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Your Monthly Climate Digest

 Wisconsin VOTED NO, the General Election, events, and more

Hi John,

We won! Our efforts to defeat the radical constitutional amendments on Aug. 13 were successful, thanks to your support and your vote. This is a huge victory for Wisconsin.

These amendments would have weakened checks and balances in state government, impaired critical life-saving responses to emergencies, doubled-down on gridlock in the state legislature, and impacted clean energy and climate action.

I couldn't be more proud of this effort. Wisconsin Conservation Voters was one of the first to sound the alarm and to fight these amendments in the legislature. We created the Wisconsin Votes No coalition, pulling together a diverse coalition of groups that ranged from farmers to reproductive rights advocates to environmentalists and more. And then we ran what might be the largest campaign of its kind in Wisconsin history. 

Now it’s time to take that momentum into November for the General Election. Keep scrolling for more information on what’s happening with Wisconsin Conservation Voters and be sure to sign up for our upcoming events!

Thank you for being a conservation voter,

Kerry Schumann

Executive Director

We “moved mountains” to defeat radical ballot amendments

What an amazing effort and win last week. My phone was buzzing all night as accolades kept rolling in. Not for me, but for the Wisconsin Conservation Voter movement we've built together, like when WisDems Chair Ben Wikler tweeted “@WIConservation has been a force of nature in this fight. Thank you!" and “@WIConservation moved mountains.” That’s pretty high praise! You made this victory happen. 

Here’s how your support made it happen:

• A coalition of 11 groups working to get the word out
• Nearly $1.9 million spent on a wide variety of tactics
• 114,000 doors knocked on across five regions
• Two pieces of mail to more than 700,000 households
• 2,000 yard signs distributed
• Pledge cards, fact sheets, and other resources to help volunteers spread the word
• More than $125,000 in digital ads

Thank you for being with us every step of the way. We are showing, time and again, that if we run smart, strategic, and aggressive campaigns, we can fight back against the anti-democracy, anti-environment forces in this state. 

I am so grateful to have every one of you with us in this win and I can't wait to keep this enthusiasm and momentum going into November!

"Democratic legislators and other elected officials, who spoke out and held town halls and an array of allied groups who joined together, led by Wisconsin Conservation Voters, in the extraordinary Wisconsin Votes No coalition, which led a $1.9 million campaign incorporating everything from door-to-door canvassing to digital ads to mail to 'Vote No!' yard signs."

- Ben Wikler, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin  

Onto November 5! We know we can do it

Last week’s election proved that winning big is possible, even when we start down in the polls. Now, we head into fall and the general election. We’ve issued two rounds of endorsements, and will be issuing another very soon. And we have a plan to get them elected. 

As with the successful Wisconsin Votes No campaign, we know that when we’re unified and motivated and have a strategic vision for victory – we win. And winning on Nov. 5 is essential. We will again work with partners across the state to build a coalition of groups and people to take back Wisconsin.

As you may know, this will be the first time we elect representatives under fair voting maps. We have a very real opportunity to shift the balance of power away from the gerrymandered anti-conservation majority in the Assembly and toward a pro-conservation majority that actually represents what Wisconsinites want for themselves, families, and the state.

Our comprehensive election plan is bold and big. It prioritizes talking to people one-on-one in communities that have the chance to flip seats to pro-conservation legislators. We want to speak with people face-to-face at their doors and on their phones, through the mail, at events, through email, and online with digital advertising. 

We know how much Wisconsinites care about clean water, clean energy, a healthy future for their families and friends, and a robust equitable democracy that works for everyone in Wisconsin. Now, we must introduce them to the candidates who will take the lead on those issues when elected.

As with the recent victory, you are the key to success in November. Your support and your action will help determine Wisconsin’s future. You will help build a movement even stronger than the last to transform Wisconsin and build a cleaner, healthier, brighter future for the state we love.

Join us for these upcoming events

Conservation at the Dairy

Sept. 9 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

An evening of fun, food, and drink with others who care about rural clean energy, protecting clean water, and the future of conservation in Wisconsin.

Register here >

Green Tie Milwaukee

Sept. 18 at 6 p.m.

Celebrating:

Kerry Schumann, for 20 years of leadership as Executive Director of Wisconsin Conservation Voters

Sharon Adams, for exceptional leadership on conservation initiatives in Milwaukee and statewide

Law Forward, for visionary work to defend voting rights and advance the fight for fair maps

Get your tickets here >

Telling Wisconsin’s clean energy stories

Check out some new stories about how folks are using Pres. Biden’s Clean Energy Plan.

Electric vehicles and two cities – and how they are investing in clean energy – are featured in our new videos that highlight Wisconsin’s clean energy stories.

Watch them here:

• John and Carrie's Story: How federal incentives helped us upgrade to an EV
• City of Green Bay rolls out Clean Energy Plan
• Appleton's new sustainable library is benefiting city residents

“A force of nature…”

Check out some of our recent media clips:

• Wisconsin State Journal: “'Once explained clearly, Wisconsin voters understood that these attempts were yet another power grab by politicians and their special interest backers,' said Kerry Schumann."

• Wisconsin Public Radio: "Critics argued the amendments would have introduced too much red tape by making it harder for Wisconsin to distribute aid quickly during an emergency, such as an environmental disaster or another public crisis."

• Daily Kos op-ed by Ben Wikler: "...allied groups joined together, led by Wisconsin Conservation Voters, in the extraordinary Wisconsin Votes No coalition, which led a $1.9 million campaign incorporating everything from door-to-door canvassing to digital ads to mail to “Vote No!” yard signs."

• WBAY First Alert in Green Bay: "'Voters are clearly tired of these underhanded tactics and won’t be fooled by tricks and dishonesty,' said Kerry Schumann."

• WisPolitics: "Wisconsin Votes No, a referendum committee organized by Wisconsin Conservation Voters, reported  that it spent $1.4 million against the amendments."

• Wisconsin Examiner: "The single largest campaign was a coalition, Wisconsin Votes No, assembled by Wisconsin Conservation Voters."

• Isthmus: "'This is a resounding rejection of the political games that are so often perpetrated on the people of Wisconsin by the majority party in the legislature,' said Seth Hoffmeister."

• Wisconsin Independent: "'This is a victory for Wisconsin and will allow the efficient mobilization of federal funding when necessary for everything from natural disaster response to childcare services,' said Kerry Schumann."
  

Wisconsin Conservation Voters
133 S. Butler Street Suite 320
Madison, WI 53703
United States

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