Plenty of people have died to protect American democracy. No one should have to die to participate in it.

It sure doesn't look like Wisconsin officials will agree to authorize an exclusively mail-in approach to voting here, but you can take matters into your own hands. If you haven't already done so, you can request an absentee ballot for the August and November elections at myvote.wi.gov/en-us/VoteAbsentee.

And you can help candidates you support get on the ballot by signing nomination papers for them from the safety of your home. The candidates who stand to benefit most from this effort are those who are not getting party help. Bucking the system and challenging the establishment is never easy, and it's harder than ever during a pandemic.