A day late but here's the rest of this week's Grassroots North Shore newsletter. And let me start with an event that was just announced but has voting as its mission:

When We All Vote North Shore, Tuesday, September 25, 6pm
Whitefish Bay Library, 5420 N. Marlborough Drive, Whitefish Bay
Grassroots North Shore member Charles Trimberger is sponsoring a When We All Vote event. That entire week is reserved for the national kickoff of When We All Vote, the nonpartisan voter registration initiative launched by Former First Lady Michelle Obama. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend, even those who are not eligible to vote because of age or citizenship. Volunteers who are interested in recruiting and registering younger voters are especially invited. For additional information, email Charles or call (414) 315-4400. You can find the event on the When We All Vote Facebook events page.

Voting rights are NOT spelled out in the US Constitution, though they are often included in state constitutions and statutes. In all cases, they are a tangle of regulations governing how and where citizens can register to vote, what times polls open and close, who is eligible to access an absentee ballot, who is eligible to vote early (plus when and where early voting will take place), what rules govern provisional ballots, and more. In other words, voting is a complicated weave of laws, court decisions and behaviors that are often difficult to understand and largely invisible to the average citizen.

In Wisconsin, as in other states where Republicans have complete control of the governorship and the legislature, the last eight years have seen a substantial number of changes to voting laws generally making it harder for some populations to vote accompanied by a number of legal challenges to them. Chief among these are early voting regulations and redistricting (gerrymandering).

Shortly after the Republican party gained control of Wisconsin's government, early voting was, by statute, limited to 10 days, always ending at the close of business on the Friday before election day, and could not include any evening or weekend hours. That meant the end of a revered tradition called Souls to the Polls that took place in largely African-American churches on the Sunday immediately preceding the election. Moreover, each city, village, and town was limited to a single early voting location. So the roughly 1500 residents of River Hills could vote early but only at the Village Hall and the roughly 600,000 residents of the city of Milwaukee also could vote early during business hours but again only at City Hall. Fortunately, federal courts have weighed in so that early voting dates and places are now more responsive to voters' needs. In fact, early voting in the city of Milwaukee will begin in September.

Here is a preliminary account of early voting places and dates in the North Shore:

Gerrymandering — the practice of drawing district lines for Congress, State Senate, and State Assembly to favor the candidates from a particular political party — is a national problem and a disgrace. In Wisconsin, the practice was challenged in federal court, all the way up to the Supreme Court, in a case known as Whitford. That case was ultimately sent back to the trial court on the technical issue of "standing" (whether Professor Whitford and his fellow plaintiffs had the right to a hearing on their challenge to a statewide election map). Last week, Whitford was refiled, with some additional plaintiffs and some additional information about the harms to voters. And the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee filed yet another lawsuit, following the road map Justice Elena Kagen laid out in her concurring opinion on the original Whitford case. You can read a detailed explanation of these legal actions at Election Law Blog in a post by Nicholas Stephanopoulos.

Neither of these cases will be decided in time for relief in the upcoming November elections, but their impact could be enormous, for good or for ill, once they are decided. Meanwhile, several states &mdsah; including Michigan, Missouri, and Utah — are hoping to pass ballot initiatives to take redistricting out of partisan hands and return more fairness to national and state elected bodies. Pennsylvania's State Supreme Court has put new, nonpartisan district maps in place for the 2018 election cycle. And there are a number of states, including Wisconsin, where legislative solutions are being proposed by grassroots groups such as the Fair Maps Coalition (Grassroots North Shore is a member) and legislative bodies (41 of the 72 counties in Wisconsin have passed resolutions calling for fair maps for our state).

In addition, cases in Maryland and North Carolina continue to wend their way through the court system.

So, what's all this got to do with you? Progressives, liberals, Democrats, and yes small-d democrats need you to vote this November. You can vote on election day — Tuesday, November 6, from 7am to 8pm — or you can vote early (see the chart above for more information). You, your family, your friends, and your neighbors: everyone should check their own voter registration by going to https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/ and clicking on "My Voter Info." You will also be able to find out when you last voted, who your elected officials are, what your polling place is, and what will be on your ballot.

Voting is a right you have to exercise to maintain and it is the ONLY obligation of citizenship that guarantees that you will wake up in a representative democracy on November 7, 2018. Urge everyone you know, regardless of their political leanings, to use their right to vote every time an election rolls around!

