Wisconsin
Opinion: Clerks from both parties uphold WI election integrity. You can be confident voting.
Election clerks from both parties working to ensure all votes count fairly.
How to register to vote in Wisconsin (you’ll need a have a photo ID)
Here’s how to register and vote in Wisconsin.
Election Day is just one month away.
Voters here in Wisconsin will have a real opportunity to make their voices heard in November. New legislative maps are finally in place, ending the long reign of gerrymandered districts that gave Republicans their disproportionate hold on power for more than a decade.
The GOP’s concentrated power led to policies that hurt working families and undermined abortion rights in our state. It also fueled the illegal — and frankly, embarrassing — efforts by Republicans to overturn the 2020 presidential election and to restrict our voting rights.
Unfortunately, those efforts continue today. Donald Trump continues to lie about the integrity of our elections and has threatened to make voting harder, and even to jail his opponents, if he wins.
Wisconsin clerks working tirelessly to ensure all votes cast count
Hundreds of clerks here in Wisconsin — Republicans and Democrats — have been working tirelessly to ensure that when you cast your ballot this year, it will count. These election workers are your neighbors and friends, who want nothing more than to carry out a fair and secure election.
When you go to cast your ballot this year, you’ll have the opportunity to do so early in-person, by absentee ballot, or at your polling location on Election Day. And, thanks to a recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision, callous efforts to prohibit the use of secure ballot drop boxes across Wisconsin have been stopped. Drop boxes help folks who have trouble getting to the polls, like those who are disabled or elderly, have a convenient option to cast their ballot. Unfortunately, some communities in Wisconsin are choosing to forgo their use this election, so make sure to plan ahead.
Thankfully, over the last few years, our governor has been able to stop right-wing bills and efforts to restrict voting rights from becoming law. But bad actors who want to subvert our elections have not stopped there.
They’ve used the fires of doubt that they themselves lit to justify these efforts — and they’re likely to try it again if they win in November. Republicans continue to raise questions about the legitimacy of our elections by spreading falsehoods about noncitizens voting, even though such voting is already illegal in Wisconsin.
Judging from the past, there’s no telling what radical-right majorities in the legislature might try if Wisconsin voters don’t give them the outcome they want. Republican lawmakers could challenge the legitimate vote count in court, try to derail the certification process, or even try to throw out votes.
Why it’s not unusual for results to not be known election night
When in doubt, get your information from trusted sources like your local election official. We may not know the results on election night, as it sometimes takes several days to count every ballot. This is part of the normal counting process.
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Above all the noise this election cycle, remember this: you can make a difference by voting in resounding numbers for the kind of leaders you want to represent you. Here’s how: Make sure your voter registration is up to date, and if you haven’t registered already, do so now at MyVote.WI.gov. Find out the rules for how, where and when to vote, and have a plan to vote. If you vote absentee, make sure to include a witness signature on your ballot to ensure your vote is counted, and get it in the mail so it arrives before Election Day.
When we work together and participate in our democracy, we can build a better state and a stronger country.
Be informed, be patient on Election Day, and above all, vote.
Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, is the Assembly minority leader.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes was named as the chief of police in Seattle on Friday, five days after he was thrust into the national spotlight because of a shooting at a religious school in Wisconsin that killed a teacher and student.
Barnes’ departure comes as Madison police are still in the early days of their investigation into what motivated 15-year-old Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow to open fire at Abundant Life Christian School, killing teacher Erin West and 14-year-old freshman Rubi Patricia Vergara and critically wounding two other students. Rupnow then killed herself, authorities said.
In a statement announcing the decision, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said Barnes has demonstrated “impressive leadership capabilities” during the school shooting investigation.
Barnes was known to be a finalist for the Seattle job before the shooting. He has served as the chief of police in Wisconsin’s capital city since 2021. He also was a finalist to become chief of police in Chicago in 2023 and San Jose, California, in October.
Barnes did not mention the shooting in the statement from Harrell’s office. “My family and I are excited about the opportunity to integrate into Seattle’s vibrant community, known for its diversity, innovation and resilience,” Barnes said.
The Seattle mayor’s office office said Barnes was chosen over two other finalists, an assistant police chief in Montgomery County, Maryland, and a deputy chief in Los Angeles.
Harrell, Seattle’s mayor, reassigned former police Chief Adrian Diaz in May over allegations that Diaz discriminated against women and people of color. Diaz was fired this week after an investigation found he had an intimate relationship with a former television news anchor before he hired her as his chief of staff.
Barnes had long been rumored to be looking to leave the job in Madison, which has a population of about 280,000. Seven months into the position, he told the news outlet Isthmus that despite the rumors he was in the job “for the long haul.” Barnes’ three children and wife continued to live in Illinois, where he previously worked, while he rented an apartment in Madison, Isthmus reported.
Barnes has taken center stage responding to the school shooting with mixed results. His department initially reported that five people had been killed.
Two wounded students remained in critical condition Friday but were stable, UW Hospital said.
Barnes also said at a news conference that the first 911 call came from a second-grade student. A day later, Barnes said it had in fact come from a second-grade teacher.
Barnes has done many interviews with local and national media outlets this week, while defending not releasing more details about the shooter’s motivation or whether her parents may be charged, citing the ongoing investigation.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway on Friday congratulated Barnes on his new job and praised his handling of the shooting.
“I’m grateful that the Madison Police Department responded to this unthinkable crisis with the utmost professionalism and compassion,” Rhodes-Conway said in her own statement.
Barnes is a former U.S. Marine who began his law enforcement career in 2000 with the Greensboro Police Department in North Carolina. He left to become deputy chief of police in Salisbury, North Carolina, from 2017 to 2020. He worked as the director of training and professional development with Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability starting in August 2020 before coming to Madison as chief in February 2021.
The snow is starting to sink south this morning bringing this impressive system to an end for some. There will be the chance for lake-effect snow showers right along the lakefront through this morning as colder air wraps in from the northeast, which could keep roads messy through the morning. Overall, the heaviest bands of snow set up over Dodge, Washington, and Ozaukee counties, where we expect some of the highest snowfall totals to come from as things come to a close.
Skies will start to clear as we get into the afternoon, but winds will pick up as well as the low-pressure system departs. Winds will gust as high as 25 to 30 mph and temperatures will start to tumble this evening. Highs today will sit in the lower 30s falling into the lower teens tonight with wind chills in the single digits.
Things will be a little chilly on Saturday but not a bad day for some winter activities with highs in the mid-20s and a mix of sun and clouds. Expect low 30s on Sunday with mostly cloudy skies as we round out the weekend. A warm up then heads our way towards Christmas with a light mix of rain/snow Monday morning.
FRIDAY: Snow Ends, AM Lake-Effect Near Lake, Breezy & Clearing SkiesHigh: 34
Wind: N 10-20 G 30 mph
TONIGHT: Mostly Clear, Chilly (Wind Chill: Single Digits)
Low: 15
Wind: NNW 10-15 mph
SATURDAY: Partly Cloudy
High: 24
SUNDAY: Mostly Cloudy
High: 31
MONDAY: AM Mix Chance, Mostly Cloudy
High: 38
TUESDAY: Mostly Cloudy
High: 38
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