League of Women Voters of Dane County, Inc.

The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Fund has joined with Common Cause in Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign in calling on candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and state legislature (Assembly and Senate) to state their positions on issues that are central to honest, accountable government.

Among other issues, a League questionnaire asks candidates their positions on specific reforms designed to reduce the influence of special interests in elections and to promote a fair and transparent process for drawing legislative district lines in 2011.

The effort is earning praise. Read the recent editorial by WISC-TV's Neil Heinen.

Look here for responses to the questionnaire before casting your vote in the September 14th primary!

The partisan primary election is September 14, 2010 and the general election is November 2, 2010.

Voters in Dane County will be voting for the following offices:  Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, U.S. Senator, Representative in Congress – District 2, State Senator – Districts 13, 15, and 27, State Assembly – Districts 37, 43, 46, 47, 48, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, and 81, Sheriff, Coroner, and Clerk of Circuit Court.

The League is registering voters at the Dane County Farmers' Market on the Square and at the Westside Farmers' Market this summer. Look for our tables!

*Please contact your Congressional legislators (Feingold, Kohl, Baldwin) and urge them to support the DISCLOSE ACT. Tell them that they must act quickly, in time for the 2010 elections. The DISCLOSE Act will create strong new disclosure rules, require more complete disclaimers by those running ads, bar election spending by foreign corporations, create clearer coordination rules, and prohibit election ads by large federal contractors or corporations that receive federal bailout funds. Now, even foreign corporations can purchase ads in an effort to sway voters, and they can do so secretly.

UPDATE-6/17/10: Congress has added a loophole to the DISCLOSE act, exempting the National Rifle Association from disclosure requirements, even if up to 15% of its funding comes from corporations. Other interest groups may try to negotiate similar exemptions.

The public is invited to join us for our forum on Too Many Dane County Minorities Incarcerated: What Can We Do?, Wednesday, April 7, 2010, at 7 PM.

Dane County consistently has one of the nation’s highest rates of minority incarceration when compared to minority population. Nearly 50 percent of young Dane County African American males are either in prison, on parole, or on extended supervision.

The findings and recommendations of two recent reports on racial disparities in the Dane County criminal justice system will be discussed in this month’s forum. One deals with the adult system and the other with juvenile justice. The emphasis will be on solutions.

Our speakers will be Celia Jackson, Co-chair, Dane County Task Force on Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System, and John Bauman, Administrator, Dane County Juvenile Court.

Download study materials

The Capitol Lakes Grand Hall, 333 West Main Street in Downtown Madison. Free parking in the ramp across the street.

The public is invited to join us for our March General Meeting on Proposals to Enhance Early Voting and to Make Redistricting Less Partisan, Wednesday, March 3, 2010, at 7 PM.

Robert Ohlsen, Dane County Clerk (pictured left), and Ken Mayer, Professor of Political Science at UW-Madison (pictured right), will be our speakers.   Download study materials   Download event poster

The Capitol Lakes Grand Hall, 333 West Main Street in Downtown Madison. Free parking in the ramp across the street.

The public is invited to join us for our February General Meeting on Healthcare Reform and Wisconsin, Wednesday, February 3, 2010, at 7 PM.  This presentation was recorded for audio and video broadcast. Click here for info.

See photos of this event!
The public is invited to join us for our annual Lively Issues Luncheon and forum on Saturday, January 16, 2010. Our speakers, chief justice Shirley Abrahamson of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and Thomas Basting, past president of the Wisconsin Bar Association, will present arguments on the question, "Judicial Elections or Merit Selection?"  Reservation form  (Luncheon deadline is January 11) Study materials

The Madison Concourse Hotel, One West Dayton Street, Madison     

The public is invited to join us for our November General Meeting on Increasing Effectiveness in the Dane County Justice System, Wednesday, November 4, 2009, at 7 PM.

Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney will address reducing the size of the jail population, including alternatives to incarceration; and improving operational efficiency.  He will also discuss which recommendations from the 2007 Criminal Justice Assessment have been implemented and what further needs to be done.

Download study materials  Download poster  Badger Herald coverage

The public is invited to join us for our October General Meeting, Wednesday, October 7, 2009, at 7 PM.

Perspectives on a Dane County Regional Transit System

With growth expected to top 60,000 new residents in the next 10 years, transit planning is vital and a Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is part of the plan. Four viewpoints on the best transit system for Dane County will be presented. Discussion will follow.

David Trowbridge, Transport 2020 Project Manager
Keith Plasterer, President, Pro-Rail Wisconsin
Susan Schmitz, Executive Director, Downtown Madison, Inc.
Bruce Speight, Field Director, WISPIRG

The '09–'10  League year begins with a General Meeting on September 9, 2009. Join us at 7 PM as Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk speaks on Looking Ahead to 2020.

Download study materials.  Download poster.

A social hour follows at 8 PM, with opportunities to learn about the activities of our civic study and action committees. Renew acquaintances, make new friends, and become involved with the League!