EVENTS

Tue Sep 18, 2018

Criminal Justice Event: Evers/Barnes/Holder, 2pm - 3:15pm
Coffee Makes You Black, 2803 N. Teutonia Ave, Milwaukee

Please join Tony Evers and Mandela Barnes for a panel discussion with Eric Holder, former Attorney General in the Obama administration. They will discuss criminal justice reform.

Wed Sep 19, 2018

WisPolitics Lunch, 11:30am - 1pm
Zilber School of Public Health, 1240 N. 10th St., Milwaukee
Join WisPolitics.com for lunch with Axios Editor-in-Chief NicholasJohnston. He is set to discuss the media’s relationship with PresidentTrump and the fall elections in Wisconsin and around the country.Check-in and lunch begins at 11:30 a.m., with the program going from 12p.m. to 1 p.m. There will be a moderated discussion and a Q&A sessionwith audience members. WisPolitics subscribers and members $20 perperson, general public $25, students $15. More information and tickets.

MPD Town Hall Meeting, 5pm - 7:30pm
Washington Park Senior Center, 4420 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee
Chief Morales and other community leaders will be on hand to discuss police and community relations. Hosted by NAACP, Office of Violence Prevention, and Office of African American Affairs.

Refuel the Resistance, 5pm - 8pm
Bounce Milwaukee, 2801 S. 5th Ct., Milwaukee
Weekly gathering at Bounce Milwaukee's mezzanine bar for networking, inspiration or just to vent. Bring along any evidence of your civic resistance from the last week to get a beverage (up to $7) on the house, and compare notes with other individuals and groups working to make things better. More information.

Drinking Liberally Wauwatosa, 6pm - 9pm
Walter's, 6930 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa
Drinking Liberally Tosa returns at a different venue while repairs are made to the Red Dot. Come join fellow Wauwatosa progressives for good conversation. DLW meets monthly on the 3rd Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Southwest Region Dems Meeting, 7pm - 7pm
Studz Pub Sports Bar & Grill, 6833 W. National Ave., West Allis
Southwest Dems will hold their monthly meeting. Region 5 covers Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield, Hales Corners, Milwaukee (Southwest), West Allis, West Milwaukee. For more information contact [email protected].

Thu Sep 20, 2018

On the Issues: U.S. Supreme Court, 12:15pm - 1:15pm
Marquette University, Eckstein Hall, 1215 W. Michigan St., Milwaukee
Two Supreme Court experts will explore how the Court has changed over the decades with regard to important areas of constitutional lawinvolving individual rights and federal–state relations. RSVP required.

Fri Sep 21, 2018

Julie Henszey Meet & Greet, 5:15pm - 7pm
2602 N. Lefeber Ave., Wauwatosa
An evening to get acquainted with Julie Henszey, Democratic candidate for State Senate in District 5. Light appetizers and beverages provided. For questions please contact [email protected] or 414-563-7717.

"The People Speak" Film, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Peace Center, 1001 E. Keefe Ave., Milwaukee
A documentary based on Howard Zinn's groundbreaking books A People's History of the United States and Voices of a People's History of the United States, featuring music by Eddie Vedder and performances by Viggo Mortensen, Sandra Oh, Sean Penn, Rosario Dawson, Don Cheadle, John Legend, and many other great performers, It will air on TV and be released on a special DVD. The People Speak shows the rich history of dissent in our history, and explores why it is so relevant and urgent today. Facebook event.

Sat Sep 22, 2018

Community Brainstorming: Voting 101, 8am - 11am
St. Matthew CME Church, 2944 N. 9th St., Milwaukee
Community Brainstorming Conference Breakfast Forum Breakfast: 8 am, Program: 9 am Topic: Voting 101: Make Your Vote Count Panel: Neil Albrecht, Executive Director, Milwaukee Election Commission Evan Goyke, State Representative, 18th District Anita Johnson, Voting rights advocate, Souls to the Polls, VoteRiders Dr. Pamela Malone, sociologist, MATC Moderator: ViAnna Jordan, Chairperson: Hon. Russell W. Stamper Sr. All Are Invited, Come and Participate.

