Did in-person voting on April 7 result in a spike of COVID-19 infections or didn't it? We don't yet know. Why? Because we have not seen the kind of widespread testing that would tell us. AND we have not (yet) see a spike in the kind of serious symptoms that would require hospitalization. But we still have some lessons to learn from the experience of holding the April 7 election. First, have a look at an essay by Charles Stewart, III, Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Director of the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, and Co-Director of the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project. His piece, Important lessons from the Wisconsin primary, points out that "turnout was surprisingly high" for a nonpartisan election and that "the subtle-but-real leftward shift in Wisconsin’s electoral landscape continues." He then outlines four specific lessons:

1. It is possible to rapidly expand vote-by-mail even when you’re not prepared for it....
2. In-person voting is still necessary.
3. A surprisingly good primary [and good nonpartisan election] does not guarantee a surprisingly good general election.
4. Wisconsin’s electoral landscape is shifting.

A key explanation for the leftward shift of our electorate may well have been our unwavering focus on encouraging our voters to request and return absentee ballots by mail. An analysis by the New York Times, Vote by Mail in Wisconsin Helped a Liberal Candidate, Upending Old Theories, shows that Jill Karofsky "performed 10 percentage points better than her conservative opponent in votes cast by mail than she did in votes cast at Election Day polling places, a gap that powered a surprising 11-point victory...." Reid Epstein, the author of the article, writes "the gap suggests that Democrats were more organized and proactive in their vote-by-mail efforts in an election conducted under extraordinary circumstances, with voters forced to weigh the health risks of voting in person against the sometimes unreliable option of requesting and mailing in their ballots."

The key lesson we need to draw from the analysis: we have to redouble our efforts for the August 11 and November 3 elections. Our hard, though sometimes hurried, efforts to mail thousands of postcards to potential voters in our North Shore communities paid huge dividends. We are also mailing 1200 postcards to potential voters in Wisconsin's 7th CD, where Tricia Zunker is waging an uphill battle for the congressional seat vacated by Sean Duffy months ago. The election is on May 12, so we won't know whether our efforts and other similar ones by other groups will have made a difference until weeks from now. But we are already gearing up to begin another round of postcards to North Shore voters. And that's where you come in.

We've had a gratifyingly large group of volunteers writing postcards both before the April 7 election and for the special election in the 7th CD. We've been able to provide each volunteer with a kit complete with postcards, names and addresses, sample scripts, instructions for what to do, and, of course, stamps. The kits are assembled and delivered to each volunteer's door: no one needs to take any risks to get the job done. But we need funds, especially for stamps, to reach a large enough number of voters. So, along with every candidate for office and every progressive organization known to humankind, we are holding our virtual hands out. Please give what you can — 100 postcard stamps cost $35 and we need thousands to make a difference!

Yesterday, Craig Gilbert published a piece in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that tracks Wisconsin's voting trends. What he sees is "signs of cracks" in what were once the deepest red WOW counties. Washington, Ozaukee, and Waukesha counties are still voting for GOP candidates, of course, but Democrats are making significant inroads, especially in Ozaukee. Gilbert notes that "The drop in the conservative margin in all three counties was bigger than it was statewide." We don't have to win races in these counties to make a big difference in the outcome of elections for statewide offices. Now if we can make some inroads in the votes for legislative districts that have been so gerrymandered, Wisconsin might be able to return to its sensible, and progressive, roots.

I'm returning to providing a weekly list of events. Several are happening virtually while some are simply suspended or canceled. I hope you'll find the information useful.

EVENTS

Tue Apr 21, 2020

Virtual Drinking Liberally MKE, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Online
Drinking Liberally MKE will meet virtually. Download the Zoom app, for free, on a computer or phone at https://zoom.us/. At 6:30 Join the virtual happy hour at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87100815577

Wed Apr 22, 2020

Virtual: Community Justice Council, 9:30am - 11am
Online
Milwaukee Community Justice Council Meeting of the Whole will have an Online/Virtual meeting. More information on the web and on Facebook.

Info: Refuel the Resistance, 6pm - 8pm
Bounce Milwaukee, 2801 S. 5th Ct., Milwaukee
Bounce is currently open for delivery and carryout. Refuel the Resistance is canceled for now. More information.

Canceled: Drinking Liberally Glendale, 6:30pm - 9pm
Bavarian Bierhaus, 700 W. Lexington Blvd., Glendale
Bavarian Bierhaus is closed for now and Drinking Liberally is canceled until further notice. Drinking Liberally Glendale meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month. A monthly meetup to eat, drink, and talk politics with like-minded people. More information.

Drinking Liberally Port Washington, 6:30pm - 8pm
Schooner Pub, 114 N Franklin St, Port Washington
Please call for up to date information.

Thu Apr 23, 2020

Info: Mental Health Board Meeting, 4:30pm - 4:30pm
TBD
This meeting is posted as TBD. Check the link below for updates. Milwaukee County Mental Health Board Meeting. Public Comment: none. More information.

Citizen Action of WI presents: Achieving Good Jobs & Equity — A Virtual Forum, 6pm - 7:30pm
Online
Panel members will speak to the topic followed by chat questions: PamFendt, President, Milwaukee Area Labor Council; Rahdae Redd, Horticulturist, Reddy Lawn Care; Sam Denaiski, Renew Wisconsin. Questions that our panel members will help us explore: • What are good, green jobs? • How do green jobs benefit the community andthe environment? • What training opportunities and resourcesexist to support good, green job development? • What are the current barriers to equity inthe green job sector? • How can we ensure equity when prioritizing green employment opportunities? Join Zoom Meeting. Meeting ID: 598 255 924 Password: 101092. One tap mobile +13126266799,,598255924# US (Chicago) +16465588656,,598255924# US (New York).

Sat Apr 25, 2020

Suspended: Community Brainstorming, 8am - 11am
Suspended
Community Brainstorming Conference will suspend its monthly breakfast forums until further notice. More info.

Info: Stand for Peace, 12pm - 1pm
Suspended
In light of the governor's Stay at Home Order, Peace Action Stands for Peace have been suspended until the order is lifted. Stand for peace in the streets of Milwaukee, every Saturday at noon. Organized by Peace Action Wisconsin.

Wed Apr 29, 2020

Info: Refuel the Resistance, 6pm - 8pm
Bounce Milwaukee, 2801 S. 5th Ct., Milwaukee
Bounce is currently open for delivery and carryout. Refuel the Resistance is canceled for now. More information.

Sat May 2, 2020

Info: Stand for Peace, 12pm - 1pm
Suspended
In light of the governor's Stay at Home Order, Peace Action Stands for Peace have been suspended until the order is lifted. Stand for peace in the streets of Milwaukee, every Saturday at noon. Organized by Peace Action Wisconsin.

Mon May 4, 2020

Cancelled: Drinking Liberally Waukesha, 6:30pm - 9pm
Five Points Pub, 314 W. Main St., Waukesha
Drinking Liberally is canceled this month in response to COVID-19. The organizers suggest supporting the Clarke Hotel, their venue, by ordering take-out or purchasing a Clarke Hotel gift card Drinking Liberally Waukesha meets the first Monday of each month. More information.