As Election Day approaches, the ACLU of Wisconsin wants to ensure that you Know Your Voting rights and are informed of important upcoming dates and deadlines!

Important Deadlines:

• October 16: Last day to register to vote online or by mail
• October 22: In-person early voting begins
• October 31: Last day to request an absentee ballot, by 5pm
• November 5: Election Day, polls close 8pm

Do you have a plan to vote?

As always, we recommend that you have a plan for voting in place before Election Day! For more information on what you need to know, visit our Voting Rights page for information on how to get registered, what photo ID you need to bring, and what to do if you have a problem with voting on Election Day.  

You can also find our Voting Rights Guide, available in four languages, with current information on voting in Wisconsin and rules around specific voting conditions like voting with a disability, voting while hospitalized, or after a criminal conviction. 

Want to know more about the candidates?  

While the presidential election is an important race, Wisconsin also has a significant number of ‘down-ballot’ races for the November election, including 99 state Assembly seats and 16 state Senate seats. The Wisconsin State Legislature is an important governing body for our state, and with the upcoming Legislative session, which begins in January 2025, this election will have a significant impact on the bills that are presented and the potential laws passed in the coming year. 

The ACLU of Wisconsin sent a candidate questionnaire to gauge candidate’s positions on issues such as access to contraception and IVF, classroom censorship, marijuana legalization, and more. Find out where candidates in your district stand on civil rights and liberties.

Want to get involved in the upcoming election and not sure what to do?

We have a couple of volunteer opportunities available for you! First, are you a lawyer, law student, or do you know someone who is? Our Election Protection program has volunteer opportunities to ensure Wisconsin voters have easy, fair, and safe access to the ballot box.

If you are not a lawyer (or not available for Election Protection work), consider joining us in nonpartisan canvassing in the Milwaukee area. We are knocking doors on Wednesday afternoons and Saturdays to connect with potential voters to make sure they have a plan to vote. We know that canvassing is an effective tool to get people to the ballot box, and we want to make sure that every Wisconsin voter has the opportunity and the information they need to cast an informed vote this November. Sign up today!

Earlier this year, we surveyed our members and supporters to incorporate the input of our constituency as we continue our work defending civil rights and liberties across the state of Wisconsin. 

Responses helped shape our strategies, cultivate our outreach efforts, and ensure we are not operating in a vacuum. As we head toward a more critical juncture in securing rights and liberties for all Wisconsinites, the ability to engage and move in conjunction with our membership and supporters is pivotal. 

Here’s a snapshot of the results:

There were 195 survey respondents (64 male, 116 female, and 12 nonbinary/other), spanning a diverse socioeconomic range. The top three issue areas you said were important to you were Racial Justice, Freedom of Speech, and LGBTQ+ Rights. Many survey respondents reported that they prefer to be involved directly through donating, volunteering and/or ACLU-WI advocacy and activism efforts. As for frequency of engagement, there was a wide range of preferences, with many respondents wanting to engage with ACLU-WI content either daily through social media outlets like our TikTok, weekly by navigating to our blog, or quarterly by keeping up with our newsletter.

Shoutout to Suzanne C. and Micheal H. for being randomly selected to score ACLU-WI swag packs!

The ACLU of Wisconsin is thrilled to announce two new resources designed to empower students, teachers, and parents in advocating for safer and more inclusive public schools: a toolkit, The Guide to Advocating For Your Civil Rights and Liberties in Wisconsin Schools, and an online blog post, Know Your Rights as a Transgender Student.

The Guide to Advocating For Your Civil Rights and Liberties in Wisconsin Schools addresses many pressing issues facing Wisconsin schools today. It provides essential information to help students, parents, and faculty understand and advocate for their rights, including:

• Harassment and Discrimination: Learn how to recognize and respond to bullying and discrimination.
• Gender Identity Rights: Understand the rights regarding pronouns, names, and bathroom access.
• Book Bans and Censorship: Discover strategies to fight against censorship in schools.
• School Governance: Gain insights into how school boards function and how to influence policy decisions.

The toolkit, which was funded by the Trans Justice grant from the National American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Affiliate Support and Nationwide Initiatives (ASNI), aims to educate our community so that they can protect and advance civil liberties in public schools across Wisconsin. As stated in the guide, “Every student has the fundamental right to a safe, inclusive, and enriching learning environment.” However, challenges such as book banning, discrimination, censorship and harassment threaten this ideal.

Our second resource, Know Your Rights as a Transgender Student, addresses the specific rights and protections for transgender and gender-nonconforming students in Wisconsin. Key highlights include:

• Bathroom and Locker Room Access: Public schools must allow students to use facilities that align with their gender identity. Denying this right violates Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause.
• Participation in Activities: Under Title IX, students have the right to participate in school activities that are consistent with their gender identity. This includes sports and extracurricular clubs.
• Dress Codes: Dress codes must not discriminate based on gender or force conformity to sex stereotypes. Schools cannot restrict clothing choices based on traditional gender roles.
• Use of Pronouns: Schools must respect students’ preferred names and pronouns, and policies should reflect this commitment.

These resources are not just informational — they’re tools for action. We believe that by empowering students, parents, and educators with knowledge, we can foster a more inclusive and respectful school environment for everyone.