Forward Wisconsin Means Protecting the Freedom to Vote and Delivering Pandemic Relief

MADISON, Wis. —  Things are looking up in Wisconsin, with the state leading the nation in COVID vaccine distribution and Spring in the weather. Unfortunately, not all of Wisconsin’s elected officials are looking ahead to a brighter future or paying attention to the real needs of our communities. 

A handful of politicians are still looking backwards at an election they lost and using unfounded accusations to limit our freedom to make our voices heard in our elections. They are spreading disinformation instead of doing their job. It’s time for lawmakers to look forward and work with Governor Evers to pass a budget that will deliver economic relief for those impacted by the pandemic and invest in our education and healthcare systems. 

Fortunately, we also have leaders who see better times on the horizon and have a plan to get us there. At the federal level, President Biden is on the verge of signing the American Rescue Plan. This legislation not only provides resources to reopen schools and deliver vaccines, but also cuts child poverty in half. One of President Biden’s next priorities secures the freedom to vote in the future and ensure that voters pick their leaders and politicians can’t pick their voters. In addition to President Biden’s leadership, Senator Tammy Baldwin and Representatives Gwen Moore, Ron Kind, and Mark Pocan are listening to Wisconsinites and fighting for these initiatives

At the state level, Governor Tony Evers has proposed a budget that will help Wisconsin come back stronger after the pandemic than it was a year ago. The budget provides historic investments in healthcare, education, and small business growth, moving towards a future where every community, from Kenosha to Superior, is safe, healthy, and prosperous. The budget would also implement automatic voter registration through the DMV and keep voting information up to date and accurate. It would protect early voting hours, so that Wisconsinites have the freedom to cast their ballot in the way that they choose. 

A Better Wisconsin Together Executive Director Nicole Safar, commented, “Wisconsinites came together in tough times in 2020 to vote in record numbers for leaders that care about us. Now, with better times coming, we’re making sure that everyone shares in the hope and joy of this moment. That means protecting our freedom to vote and investing in our future so that we leave this crisis stronger than when it began.”