Destiny of democracy to decide by Wisconsin supreme court elections

Voters showed a strong commitment to upholding democracy in 2023 by participating in elections all the way down the ballot. Elections that were once unknown have become popular. Voters in state supreme court contests, which will decide whether or not they can get abortions, whether or not their ballots are tallied, and how their voting districts are created, turned out in unprecedented numbers.

The significance of state courts in defending our basic liberties and democratic processes in 2024 is demonstrated by the election of Janet Protasiewicz to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in April and Dan McCaffery to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in November.

The anti-democratic movements’ centers of gravity for contesting the outcomes of the 2020 and 2022 elections were Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Wisconsin and Pennsylvania filed fewer election-related lawsuits than Arizona did in 2022. Similarly, in 2020, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin were among the six crucial battleground states where the great majority of election cases were filed.

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Protasiewicz and McCaffery’s victory indicates that people desire judges who stand up for basic liberties and oppose irrational challenges to election outcomes. Voters installed pro-democracy judges on their state supreme courts, so erecting a vital barrier against attempts in 2024 to thwart popular will.Voters showed a strong commitment to upholding democracy in 2023 by participating in elections all the way down the ballot. Elections that were once unknown have become popular. Voters in state supreme court contests, which will decide whether or not they can get abortions, whether or not their ballots are tallied, and how their voting districts are created, turned out in unprecedented numbers.

The significance of state courts in defending our basic liberties and democratic processes in 2024 is demonstrated by the election of Janet Protasiewicz to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in April and Dan McCaffery to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in November.

The anti-democratic movements’ centers of gravity for contesting the outcomes of the 2020 and 2022 elections were Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Wisconsin and Pennsylvania filed fewer election-related lawsuits than Arizona did in 2022. Similarly, in 2020, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin were among the six crucial battleground states where the great majority of election cases were filed.

Protasiewicz and McCaffery’s victory indicates that people desire judges who stand up for basic liberties and oppose irrational challenges to election outcomes. Voters installed pro-democracy judges on their state supreme courts, so erecting a vital barrier against attempts in 2024 to thwart popular will.

With the biggest attendance ever for a Wisconsin Supreme Court contest held outside of the regular year on April 5, “Judge Janet” prevailed. Over $42 million was spent on the contest, almost double the previous national record for a court election. Voters’ attention was drawn to the state supreme court contest in an unexpected way, but when Roe v. Wade was repealed by the U.S. Supreme Court and the Jan. 6, 2021, uprising, they mobilized to defend their right to an abortion and their right to vote. Wisconsin was only the start, too.

Dan McCaffery beat Carolyn Carluccio in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court contest in November. McCaffery was outspoken in his support of democracy, Pennsylvanians’ ability to vote, access to healthcare, and other concerns. Although McCaffery’s victory maintains the current party balance on the seven-seat Supreme Court, a defeat would have intensified the upcoming bitter battles over voting rights, abortion, and redistricting.

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Republicans’ attempts to limit voting rights and thwart the choice of the people in 2020 have led to a rise in interest in state supreme court contests among voters. Following significant Supreme Court rulings that gave state legislators control over voting rights and reproductive justice, the public is likewise paying more attention to the legal system. The public is currently calling for justices to judge on matters without favoring one party over another and to respect the democratic process. People in America are starting to realize that state courts may act as a barrier between our freedoms and democracy.

We witnessed firsthand the fervor of voters for these contests at Stand Up America. To inform Wisconsin voters about the significance of the Supreme Court election, our members wrote 22,000 handwritten letters, participated in hundreds of volunteer shifts, and sent 1 million peer-to-peer texts to voters. Our members encouraged volunteers to SMS more than 130,000 voters in Pennsylvania to cast ballots. We were also able to get pro-democracy celebrities like Alicia Keys, Andy Cohen, Bradley Whitford, and Chelsea Handler to encourage their supporters to vote and serve in judicial elections because of the enthusiasm surrounding these contests.

State supreme court elections will be a crucial arena for defending democracy in 2024. In 2024, voters in 33 states will choose the chief justice of their respective courts. Elections in Ohio, Michigan, and other states will be crucial in protecting our right to vote.

We cannot afford to elect justices who will not publicly express their views on matters pertaining to democracy or face more attacks on our right to vote and access to reproductive healthcare. Voters in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania have demonstrated admirably that the people who actively participate in preserving our democracy are its strongest pillars.

Source:
https://thefulcrum.us/Government/State/wisconsin-state-supreme-court-election

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