News

The Wisconsin Election Commission is meeting on December 1 at 8 AM to discuss their response to the Legislative Audit Bureau’s October 2021 Report on Elections Administration (Report 21-19). View December 2021 WEC meeting information on their website here. Disability Rights Wisconsin and the Disability Vote Coalition provided public comments to inform the Commission’s response. View the provided public comments from DRW and DVC here (accessible pdf).

Ever feel like your rights were violated by someone who was treating you for a mental illness? Ever feel like your family member or ward with an intellectual disability was not treated fairly by a provider agency? If so, you have the right under Wisconsin law to complain about how you were treated. DRW has developed a self-help packet that will guide you, step by step, through the process of filing a grievance against a…

Disability Rights Wisconsin is hiring for a Supervising Attorney in Civil Rights. This position is full-time and based out of one of DRW’s offices in Rice Lake, Madison, and Milwaukee. The Supervising Attorney is responsible for providing individual advocacy and direct legal representation on disability rights issues, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Rehabilitation Act. Furthermore, they will participate in litigation, systems change initiatives, and outreach and training. The…

The Joint Legislative Audit Committee released their report on the administration of the November 2020 election in Wisconsin. A public hearing was held on November 9th. Overall the report affirms that our elections are safe, secure, and accurate. In the report, the Legislative Audit Bureau makes 30 recommendations to the Wisconsin Elections Commission and 18 issues for the Wisconsin Legislature to consider. Disability Rights Wisconsin and the Disability Vote Coalition submitted comments on the LAB…

The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy. Recent investigations have called into question the voting rights of care facility residents and people with disabilities, including cognitive disabilities. As advocates for people with disabilities and older adults, the undersigned agencies affirm these voting rights and demand that policy makers commit to upholding the state and federal laws that protect these voting rights. View the full statement affirming voting rights here (accessible pdf).

Disability Rights Wisconsin is hiring for a Protection and Advocacy Intake Specialist. This position is full-time and will be based out of one of DRW’s offices in Rice Lake, Madison, or Milwaukee. The intake specialist is responsible for the initial contact with clients looking for information and referral or advocacy services from DRW. The application deadline is November 19th, 2021 or until filled. Alternate formats of the position are available upon request. Consideration for distance from office…

DRW’s Barbara Beckert spoke with WPR about the need to ensure the voting rights of Wisconsinites who live in nursing homes and other care facilities. Care facilities have a responsibility to affirm and support the right of residents to vote, and to ensure that residents are free of interference, coercion, discrimination, and reprisal from the facility in exercising their rights. Listen to the WPR interview here. View the DVC’s Residential Service Providers: Resources for Voters…

Wisconsin Public Radio interviewed DRW’s Barbara Beckert regarding the investigations by the Racine County Sheriff of voting in nursing homes, and the voting rights of care facility residents. Read about the investigations of voting rights of care facility residents here via WPR here. Listen to WPR’s interview with Barbara Beckert here.