News & Commentary

Since the beginning of 2015, police in Wisconsin have killed 30 people, according to one media database. In Madison, Neenah, Eau Claire, Wausau, East Troy, Wauwatosa and Milwaukee, officers have used their power to its ultimate extent.

  There are many ways to register: You can register with a special registration deputy (until Oct. 19); You can register by mail (until Oct. 19) (here’s the form: http://www.gab.wi.gov/sites/default/files/gab_forms/4/gab_131_voter_registration_application_2014_05_p_12763.pdf ); You can register at the Municipal Clerk’s office or your early voting site  until the Friday before an election (Nov. 4); You can register at the polls on Election Day   To register, if you have a current, valid Wisconsin driver’s license you need to put the license number on the voter registration form. If you have a valid license but don’t know the number, get it from the DMV by calling 608-266-2353. If you don’t have a license, YOU STILL CAN REGISTER.

1.  Am I allowed to vote in Wisconsin? In Wisconsin, you can register and vote if: •    You’re a U.S. citizen; •    You’ll be 18 or older on Election Day; •    You will have been a Wisconsin resident for at least 10 days on Election Day; •    A court hasn’t taken away your right to vote because you are incompetent; and. •    You’re not currently in jail or prison, or on probation, parole, or extended supervision, for a felony (or for any treason or bribery conviction). 2.   I was convicted of a misdemeanor. Can I vote? •    If you have been convicted of a misdemeanor (except for misdemeanor treason or bribery), you do not lose your right to vote. •    This means you can vote even if you are in jail or prison, or “on paper” (on probation, parole or extended supervision) for a misdemeanor. 3.   I’ve been charged with a felony, but I haven’t been convicted yet. Can I vote? •    If you have been charged with a felony but not yet convicted, you can vote. •    If you’ve been convicted of a felony but haven’t been sentenced, you cannot vote. 4.   I am in jail. Can I vote? •    Maybe. If you’re in jail for a misdemeanor, or if you’re in jail because you’re waiting for your trial but haven’t been convicted yet, you can vote. (If you’re in jail and you’ve been convicted of a felony, you cannot vote.) •    Persons who are in jail and are eligible to vote, can apply to vote absentee by mail. 5.   I was convicted of a felony. Can I vote? •    If you have been convicted of a felony (or any crime of treason or bribery), you can vote after you have finished your sentence and are “off paper” (off probation, parole or extended supervision). •    If you’re not sure if you are “off paper,” ask your parole/probation officer. 6.     Do I have to get a pardon or permission from the government to vote, once I’m “off paper” for my felony? •    You do NOT have to get a pardon to get your voting rights back. Your voting rights are automatically restored as soon as you complete your felony sentence and are “off paper.”   7.  Is there anything else I have to do to vote in Wisconsin? •    You have to register to vote. Even if you were registered before you were convicted of a felony, you have to register again. •    You have to get “photo ID” to vote.   If you have other questions or concerns about your voting rights, “Like” Wisconsin Election Protection on Facebook or follow @EPWisco on Twitter and post your questions or concerns there.  If you do not have access to Facebook or Twitter, you can email questions or concerns to vote@aclu-wi.org and we will respond as soon as we can.  You can also call the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB) at 1-866-VOTE-WIS (1-866-868-3947) or check out their website, http://bringit.wi.gov/

The ACLU of Wisconsin sent the below comments to Attorney General Lynch, Deputy Attorney General Yates, and Assistant Attorney General Mason regarding the Proposed Implementation of Deaths In Custody Reporting Act (DICRA):

The district court found that in Lambda Legal's case Torres v. Seemeyer (which sought two-parent birth certificates for the marital children of same-sex spouses in Wisconsin) that at least those couples who used assisted insemination can get two-parent birth certificates.  They asked us to share the below information as well.

Twenty-eight community organizations signed on to the following letter to Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton, Public Safety Committee Chair Donovan, and the rest of Milwaukee's Common Council, expressing serious problems with the recently released draft “Public Safety Action Plan.”

In response the Wisconsin Department of Justice declaring they will not release video footage of this weekend’s officer-involved fatal shooting, the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin again called for transparency in the investigation of the underlying incident.  ACLU Executive Director Chris Ahmuty wrote the following letter to Attorney General Brad Schimel:  

Today, Chris Ahmuty announced he is retiring as the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin effective December 31, 2016.  Ahmuty, who will be 66 later this month, has served as the ACLU of Wisconsin’s executive director since he was promoted to that post in July 1992.  Overall, he has been with the ACLU for 33 years. Notable activities during his tenure include numerous lawsuits challenging government abuse of power, special attention to the rights of society’s most vulnerable, and expansion of the affiliate’s programs, especially youth development.  He intends to remain active in Milwaukee civic affairs come January. Mary Jo McBrearty, Board President, remarked, “Chris has been a wonderful leader for the ACLU of Wisconsin during challenging times.  The Board has a plan in place that will ensure a smooth and successful transition.  We will be conducting a nationwide search to find someone as knowledgeable, thoughtful, and passionate as Chris is about Civil Liberties and Civil Rights.” For more than 90 years, the ACLU has been our nation's guardian of liberty, working in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country. The ACLU of Wisconsin is a non-profit, non-partisan, private organization whose 7,000 members support its efforts to defend the civil rights and liberties of all Wisconsin residents. For more on the ACLU of Wisconsin, visit our website, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @ACLUofWisconsin and @ACLUMadison.

By Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel