Advocacy

Voter Registration Resources

The League of Women Voters of the Northwoods (LWVNOW) initially introduced an innovative set of voter registration tools called the Voter Education and Registration Assistance Project (VERAP) to libraries in the chapter’s home counties of Florence, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas. The tools are, however, available online for any public, academic or secondary school library that wants to set up a voter registration station.

The primary project goal is offering community members an additional location where they can self-register to vote and learn what else they need when they vote.

In 2019, WVLS provided all member libraries and the Marathon County Public Library branches with copies of the VERAP resource notebook, and two sizes of instructional notebooks linked below, along with quantity of How to Register and Vote brochures. LWVNOW relays periodic updates regarding changes to Wisconsin voting statutes resulting in notebook updates through WVLS staff to member libraries.

Downloadable tools include an Instructional Notebook for patrons to use at library computers for self-registering to vote, either online at www.myvote.wi.gov or via paper registration, as well as a Resource Notebook containing up-to-date information on the many questions voters frequently ask: When is the next election? Where do I vote? How can I vote absentee? Who are the candidates on my ballot? Who is my municipal clerk? What is an acceptable proof of my residence? and what can I use as my photo ID? A simplified Instructional Notebook can be adapted to sit beside public computer stations.

The Notebooks are available on the LWVNOW Voter Information webpage

VERAP Resource Notebook (WVLS issued white 3-ring binder) Revised 08-2020.
How to Register and Vote Brochure: Revised 09-16-19*
VERAP Instructional Notebook, Online Voter Registration Instructions at MyVote.wi.gov (WVLS issued black 3-ring binder) Revised 08-2020.
VERAP Simplified Instructional Notebook, How to Register to Vote on MyVote.wi.gov

*To print a reduced size copy of the brochure on letter size paper, choose double sided copy flipped on the short edge from print menu options.

LWVNOW, a chapter of the US and Wisconsin League of Women Voters, is a nonpartisan political organization that neither supports nor opposes candidates for office at any level of government. VERAP was inspired by collaborations between the Kenosha Public Library and their City Clerk’s office; and by the LWV of Milwaukee County, Milwaukee School District and the Milwaukee Elections Commission. The intent is to distribute VERAP tools statewide.

More Voter Registration Information

National Voter Registration Day. September 19, 2023. It’s an opportunity for community volunteers and organizations to spotlight educating and assisting voters who are not registered or need to update their registration to reflect an address or name change. Librarians do that all year long!

MyVote Wisconsin is a one-stop website for everything Wisconsin voters need to know about when, where, and how to participate in our democracy. Find information about election dates, polling places, what will appear on the ballot, voter registration, absentee voting, and how to contact your municipal clerk. In addition, military voters and permanent overseas voters may use MyVote Wisconsin to request and receive an absentee ballot online.

Bring it to the Ballot is the official website explaining what photo ID Wisconsin voters need to bring along to vote on Election Day. Find out which photo IDs are acceptable, how to get a free photo ID if you need one, and what the exceptions are to the photo ID requirement.

More general information for Wisconsin voters is found at the Wisconsin Elections Commission and the State of Wisconsin Ethics Commission websites.

VOTE411 is committed to ensuring voters have the information they need to successfully participate in every election. Whether it’s local, state or federal, every election is important to ensuring our laws and policies reflect the values and beliefs of our communities. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters Education Fund.

Read & Share Stories

Libraries Supporting Voter Turnout

Libraries Supporting Voter Turnout: Answers to Your Questions About the 2020 Election
A webinar sponsored by DPI and hosted by the Winnefox Library System on October 12, 2020

Recording

Resources List

Panelists:

· Amy Peterson, Lena Public Library & Town of Little River

· Eileen Newcomer, WI League of Women Voters

· Krissy Wick, Madison Public Library

· Richard Rydecki, Wisconsin Elections Commission 608-261-2015

Topics covered:

· Voter registration and other basic election information

· How librarians can support voter turnout

· Voter assistance websites and guides

· Wisconsin Election Commission resources

· Experiences of a small town rural librarian who is also a Town Clerk

· Municipal designation of libraries as person absentee and Election Day voting sites

Basic Advocacy Resources

American Library Association

Wisconsin Education Media & Technology Association

Wisconsin Library Association

South Central Library System

Advocacy and Community Support

Winnefox Library System

Library Use & Return on Investment Calculator

Illinois Library Association

Additional Advocacy Resources

ALA Legislative Action Center
Every CRS Report
- The Congressional Research Service (CRS), a division of the Library of Congress, is Congress’s think tank, researching and compiling nonpartisan reports on a governmental issues. This site, with bi-partisan support, make these reports available to the public. Updated regularly.
C-SPAN Video Library
- More than 228,000 hours of video (just about everything that has ever aired on C-SPAN), updated on a daily basis. Historical content includes debates, speeches, rallies, and more. Users can create custom video clips to save and share. Essential.
Getting a busy signal when you call Congress? Here’s how to get through. the Christian Science Monitor (February 13, 2017 but still relevant information)
About the Wisconsin Legislature – Follow the Process
Advocacy Associates Blog (Congressional Advocacy Tips)
Not Good with Elevator Speeches? Try ‘Taxi Chats’
Wisconsin Council on Children & Families Legislative Advocacy Guide and Legislative Advocacy Toolkit Helpful Hints
WVLS Libraries and Legislators Contact Information 2023-2024

Keeping Your Library Neutral

Keeping yourself and your collection politically neutral ensures that you are in good ethical standing and exemplifies one of the missions of libraries: to provide the greatest amount of access to as much diverse materials as possible.

Political Ethics: Keeping Your Library Neutral by Andrew Hart 10/19/2016

The article addresses ways of expressing bias, librarians as public servants, library ethical codes, evaluating your collection, and evaluating your library services (advertisements, displays, programs).

Resources

Code of Ethics of the American Library Association.
IFLA Code of Ethics for Librarians and other Information Workers (International Federation of Library Associations).

WVLS Libraries Transform Project

WVLS Trustees Louise Olszewski and Tom Bobrofsky, Nancy Amacher (Withee Public Library Board), with 23rd District Senator Kathleen Bernier at 2020 Library Legislative Day.

WVLS librarians are continuing to provide legislators serving districts that include all or portions of WVLS counties with opportunities to learn more about the way Wisconsin libraries transform their communities. Funding to support WVLS and its sister public library systems across Wisconsin is appropriated through the biennial state budget process. A new state budget will be written in 2021.

The Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) began its Libraries Transform! poster project in 2016 as part of the association’s 125th Anniversary, and as a vehicle for building relationships between legislators and libraries. WLA’s goal is to create and maintain a complete set of legislative posters for display in local libraries. The project is based on the American Library Association’s Libraries Transform Campaign.

Pictured are 85th District Rep. Pat Snyder with WVLS Trustee Mike Otten and T.B. Scott Free Library Assistant Director Laurie Ollhoff at 2018 Library Legislative Day.

The large library card featured on each poster includes logos from all the public library systems across Wisconsin. It is symbolic of the fact that legislative districts frequently include portions of counties from more than one public library system.

Completed Posters are available for these WVLS area Legislators: Representatives Edming, Felzkowski, Kulp, Mursau, Snyder, Spiros, Swearingen, and Senators Petrowski and Bernier.

Additional copies of each poster may be purchased for display at local libraries (a friendly welcome when legislators return for a listening session or office hours) for $20 by contacting the WLA office at 608-245-3640 or

Send us your “Libraries Transform!” News!

Do you have stories or photos of legislators’ visits to your library to share? Do you have questions about the Libraries Tranform! poster project? Contact Kris Adams Wendt at kawendt@w vls.org.

Mary Felzkowski Senate District 12 - Libraries Transform Poster