election of CD officers and platform and resolutions debate, among other things. Register.
Stand for Peace, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Farwell and North Ave, Milwaukee
Stand for Peace demonstrates for peace at a different intersection in Milwaukee County every Saturday.
Sunday, April 21
League of Women Voters Milwaukee County (LWVMC) Climate Action Group, 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Room 2212 Summit Place, 6737 W. Washington St., Milwaukee
Climate change has been identified by the World Health Organization as the single biggest health threat to humanity. Climate change is causing extreme weather including flooding, extreme heat, and drought all of which have serious health effects. The adverse impacts of a warming climate are also not felt equitably. Disadvantaged communities face an even greater burden from the climate crisis. The League’s policies and positions allow us to play a significant role in addressing the climate crisis. In response, the LWVMC is establishing a Climate Action Group. The group's goal is to create a plan of action for our League. Anyone interested in sharing ideas about possible local climate advocacy is invited to attend this meeting. Registration requested.
Accessible Walks and Paddles in Milwaukee, 1:15 - 3:15pm
Firelfly Meeting Room at the Wauwatosa Public Library
7635 W North Ave, Wauwatosa
Join the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County for an informative and inspirational discussion about accessible walks and paddles in the Milwaukee area. LWVMC members, Karen and Jennifer Lemke, authors of Easy Walks and Paddles in Milwaukee, will share the inside scoop on many accessible trails and waterways in the Milwaukee area, as well as additional information about public restrooms, benches, nearby eateries, environmental issues, fascinating historical tidbits about people who previously inhabited these spaces, and details about Milwaukee’s social and cultural history. The Sisters Lemke will be in conversation with LWVMC member, Dorothy Dean, founder and executive director of Disability Justice. Easy Walks and Paddles in Milwaukee provides important accessibility information for Milwaukee’s beautiful and abundant green spaces so that more people with disabilities, seniors, and families with children can enjoy these easy-access spaces.
Monday, April 22
Milwaukee Dems Meeting, 6:00pm
Harmony Room, Potawatomi Hotel Casino
1721 W Canal St, Milwaukee
Join us for our April Membership Meeting and our Earth Day Celebration!
SAVE THE DATE
Wednesday, May 1
Changing Hearts and Minds on Reproductive Health and Rights, 6:00 - 8:00pm
Zoom
Join Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin staff and learn how to change hearts and minds with conversation, instead of debate. Attend our Milwaukee member-only event led by Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. This 2-hour, evidence- based workshop will give you confidence and skills to discuss this topic with relatives, friends and neighbors. Topics Covered: The State of Abortion Access | Fundamentals of How Humans Change | Changing Ourselves | Navigating Conflicted Feelings | Finding Common Ground. Sign up.
Saturday, May 4
Changing Hearts and Minds on Reproductive Health and Rights, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Summit Place, 6737 W Washington St, Milwaukee
Join Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin staff and learn how to change hearts and minds with conversation, instead of debate. Attend our Milwaukee member-only event led by Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. This 2-hour, evidence- based workshop will give you confidence and skills to discuss this topic with relatives, friends and neighbors. Topics Covered: The State of Abortion Access | Fundamentals of How Humans Change | Changing Ourselves | Navigating Conflicted Feelings | Finding Common Ground. Sign up.
5th CD Convention, 1:00pm
Waukesha Schuetze Rec Center, Riverview Room
1120 Baxter St, Waukesha
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin 5th Congressional District will hold its annual convention on Saturday, May 4th, 2024. Early bird pricing ($20) ends April 14th. After April 14th, registration will be $25. Registration opens at 1pm. The Convention convenes at 1:30pm. Star Wars attire is encouraged. Please RSVP by ordering your tickets. Questions? Please email [email protected] or call 414-491-4544.
Saturday & Sunday, June 8-9
Democratic Party State Convention, 8:30am Saturday to 1:00pm Sunday
Potawatomi Hotel Casino
1721 W Canal St, Milwaukee
Links to Convention Information:
other important links
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