Tuesday, November 8, is Election Day in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition urges voters with disabilities to cast a ballot and participate in our democracy. The Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW) Voter Hotline is available to answer your voting questions. Contact the Hotline at 844-DIS-VOTE/ 844-347-8683 or info@disabilityvote.org. On Election Day, staff from DRW and Centers for Independent Living will conduct polling place accessibility reviews on behalf of the Wisconsin Election Commission. View press release…
Press Releases
For information on DRW news, events, or press releases, please contact:
Bob Poeschl at 920-944-2544 or email media@drwi.org.
For information on DRW action alerts, public policy, or voting efforts, please contact:
Lisa Hassenstab at 608-308-2639 or lisah@drwi.org.
Absentee Ballot Return Assistance for the Nov 8th Election
A federal court has affirmed the right of voters with disabilities to use ballot return assistance. Disability Rights Wisconsin is receiving questions from disabled voters who need assistance mailing or delivering their absentee ballots. These practices were restricted in the April and August elections because of litigation. An August 31st court order clarified that federal law protects the right of all disabled Wisconsin voters to receive assistance from a person of their choice to mail…
Statement from DRW on US District Court Western District Ruling
Disability Rights Wisconsin welcomes today’s order from Chief US District Judge James Peterson in Carey v. WEC. Judge Peterson confirms the federal rights of the four plaintiffs and of all disabled Wisconsin voters to receive assistance in returning their absentee ballots so that they can vote without fear that their ballots will be rejected or that they will be sanctioned. View an accessible PDF of the full statement here. Resources: Wisconsin Voters speak out: “Our…
DRW Awarded $600,000 Grant to Represent Survivors with Disabilities
Disability Rights Wisconsin is very pleased to announce that its Victim Advocacy Program (VAP) will be able to expand its legal representation in the areas of family law, victim’s rights, and immigration. The United States Department of Justice announced Thursday that it would award the VAP a 3-year Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) grant to provide comprehensive civil legal services to survivors with disabilities who have experienced domestic violence, sexual abuse, dating violence, or…
Communication to Wisconsin Clerks from Disability Rights Wisconsin
Disability Rights Wisconsin has sent the following communication to Wisconsin Municipal and County Clerks regarding the protections and accommodations afforded by federal and state law to voters with disabilities. It is the responsibility of election officials to provide reasonable accommodations in voting procedures for voters with disabilities, given the protection afforded for voters with disabilities in federal and state law. View DRW’s Communication to Wisconsin Clerks here (accessible PDF). View DRW’s Statement on Absentee Voting…
DRW Statement on Absentee Voting Protections
Absentee voting protections for people with disabilities after the Supreme Court of Wisconsin Teigen decision Updated: July 18, 2022 Following the Supreme Court of Wisconsin ruling on Teigen v WEC, Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW) has received many questions from voters with disabilities who vote absentee. Federal law protects the right of people with disabilities to have assistance mailing their ballot, and also to have a person of their choice deliver their ballot to their clerk…
DRW Applauds Vetoes: AB934, AB936, AB966 and AB970
Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW) applauds Governor Evers’ recent vetoes of bills that would have had negative impacts for individuals with disabilities in the areas of Medicaid and publicly-funded education. Regarding Medicaid, DRW appreciates Gov. Evers’ vetoes of both AB934 and AB936. AB934 would have added significantly to the burden already imposed on people who rely on Medicaid as the sole source for their health insurance. It would have required people to reapply twice as often…
DRW Statement on Senate Education Votes
On March 8th, the Wisconsin legislature declined to take up the opportunity to use a portion of the state’s $3.8 billion budget surplus to provide desperately-needed funding for students with disabilities. Meanwhile, the State Senate has passed a slate of education-related bills including AB970 and AB966. DRW has released a full press release on how these bills affect students with disabilities. Wisconsin’s students with disabilities deserve better. Read DRW’s full statement on the Senate Education…
DRW Statement on Today’s Supreme Court Ruling
Disability Rights Wisconsin is deeply disappointed by today’s ruling from the Wisconsin Supreme Court which will restrict practices for absentee ballot return for the April 5th election. Today’s ruling does NOT change anything for the Tuesday, February 15 election. Read the full statement here (accessible pdf).
DRW Commends Proposed Investments for Students and Families
Disability Rights Wisconsin appreciates that many parts of Governor Evers’ plan for the state surplus would help people with disabilities: a family caregiver tax credit, increased funding for special education, lead testing and remediation in schools, and expanded school mental health funding for student services staff. View DRW’s full press release here (accessible pdf).
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