There are just 17 days left to help get a liberal judge on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. And we need your help to do it.
I shared a ton of information about this in Saturday’s post. In case you missed it:
Saturday was for talking. The next 17 days are for action.
Voces de la Frontera is supplying addresses to us so we can write postcards to help make sure a liberal judge gets on the ballot for the general election on April 4. They are:
- Active voters, not just on the rolls, but with a strong history of turning out to vote
- Partisanship score of 80-100% voting for Democrats
- African American
A bit of math in the hopes of inspiring you.
- If 100 people can write 100 postcards each, that’s 10,000 postcards.
- If 200 people can write 75 postcards each, 15,000 postcards.
- If every writer can find one person to join them in writing, we double our reach.
- If you have a postcard group or an Indivisible group other others, see if they can write.
With only 17 days before we can mail the last postcards, we are going for simple and expedient.
- We’ll have 3 sample postcards you can copy from.
- Maze Dancer will hand out the addresses, which are arriving today.
- If you have the time ,but not the money for postcards and stamps, let me know by email.
- If you are up for helping someone else out by providing stamps or postcards, let me know by email.
Four Candidates Enter, Only Two Candidates Make it On the Ballot
- 2 liberal justices
- 2 conservative justices
- Each voter gets to vote for one justice.
- We have to make sure that one liberal justice makes it on the ballot in April.
- Then we have to make sure that that liberal justice wins on April 4.
- If a liberal justice wins on April 4, the court will be split 4-3, with 4 liberals.
What’s on the line?
- The right to self-determination for women in Wisconsin
- The right to have your vote count
- Anything issue that makes it to the state Supreme Court
What can you do to help?
Let us know in the comments.
Questions? Ask them here.
We will have a postcard party & music thread tonight at 8 pm Eastern.
But of course postcards, can be written anytime!
wonkie
I can do postcards but how do I get addresses and what is the timeline? I have to order cards and won’t have any this evening.
WaterGirl
@wonkie: Good question!
Is there anywhere local where you can pick up cards
We’ll have specific information in the postcard thread tonight – how to contact MazeDancer for the addresses, etc.
Jojo
I might be able to wrangle up some people besides myself to write postcards, if that would be okay. They are not balloon juice readers so they don’t know about this effort -would I be able to get extra addresses for them?
WaterGirl
@Jojo: Yes, absolutely!
If you can vouch for people, or if folks have Indivisible groups or other groups that write cards, we would love for you guys to bring other folks in.
Would you be willing to have them let you know when they mail their cards and when they need more cards?
WaterGirl
With just 17 days to write, and wanting to get the cards out ASAP so we’re not wasting postcards on people who have already voted, starting earlier is better.
We are also encouraging early voting, so the biggest push will be to get as many cards out as early as possible.
WaterGirl
I should say that if there’s enough interest to allow us to make a difference, we also want to do Voces postcards for the primary and for the state senate seat. But those both have to wait until the cards go out for the Primary, because job #1 is to make sure a liberal judge makes it on the ballot for April.
CaseyL
I sent out my first batch of 25 postcards today; won’t be able to get more until tomorrow (I print them off at the office, since I don’t have a printer at home). I hope to churn out 100, all told.
I’m a little worried about the pre-printed cards that say “vote for Janet or Everett.” My understanding is that advocating for both of them is likely to split the Democratic vote, allowing two GOPers to go forward. I know they’re both great candidates, but shouldn’t we push for the one most likely to win?
WaterGirl
@CaseyL: We are waiting to hear from Voces on whether they will endorse BOTH or JUST ONE of the two candidates. They will text me as soon as a decision is made.
Even if they decide to endorse both, I let Voces know that we will be writing just in support of Janet P – because she seems most electable.
Three reasons: 1) worry about splitting the vote, and NO DEM getting on the ballot; 2) mentioning both in a postcard may confuse folks and leave them thinking they can vote for two candidates; and 3) postscards don’t have a lot of room for nuance.
Still, I’m very interested in seeing which way Voces goes with that decision.
WaterGirl
@CaseyL: Shorter, yeah, I would not recommend using those vote for Janet or Everett postcards.
Thanks for writing!
