Among the most disheartening results on election night 2016 were those from the state of Wisconsin. A state that had not gone Republican since 1984 went, shockingly, for the Con Man from Queens, Mafia Don himself. The results were as follows (from Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections):
|
Donald J. Trump |
Michael R. Pence |
Republican |
1,405,284 |
47.22% |
10 |
|
Hillary Clinton |
Timothy Kaine |
Democratic |
1,382,536 |
46.45% |
0 |
|
Gary Johnson |
William F. Weld |
Libertarian |
106,674 |
3.58% |
0 |
|
Dr. Jill Stein |
Ajamu Baraka |
WI Green |
31,072 |
1.04% |
0 |
|
Write-ins |
- |
- |
22,812 |
0.77% |
0 |
|
Darrell L. Castle |
Scott N. Bradley |
Constitution |
12,162 |
0.41% |
0 |
|
Evan McMullin |
- |
- |
11,855 |
0.40% |
0 |
|
Other (+) |
- |
- |
3,755 |
0.13% |
Yes, that 10 in the upper right corner indicates electoral votes that in a normal election would have been ours. (And again we see the pernicious Stein effect, where the Stein vote was bigger than the margin by which Clinton lost.)
You need to see this, too.: Rigged: How Voter Suppression Threw Wisconsin to Trump.
Counties that went for Clinton (with the % of the vote she won): Ashland (52.6), Bayfield (51.5), Dane (70.4), Douglas (50.4), Eau Claire (49.7), Green (48.0), Iowa (54.3), LaCrosse (50.9), Menominee (76.6), Milwaukee (65.5), and Rock (51.7).
Counties where Clinton was close (5 points or less): Columbia, Door, Kenosha (.3!), Racine, Sauk (.4!), and Vernon.
In the rural counties, we got hammered.
NOTE: The 2016 turnout in Milwaukee County was 441,053. In 2012 it was 492,576. This was the most significant drop-off, the result of Scott Walker’s vote suppression tactics and the deliberate use of social media to discourage minority turnout.
We can’t let any of this happen again.
And by god, we’re not going to.
IMPORTANT FACTORS FOR 2020:
Wisconsin has the most farm bankruptcies in the country.
The manufacturing sector is having a rough time right now.
Morning Consult has Trump underwater in Wisconsin by 17 points.
This state is winnable! It will be hard as hell, because Wisconsin is always a battle. I was deeply involved in the 2004 effort there. With the help of thousands of volunteers, we won the state for Kerry. Obama won easily both times. Those days can—and WILL—return!
So where do we start?
Obtaining a voter ID in Wisconsin.
Obtaining a FREE voter ID in Wisconsin.
Once ID has been obtained…
Register to Vote in Wisconsin online.
First time voter info for Wisconsin.
EVERYTHING about voting in Wisconsin, including how to check your registration.
And if you want to volunteer in this vital state, here’s where to look!
Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
Democratic Party of Wisconsin on Facebook.
One Wisconsin Now.
Progressive groups in Dane County.
Connect with Progressives in Wisconsin. (Old link, but there should still be useful info here.)
Wisconsin Grassroots Network.
The Democratic Party of Milwaukee.
The Democratic Party of Milwaukee Meet-up Group.
EVERY COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN WISCONSIN.
How to Volunteer.
Indivisible.
Organizing Corps 2020.
Election Protection, Common Cause. (Vital!)
NAACP:
Wisconsin
NAACP Wisconsin State Conference
P.O. Box 45102
Madison, WI 53744
naacpwi@hotmail.com
Find Local NAACP Units in this state
You know what I say?
GOTV. GOTV. GET OUT THE DAMN VOTE.
Here are my suggestions:
A. We need to PERSONALLY contact, in a face-to-face way, at LEAST 100,000,000 U.S. voters. The reasons we must do that are laid out HERE.
B. We must EXPAND the electorate. We must turn out at LEAST 85,000,000 Democratic voters. The groups we most need to target are examined right HERE.
C. Registering new voters is KEY. Voter registration information is HERE.
D. Each Democratic activist should set a goal of registering at least 10 new Democratic voters. My thoughts on how to do this are HERE.
E. We need clear, effective talking points and a clear plan of action. My suggestions for all of these things are HERE.
F. You can already donate money to whoever ends up as Trump’s Democratic opponent. That can be done HERE.
ON WISCONSIN!