#VotePublic
VOTE PUBLIC is an invitation to all supporters of public schools to make public education a focus of all elections – local, state and national. Knowing where candidates stand on issues impacting our public schools is essential to electing strong supporters of our students. Vote Public is also a challenge to hold our elected officials accountable for making votes that benefit our students and public schools once elected. Click here to learn more about the #VotePublic campaign and our goals.
#VotePublic statewide week of action was Oct. 1-6: VOTE PUBLIC Week of Action and the fun continues through Nov. 6! Click here for the full set of shareable graphics, easy local actions, and more information. We called on local teams, districts, and organizations to coordinate actions and help us amplify them during this week. Whether you’re holding a forum or writing postcards, sharing candidate information or getting to know where candidates stand, you can be part of this week of action! Our goal is to spread the I LOVE MY PUBLIC SCHOOL AND I VOTE message statewide! Let’s let our communities know we support strong public schools! See our facebook page for shareable graphics !
#VotePublic was the theme of Wisconsin Public Education Network’s 4th Annual Summer Summit, which was held on August 1, 2018 at Appleton North High School. Visit our Summer Summit Center to access resources from the event!
Templates and Tools (check back regularly for new resources!)
- VOTER GUIDES
- WPEN’S US Congressional Candidates Education Questionnaire
- The School Administrators Alliance (SAA) asked the Walker and Evers campaigns to respond in writing to several questions on current education policy. The Evers campaign submitted their responses. After multiple requests and reminders, a response from the Walker campaign has yet to be received.
- SOS Wauwatosa’s Voter Guide (13th and 14th Wisconsin Assembly districts, and the 5th Wisconsin Senate district).
- Fox Cities Advocates for Public Education Voter Guides for Candidates Running for Fox Cities Legislative Seats
- Wisconsin Eye’s Campaign 2018 programming (forum coverage, candidate interviews & more!)
- Lake Mills C.A.P.E. forum for Wisconsin Senate and Assembly candidates: https://youtu.be/ukYrGIJAkhE
- #VotePublic Local Action Guide (one page handout: About #VotePublic + Local Action Tips)
- NEW! Printable (quarter-sheet) #VotePublic pledge card: Take a selfie with this graphic and share on social media – and deliver to your elected officials and ask them to do the same!
Print this two-sided #VotePublic pledge card and let your community know you are a public education voter! Share with decision makers and ask them to do the same – and share on social media! Tag us @WisconsinNetwork (facebook) and @WiscEdNetwork (twitter) and use hashtag #VotePublic! - Vote Public Sample Candidate Questions for forums and questionnaires
- Speak up for Public Schools! How to Write Effective Letters to the Editor
- Take Action: Contacting Legislators & Elected Officials
- Local Action Works! How to Organize a Local Team to Make a Local Impact
- Guide to Hosting a Successful Candidate Forum for 501(c)(3)s
(Advocacy & Communications Solutions LLC) - How to Write a Press Release: format, tips, WPEN samples (1) and (2)
- Legislative Advocacy Tips: How to Build Relationships with Decision-Makers
- Resolutions worth sharing with candidates and communities:
- The WASB tracks policy resolutions passed by local board. Bookmark this page and use these resolutions to better understand concerns shared by districts.
- Sample Resolutions
- 90% Special Education Reimbursement (Eau Claire)
- Fair Funding (Stevens Point)
- Voucher Transparency (Eau Claire)
- Blue Ribbon (funding reform) (Port Edwards)
- School Referenda Groups
- Vote Yes! Referenda Tips from a Winning Campaign (SocialSchool4edu)
- Successful Referenda Start with Communication (WASB)
- 8 tips for passing referenda (American Association of School Administrators)
- Non-partisan Ballot Measure Advocacy: Tips for 501(c)(3) groups and others doing non-partisan issue advocacy to support public schools.
- School Board elections
- Guide for Candidates (WASB 2018 edition)
- Get the gear & send a positive message! Want to order #VotePublic shirts for your team? Click here!
2018 Upcoming Wisconsin Elections:
- Tuesday, August 14: Partisan Primary
- Tuesday, Nov. 6: General Election
Polls are open 7am to 8pm statewide on Election Day, and you can also vote absentee at your local municipal clerk’s office. In-person absentee voting (also known as early voting) runs on weekdays for two weeks before an election, ending at 5 p.m. or the close of business (whichever is later) on the Friday before the election. Check with your local clerk’s office for dates and hours (varies by municipalities). Click here to register to vote, see your ballot, find your polling place and more: MyVote.Wi.gov
Trainings, Events & Workshops
- Sept. 20: State of Education Address, State Captiol, Madison
- Sept 22: Teaching about the 2018 Elections: Preparing Students for Political Engagement, UW-Madison
- The Progressive Media Project trainings – six FREE full day op-ed writing workshops this fall throughout WI. These workshops are open to anyone and are a great opportunity for nonprofit leaders, activists, community organizers, teachers and students. WPEN partners have found past workshops extremely valuable in helping craft and deliver strong messages of support for local schools.
- September 21 – Madison Public Library- Register
- October 5– Janesville Basics Cooperative Natural Foods- Register
- October 12– Shawano Shawano Community Middle School- Register
- November 2 – La Crosse Ho-Chunk Nation Three Rivers House- Register
- November 9 – Stevens Point Portage County Public Library- Register
- December 7 –Milwaukee Wisconsin Voices- Register
- YOU CAN REGISTER TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY.
You can still REGISTER TO VOTE AT THE POLLS on Election Day and you can REGISTER TO VOTE at your municipal voting location when you vote early (absentee) if you are voting in-person absentee – which is going on now through the week before the election!
If you have moved or need to register for the first time, you will need to provide proof of residence when you register. If your drivers license has your current address, it can serve as both proof of identification and proof of residence (it has to be unexpired to serve as proof of residence). Click here for a full list of acceptable proof of residence: https://elections.wi.gov/publications/voter-guides/proof-of-residence. If you register online by Wednesday, July 25, your name will be in the poll books when you go in person to vote on August 14. - YOU NEED A PHOTO ID TO VOTE. If you bring a driver’s license, make sure it did not expire before Nov. 8, 2016. Full list of acceptable photo ID here: https://www.bringitwisconsin.com
- YOU CAN GET ALL YOUR ANSWERS IN ONE PLACE. See your sample ballot, register to vote, and find your polling place at https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/
- Here are the dates that matter most:
July 25: deadline for online registration if you want your name in the poll book on August 14
Thurs August 9: Last day to request an absentee ballot be mailed to you at your home.
Sun Aug 12 or Fri August 10: Last day to vote IN PERSON ABSENTEE at your local municipal clerk’s voting locations (note: the last legal day is Sunday but in many municipalities the office will be closed Sat/Sun so the last day is Friday Aug. 10) CHECK WITH YOUR CLERK FOR LOCAL HOURS/LOCATIONS.
Tues. August 14: Election Day. Polls are open 7am – 8pm statewide. - The August 14 election is a PARTISAN PRIMARY. That means that you must vote for ONE PARTY ONLY on your entire ballot. You do not have to vote for every office on the ballot, but every candidate you vote for must be a member of the same party. If you vote for candidates from different parties, your ballot will be invalidated and your votes will not count.You might also note that candidates who met the filing deadline but have since dropped out of the race will still appear on the ballot. On the Democratic ticket for Governor, this includes Andy Gronik and Dana Wachs.