Also, the newer addresses – the ones we received from Voces today – are for ACTIVE VOTERS and strong Democratic partisanship score, so I think those will give us more bang for the buck, so to speak.
Mousebumples
@wonkie: if you have a local post office that’s still open, you can buy pre-stamped postcards! They’re blank, with plenty of room to write.
Otherwise, if you have access to a printer, you can print postcard designs from MazeDancer’s website. There are also upcycled options you be able to find online, too!
Mousebumples
And we might have more reasons to write, too –
WaterGirl
@Mousebumples: Surely that’s a cut-and-dried issue – they were either submitted on time, according to the rules, or they were not.
Let me guess, this will eventually go to the Wisconsin Supreme Court?
Leslie
I have postcards and stamps — I forget how many postcards exactly, but around 40, I think? I just need addresses.
Mousebumples
@WaterGirl: I’m not sure. It might go to the Wisconsin Election Commission. Hypothetically non partisan, but….
Mousebumples
@Mousebumples: broken link to the article, above –
Link
So it sounds like the Elections Commission is the defendant.
WaterGirl
@Mousebumples: Sorry! raw links that are long break the margins on phones, so I added the “link”, but apparently it got goofed up in the process. It’s fixed now.
CaseyL
@WaterGirl: I didn’t use that particular design, and I did exceed my brief (so to speak) by writing in “Please vote for Janet!”
WaterGirl
@CaseyL: Makes sense to me!
Rule #1, don’t confuse people. :-)
The Up and Up
I tend to use a hodge podge of stamps on the postcards, something colourful and/or patriotic. The current rate is 48 cents up from 44 last year when I participated in such. You can also use the Postcard Forever Rate stamps without worry. I try to add a personal touch, mention that a high school election one year ended in a tie but a more recent important race (Insert a local place & position) was won by x votes. The Arizona Attorney General, WA District 3, for examples.
Omnes Omnibus
I understand as well as anyone the importance of this race, but I am not at all a fan of people here taking sides in the primary.
Jojo
@WaterGirl: yes. It would be an Indivisible group in Wauwatosa WI, and we do a lot of postcard parties.
Jojo
@WaterGirl: and I can do those things you asked for.
WaterGirl
@The Up and Up: Nice touch!
WaterGirl
@Jojo: That’s great news!
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I totally get what you’re saying.
Kristine
I can write some. Just give me the wording/points to hit.
Omnes Omnibus
@WaterGirl: I love the idea of supporting the candidate after the primary, don’t get me wrong.
WaterGirl
@Kristine: Great! That will be in the postcard thread that goes up at 8 pm.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: Maybe we could add…
(Or vote for the other liberal judge, Everett M.)
Would that resolve your concern?
Omnes Omnibus
@WaterGirl: just telling people to vote in the primary would be cool.
CaseyL
@Omnes Omnibus: It’s a jungle primary, meaning that whoever the two top vote getters are go forward to the general.
The Democratic vote could split, and only the two GOPers get into the general.
That’s what we want to prevent.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: It’s complicated to explain on a postcard that there are 2 liberal judges and we’d like you to vote for one of them, and you only get to vote for one, and if neither of them gets the most votes then we’re screwed. And here’s why both judges would be good. Along with the date of the election and everything else.
That’s a lot for a postcard! I’m sure you see the problem. But I get why you don’t like the solution
Can you suggest wording for a postcard that would get all that across, and would fit?
edit: I tried, but it got pretty complicated. Maybe you can do better? (I will add that that’s a sincere question, in case it came out wrong.)
Omnes Omnibus
@CaseyL: I understand the fucking rules. It’s not like I live in the state or worked for the agency that oversees WI elections. But thank you for explaining to me.
@WaterGirl: If people feel they must get involved in the primary and you have a list of Dem leaning voters, then just encourage them to vote on day of the primary.
Linda
I can write some if you give me the language and some addresses!
WaterGirl
@Linda: Hi Linda,
Please send me an email and let me know how many addresses you would like.
watergirl at balloon-juice.com
WaterGirl
@Linda: Here are some postcards with language you can use. If you click on the image you will get a larger version that will be easier to read.