Endorsements: The Two Constitutional Amendments: Please Vote NO

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The most important items on the August Primary Ballot are the two Constitutional Amendments. Please Vote NO

The Shepherd Express, along with the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, Chippewa Valley Votes, EXPO of Wisconsin, GROWW, Law Forward, Oregon Area Progressives, Souls to the Polls, Wisconsin Urban League of Greater Madison, WAVE Educational Fund, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, Working Families Power, Wisconsin Voices, Power To The Polls WI, plus dozens more, strongly encourage you to vote no on the two constitutional amendments.

Wisconsin Organizations Urge Voters to Vote No on August Constitutional Amendments 

As the above organizations and groups who work together to strengthen our democracy and serve the people of Wisconsin, we urge voters to vote NO this August on the two constitutional amendments. 

Not only are these two statewide ballot questions intentionally confusing, but they will create real harm. The constitutional amendments would impact the process for distributing federal money by adding unnecessary red tape and slowing funds to those in urgent need. 

No matter our race, background or zip code, when disasters like tornadoes hit or our communities are in need, Wisconsinites take care of each other. We expect the same from our government. When there is a crisis, we don’t have time to wait for the slow-moving legislature to get funds to our fellow Wisconsinites.

It's no secret that Wisconsin’s legislature spends more time playing partisan games than acting on the issues Wisconsinites care about the most. In 2020, the Wisconsin State Legislature was one of the least active in the country. 

This is a trend in the legislature, which:

  • continues to refuse money that could be used to provide healthcare to almost 90,000 Wisconsinites
  • blocked $125 million dollars that could be used to help Wisconsinites access safe and clean drinking water amidst the PFAS contamination crisis 
  • cost Wisconsinites $36 million dollars that would combat the opioid epidemic 

Our governor is accountable to the whole state through a fair, statewide election. When our tax dollars are not distributed to meet our needs or don’t align with our values, it’s far easier to hold the governor accountable at the ballot box than the entire legislature. 

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Our laws already give legislators a say in how tax dollars are spent through the collaborative state budget-making process. These amendments would give the legislature excessive power to decide how to distribute federal funds. We cannot allow our legislators to siphon even more power for themselves and then sit on our money while they gavel-in and gavel-out of session when we need them most. 

Like we saw this April, these constitutional amendment questions on the ballot are broad-sweeping and unclear – this is no accident! Let’s say no to purposefully confusing ballot questions. Let’s say no to more red tape. 

This August, we can come together for our communities and vote down these harmful constitutional amendments. 

Please Vote NO this August on both constitutional amendments.

State Assembly

Assembly Race District 19: Reelect Ryan Clancy

The State Assembly election getting the most attention is District 19 which comprises the East Side, part of Riverwest, Downtown, the Third Ward and Bayview. The voters are fortunate to have two smart, qualified candidates. The Shepherd endorsement committee unanimously endorsed current State Representative Ryan Clancy.

Clancy has apparently served his constituents well because he was a winner of the Shepherd’s Best of Milwaukee reader generated contests for the last few years. The district is a progressive district and Clancy fits the bill. After college, he joined the U.S. Peace Corp, taught in MPS, started and ran a small business, and more. He early on strongly opposed the Iraq War as the invasion seemed imminent. As an elected official and Clancy was both a Milwaukee County Supervisor and a Wisconsin State Assemblyman, he took on difficult issues such as jail and prison reform and tenant’s rights. He also has a master’s degree in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding. 

He is endorsed by dozens of organizations including the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, Wisconsin Education Association Council WEAC, AFSCME, American Federation of Teachers Local 212, Citizen Action, Black Leaders Organizing for Communities BLOC, Clean Wisconsin Action Fund, Planned Parenthood Advocates, Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Working Families Party, the district’s State Senator Chris Larson, Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic and many more.

Ryan is married and has five children.

Please Vote to Reelect Ryan Clancy for State Assembly on August 13.

There are several legislative primaries that have some very engaged grassroots campaigns that go under the radar. These are often low budget but energetic door-to-door campaigns that are difficult to evaluate. We do not feel we have enough accurate information to be fair to all the candidates so rather than damage someone’s campaign by a poorly researched endorsement, we are simply not endorsing in all these Assembly campaigns.

Milwaukee County Treasurer 

Dual Endorsement: Ted Chisholm and David Cullen 

Milwaukee County voters are fortunate to have two very qualified and experienced individuals running for Milwaukee County Treasurer: Ted Chisholm and incumbent David Cullen.

Ted Chisholm has served in two important positions in the county. He was chief of staff for County Sheriff Ernell Lucus and most recently he served as senior administrator for management, finance and strategy in the Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court’s Office, overseeing budget and accounting services and jury management.

David Cullen started his public service getting elected to the State Assembly where he was a member of the Joint Committee on Audit and chaired the Insurance Committee. He also received Clean Wisconsin’s prestigious Clean 16 award. David also served on the Milwaukee County board of supervisors where he was co-chair of the County’s Finance, Personnel and Audit Committee.  He was elected Milwaukee County Treasurer in 2014.

Both candidates have a long list of endorsements from community leaders and organizations.