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Hi Friend,
On April 7, Wisconsin held a statewide election despite a stay-at-home order and a growing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. The Wisconsin GOP blocked Democrats’ efforts to provide mail-in ballots to every voter and the conservative-majority state Supreme Court overruled the governor’s call to postpone the election. Even the U.S. Supreme Court played a role, reversing a ruling that would have given Wisconsinites more time to vote absentee. On Election Day, hundreds of polling places were closed and many more were understaffed, requiring voters to travel farther and wait longer to cast a ballot.
While Democrats won an important seat on the state’s Supreme Court, democracy lost in Wisconsin.* Voters watched as GOP leaders knowingly exacerbated a public health crisis in hopes of maintaining power. Already, this voter suppression playbook is gaining traction at the national level, as the president and other top officials decry vote-by-mail as fraudulent. It’s a chilling preview of what may come in November.
The only way to curb the GOP’s anti-democracy agenda is to change the balance of power in our states. Historically, the GOP has used state-level legislation to test the limits of voter suppression with gerrymandering, voter purges, early registration deadlines, strict voter ID laws, and more. Electing Democratic majorities in state legislatures equips our democracy with strong advocates for fairness where it matters most.
As we brace for a challenging election this November, we’re especially thankful to you, Friend, and the entire Flippable community for being a part of this work. We understand that times are difficult and that you may not be able to give right now. If you are able, please consider making a donation to the Flippable Fund today to help our 2020 candidates run competitive races in such an important year.
Thank you for building better government with us, and stay safe.
*Jill Karofsky’s win shifts conservative control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court from 5-2 to 4-3. 
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