Stand for Peace, 12pm - 1pm
Wisconsin Avenue & 16th Street, Milwaukee
Stand for peace in the streets of Milwaukee, every Saturday at noon. Organized by the United Nations Association of Milwaukee, Peace/Conflict Committee. This week's event will focus on the humanitarian disaster caused by U.S. and Saudi warmaking in Yemen that needs to be brought to public attention. A group of Democratic members of Congress, including Rep. Mark Pocan, intend to introduce legislation invoking the War Powers Resolution to force a vote on ending unconstitutional U.S. participation. More information: https://twitter. com/RepRoKhanna/status/1037694909174763520

Chris Larson Fundraiser, 2pm - 4pm
3233 S. Herman St., Milwaukee
Join State Sen. Chris Larson for a backyard get together and fundraiser. It's an opportunity to talk about the future of Wisconsin, share an update on Democratic efforts to win a progressive majority in the State Senate, and chat about how we will beat Scott Walker in November! Please consider donating to ensure Chris has the resources he needs to win re- election and help elect other progressive candidates. Contribution Levels: Host: $500 | Sponsor: 250 Activist: $100 | Friend: $50 | Voter: $25 Online contribution.

Mon Sep 24, 2018

Julie Henszey Fundraiser, 5pm - 6:30pm
Cafe Hollander, 2608 N. Downer Ave., Milwaukee
Join special guest Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling at a reception to support Julie Henszey for State Senate (District 5). Host $1000 Patron $500 Sponsor $250 Suggested contribution $100 All contributions gratefully accepted. Contact: Alex or 414-563-7717

Harvest of American Racism: Author Event, 7pm - 7pm
Boswell Book Co., 2559 N. Downer Ave., Milwaukee
The editor of The Harvest of American Racism: The Political Meaning of Violence in the Summer of 1967, Robert Shellow, led the team of social scientists researching the root causes of 1967’s violent protests for the Kerner Commision. Shellow and Madison-based attorney Dean Strangwill discuss the first publication of the Harvest report after a half-century of being buried for political reasons. Many of the issues it describes are still with us, including how cities might more effectively and humanely react to groups and communities in protest.This event is cohosted by Boswell Books and Wisconsin Justice Initiative.

Tue Sep 25, 2018

Evers Press Club Event, 11:45am - 1:15pm
War Memorial Center, 750 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr., Milwaukee
The Milwaukee Press Club and the Rotary Club of Milwaukee will present a joint program featuring Tony Evers, Democratic candidate for governor. The cost to attend is $20 for MPC members, $25 for non-members, $15 for students. Lunch is included. Registration deadline is Friday, September 21. Advance registration and payment are required. RSVP, payment, and more information.

On the Issues: Revitalizing MKE Neighborhoods, 12:15pm - 1:15pm
Marquette University, Eckstein Hall, 1215 W. Michigan St., Milwaukee
Three Milwaukee business women will discuss their projects that are investing in and revitalizing neighborhoods that have long been ignored and neglected: Garfield School and the Griot project in Bronzeville, and the burned BMO Harris bank building that will become home to a dozen businesses in the Sherman Park area. RSVP required.

"Why We Fight" Film, 5:45pm - 8pm
Greenfield Public Library, 5310 W. Layton Ave., Greenfield
Citizens Coalition and Peace Action present Why We Fight, a 2005 documentary film about the military-industrial complex.

Wed Sep 26, 2018

On the Issues: MKE Schools, 12:15pm - 1:15pm
Marquette University, Eckstein Hall, 1215 W. Michigan St., Milwaukee
With the departure of former superintendent Darienne Driver, thestate’s largest school district is now under new leadership. Dr. Keith Posley was the chief school administration officer for MPS before being named superintendent. He’s been with the district since 1990, having also served as an elementary school teacher, assistant principal, and principal. Learn about Posley’s plans for MPS and what needs to be done to improve student performance. RSVP required.

Refuel the Resistance, 5pm - 8pm
Bounce Milwaukee, 2801 S. 5th Ct., Milwaukee
Weekly gathering at Bounce Milwaukee's mezzanine bar for networking, inspiration or just to vent. Bring along any evidence of your civic resistance from the last week to get a beverage (up to $7) on the house, and compare notes with other individuals and groups working to make things better. More information.

Drinking Liberally Glendale, 6:30pm - 6:30pm
Bar Louie, 5750 N. Bayshore Dr., Glendale
Drinking Liberally Glendale meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Come drink a beverage or two of your choice and talk about Liberal stuff. More information.

Thu Sep 27, 2018

Mental Health Board Meeting, 4:30pm - 4:30pm
Washington Park Senior Center, 4420 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee
Milwaukee County Mental Health Board Meeting. Public Comment: Budget. More information.

