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August 2014Vol 2, Issue 2
Your Voice 
Your Choice 
OPEIU Local 39 Newsletter
Greetings!
Union Fish Election season has begun! What, you missed the emails about voting last week? Not to worry. In this edition of the newsletter, you'll find a recap of the primary election held last week. Also, did you know you may (or may not!) have to show ID at the polls this fall? Do you know what the whole "Voter ID" issue as all about? More on that below.
In This Issue
Quick Links
Will You be Allowed to Vote?
Last week, Wisconsin had a primary election (see results, below). If you happen to be amongst the nearly 75% of eligible voters who didn't vote last week, do you know whether or not you still can, come November's general election? Do you know where to vote, or when you can vote?

Unfortunately, none of us can assume that just because we voted last time around that we can vote this time. Or next. States like Wisconsin have been rushing through many different bills that affect who can vote, where we can vote, and when we can vote.  Governor Scott Walker has signed numerous bills relating to our elections, including a Voter ID bill and other bills restricting early and absentee voting. Do these changes affect you?

The so-called Voter ID bills are the ones that get the most attention. Across the country, restrictive Voter ID bills have been proposed and passed in many states, including Wisconsin. The arguments in favor of Voter ID laws emphasize "restoring the security" and "confidence" in elections. You can find a good run down of the arguments here.

Graphic from ThinkProgress
The problem is, even those pushing for the Voter ID laws don't even believe their own argumentsbut if that isn't enough, a new study from a coalition of civil rights groups has come out looking at incidents of voter impersonation cases over the last fourteen years. Every election in every municipality over 14 years, equaling over one billion votes cast. Their conclusions? Out of 1,000,000,000 (one billion) votes cast they found 31 cases of possible voter impersonation fraud of the kind that could have been stopped by requiring State-mandated voter IDs. The study didn't just look at convictions for voter impersonation, but any credible allegation of fraud. You can find them listed, all thirty-one, on this page of the Washington Post. 


So the laws designed to make elections "more secure" and instill "confidence" in the electorate have been shown to do neither of those things. What they have been shown to do is prevent otherwise-eligible people from voting. As reported by Justin Levitt writing in the Washington Post:

In just four states that have held just a few elections under the harshest ID laws, more than 3,000 votes (in general elections alone) have reportedly been affirmatively rejected for lack of ID. (That doesn't include voters without ID who didn't show up, or recordkeeping mistakes by officials.)  Some of those 3,000 may have been fraudulent ballots.  But how many legitimate voters have already been turned away?

Who do these laws disenfranchise? There have been stories of senior citizens who have voted their entire lives being turned away at the polls. In some states, women find themselves unable to vote because they got married and changed their names to match their husband's! While gun concealed-carry permits are allowed as forms of ID in some states, student IDs are not.

What does all this mean for Wisconsin and our election coming up in November? Recently, the Wisconsin State Supreme Court upheld Scott Walker's voter ID bill but, because of a lawsuit at the Federal level, the ID requirements weren't in place for the primary. Will they be for the general election in November? Not likely. Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has made two requests to have the Federal ruling put on hold before this year's Governor's election. A federal judge has denied one request but the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has yet to rule. 

March on the Capital This November is a HUGE election in Wisconsin because it will determine who sits in the Governor's office. Four years ago, lots of people stayed away from the polls, allowing a minority of voters to elect Scott Walker, who has proven himself to be no friend to Unions or unionized workers like teachers. Our own OPEIU lost members when bargaining units in various state offices and schools lost their right to collectively bargain. It is rumored that next up will be pushing Act 10-like restrictions on cops and firefighters and we know that Walker supporters have been urging him to introduce so-called Right to Work legislation.

Everyone who wants to have their voice heard this November should bookmark this link, because as the Voter ID bill makes its way through the courts, the changes will be reflected on that page. Be sure you get registered IMMEDIATELY if there have been any changes in your name, your address, marital status, etc. Arranging your schedule to get to vote is hard enough, but to take time off just to be turned away? Don't let that happen! We want every Union member to have their voices heard this fall. Maybe, just maybe, 2015 will see us begin to roll back some of the horrible anti-worker legislation that has been crammed through the legislature over the last four years and signed by Scott Walker.
Primary Results
via photopin
The contest is now set for the general election. This fall, that date is:

Tuesday, November 4th.

On the Democratic side, Mary Burke won the primary for Governor while John Lehman won for Lieutenant Governor. They will face anti-worker incumbents Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch in the general election.

For the Attorney General election, there won't be an incumbent. Susan Happ will go against Brad Schimel for that post.

Upcoming Membership Meetings
Unions = Gym Membership
Membership meetings are held the third Wednesday of the second month of the quarter, at 5:30 PM at the Local office. What does that actually mean?

 

August 20th, 2014 - CANCELLED
November 19th, 2014
February 18th, 2015
May 20th, 2015
August 19th, 2015 

This is your Union. Your participation gives us the tools we need to face the continued opposition of both companies and politicians. We strive to make the meetings relevant and to the point. Please  stop by and participate in the democracy that is your Union.
Collective Bargains

The AFL-CIO created Union Privilege in 1986 to provide union members and their families with valuable consumer benefits. With Union Plus benefits, your union membership "pays" at work and at home.

 

By using the collective buying power of unions, we are able to offer valuable, discounted products and services exclusivelyto working families.  Savings.  Service. Solidarity.

The next election is pivotal in Wisconsin and we'll be doing all we can to keep everyone up to date on election and voting issues. Join us over on Facebook to continue the discussion.
 
In Solidarity,
 
OPEIU Local 39
 
Copyright OPEIU Local 39. Content written and/or edited by David O. Engelstad
photo credit: "CAVE CANEM" via photopin cc
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