WisPolitics Election Preview, 4:30pm - 6:30pm
University Club of Milwaukee, 924 E. Wells St., Milwaukee
The WisPolitics.com election preview assembles some of Wisconsin’s foremost political experts to lay out the challenges and advantages for Walker, Baldwin, and all of the candidates from across the political spectrum who will be navigating the 2018 ballot. Individual Cost: $40 per person. Appetizers included, Cash bar. RSVP, payment, and more information.

Fri Sep 28, 2018

Voces de la Frontera Gala, 5:30pm - 9pm
Harley-Davidson Museum, 400 W. Canal St., Milwaukee
Voces de la Frontera’s biggest fundraiser of the year will be the 2018Gala: The Power of the Latinx Vote. Cocktails 5:30, Dinner and Program 6:30. Ticket sales end on September 7. More information and tickets.

Sat Sep 29, 2018

Black Women's Empowerment March, 9am - 2pm
Pete's Fruit Market, 2323 N. Martin Luther King Cr., Milwaukee
Join UBLAC Milwaukee, Black Women, and supporters to honor the great Vel Phillips, mobilize voters for November elections, and stand in solidarity with Black Women's Blueprint. Rally with opening speakers, including U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore; march down Vel Phillips Avenue; and conclude at Clinton Rose Park with closing speakers and a resource fair. Food will be served after the march. Facebook event.

Stand for Peace, 12pm - 1pm
Martin Luther King Drive & North Avenue, Milwaukee
Stand for peace in the streets of Milwaukee, every Saturday at noon. Organized by the United Nations Association of Milwaukee, Peace/Conflict Committee.

Mon Oct 1, 2018

Nikiya Dodd Fundraiser, 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Wicked Hop's Jackalope Lounj, 345 N. Broadway, Milwaukee
Join in to support Nikiya Dodd, candidate for alderperson in November's special election for Aldermanic District 5. Host $500 | Sponsor $250 |Friend $100 Suggested Contribution: $50 All contributions gratefully accepted. Online contribution and more information.

Drinking Liberally Waukesha, 6:30pm - 9pm
Clarke Irish Pub, 314 W. Main St., Waukesha
Drinking Liberally Waukesha meets the first Monday of each month. More information.

Tue Oct 2, 2018

Do Black Votes Matter?, 6pm - 8pm
Brown Deer United Methodist Church, 5736 Brown Deer Rd., Brown Deer
it's a question with many nuanced answers. Reggie Jackson, Head Griot of the Black Holocaust Museum, will explore the myriad dimensions of this question, with Q & A and conversation to follow his talk. Doors open at 6; program begins at 6:30. Light refreshments will be served. Sponsored by Grassroots North Shore, Nurturing Diversity Partners, Rid Racism Milwaukee, and the Brown Deer United Methodist Church. RSVP.

MICAH Meeting on Equity in MPS, 6pm - 7:30pm
Cross Lutheran Church, 1821 N. 16th St., Milwaukee
MICAH believes supporting transparency and accountability will make MPS strong and successful. The meeting will advocate for regular updates to the public on equity procedures, disproportionate discipline of black students, and efforts of the Black and Latino Male Achievement Office. Facebook event.

Julie Henszey Meet & Greet, 7pm - 7pm
660 Adelmann Court, Brookfield
Take this opportunity to meet Julie Henszey, Democratic candidate for State Senate in District 5. Light appetizers and beverages provided. For questions please contact [email protected] or 414-563-7717.

Wed Oct 3, 2018

Refuel the Resistance, 5pm - 8pm
Bounce Milwaukee, 2801 S. 5th Ct., Milwaukee Calendar: Social
Weekly gathering at Bounce Milwaukee's mezzanine bar for networking, inspiration or just to vent. Bring along any evidence of your civic resistance from the last week to get a beverage (up to $7) on the house, and compare notes with other individuals and groups working to make things better. More information.

Grass Roots South Shore Meeting, 6pm - 8pm
Cudahy Library, 3500 Library Dr., Cudahy
Grass Roots South Shore meets on the first Wednesday of each month. For more information call Jim Balk, 414-218-5944.

Sat Oct 6, 2018

Stand for Peace, 12pm - 1pm
Stand for peace in the streets of Milwaukee, every Saturday at noon. Organized by the United Nations Association of Milwaukee, Peace/Conflict Committee.