Vote Tuesday!

The Spring Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, February 19. The candidates for Madison Mayor will be on the ballot, and depending on where you live, you may also have an election for School Board, City Council, or other local offices. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Click here to find your polling place.

 In-person absentee voting for the election is still available until Saturday, February 16, at the Madison City Clerk’s Office and additional locations throughout the city. To learn more about in-person absentee voting, including locations and times, please click here.

Remember: You must present an acceptable photo ID card to vote in Wisconsin. Click here to find out if you have the correct identification and to get information on how to obtain a free Wisconsin State ID Card for voting purposes.

Click here to see what is on your ballot.

Note: If you vote outside of the City of Madison, you will need to contact your local city or village Clerk’s office for absentee voting locations and times.

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Black History Month

Earlier this week, the State Assembly debated a resolution designating February as Black History Month. Unfortunately, what should have been noncontroversial became a partisan dispute as legislative Republicans shut down the Legislative Black Caucus’s resolution and instead introduced and passed their own alternative resolution.

The Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus included in their resolution a list of black individuals they chose to honor because of their contributions to black history. Because Republicans objected to certain inclusions on the list, including Wisconsin native Colin Kaepernick, they blocked a vote on the Black Caucus’s resolution and substituted their own resolution.

To tell black legislators how to celebrate Black History Month is the height of hubris and, frankly, a textbook example of white privilege. I stand with the Black Caucus as they honor their history.

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Water Quality

Wisconsin has over 15,000 lakes, and miles of rivers, streams and creeks. Yet water quality is a persistent and growing problem for many. Lead contaminated water is an issue that various communities such as Milwaukee, Middleton and Wausau, as well as others, still struggle with. This is a serious issue with a plethora of potential health implications. I was glad to see that Governor Evers has recognized the importance of this issue by declaring 2019 the “Year of Clean Drinking Water” in Wisconsin.

Gov. Evers has called for a $40 million investment to help bonding authorities fund the replacement of lead service lines across the state. One of the mechanisms to achieve this is by increasing bonding authority for Soil and Water Resource Management by nearly 50 percent. As another component of the effort to ensure clean drinking water, Gov. Evers’ budget will provide funds to groups such as UW- Extension for education and outreach to farmers and UW Center of Land Use Education. Because of these important investments, we have the opportunity to make 2019 the year to give every Wisconsinite access to the clean and safe drinking water they deserve. 

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Tax Bill

I support Governor Evers’ plan to provide responsible, meaningful tax relief to middle-income Wisconsin families, and so do the people of Wisconsin. Unfortunately, legislative Republicans once again put politics ahead of people by ramming Assembly Bill (AB) 4 through the State Assembly instead of working with the Governor and Democrats in the Legislature.  

Earlier this week, Republicans passed AB 4, a reckless proposal that uses one-time tax revenues to fund an unsustainable tax gimmick, on a party-line vote. It would leave a big hole in future budgets with no plan to pay for it, all because Republicans insist on keeping a massive giveaway to millionaires and big businesses. This makes no sense when so many working families are struggling to pay the bills.

Governor Evers has offered a fair and responsible plan to cut taxes for the average Wisconsinite within the context of the state budget and without breaking the bank. I stand ready to put people first by supporting the Governor’s proposal.

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February Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month

The Wisconsin Assembly adopted a resolution to recognize February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.  Every year, approximately 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner. It is also known that 3 in 4 parents have never talked to their children about domestic violence. In light of these alarming facts, every year during the month of February advocates join efforts to raise awareness about dating violence, highlight promising practices, and encourage communities to get involved. Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month provides an excellent opportunity for citizens to learn more about preventing dating violence, and to show support for the numerous organizations and individuals who provide critical advocacy, services, and assistance to victims. I look forward to introducing further legislation this session that works across the aisle in order to prevent dating violence from harming our youth.

National Dating Abuse Helpline  This hotline provides 24-hour national web-based and telephone resources to help teens experiencing dating abuse. Young people (as well as concerned friends, parents, teachers, clergy, law enforcement and service providers) anywhere in the country can call toll free, 1-866-331-9474, text “loveis” to 22522, or log on to the interactive website, loveisrespect.org, and receive immediate, confidential assistance.   

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Hometown Heroes

One of the newer traditions in the Assembly is for members to come together at the beginning of the session day and honor Hometown Heroes. A Hometown Hero is someone who makes a difference by giving back to their community and lending a helping hand to those around them. The Assembly pays tribute to these remarkable individuals by commemorating and introducing them as special guests at an Assembly floor session.

On Tuesday, it was my great honor to present the Hometown Heroes Award to Middleton Police Officers Tyler Loether and Richard O’Connor and Dane County Sheriff’s Deputies Matthew Earll and David Lambrecht. These men were the first responders to the shooting that occurred at WTS Paradigm back in September. 

These brave men helped to prevent a horrific tragedy from becoming even worse. I am proud to represent Officer Loether and Deputy Earll in the Assembly and sincerely appreciate the work that they do.

If you would like to suggest a nomination for the Hometown Heroes Award please feel free to contact my office at (608) 226-7521 or e-mail me at rep.subeck@legis.wi.gov. 

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Shadow Day

I was pleased to have Elena Haasl spend Wednesday morning with me in the Capitol.  While Elena is currently a freshmen at UW-Madison studying Community and Environmental Sociology and Political Science, she one-day hopes to hold public office herself.

As a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, I work to encourage people to participate in our democracy.  One of the best things about serving as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly is having the opportunity to work with students and other community members and help them develop a greater understanding of how their state government works for them.

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Fun Wisconsin Fact

To commemorate Black History Month, I’d like to highlight some black Wisconsinites who have had a major impact on our state’s history. One lesser-known but highly influential figure was Milwaukeean Ezekiel Gillespie (1818-1882).

Gillespie was a former slave who managed to purchase his freedom, moved to Wisconsin, and dedicated his life to improving the conditions of African-Americans in Milwaukee and the rest of the state. In 1886, Gillespie sued for the right to vote, and the Wisconsin Supreme Court found in his favor and recognized the right of black men to vote in Wisconsin. Black women finally gained the right to vote in 1920, with the passage of the 19^th Amendment to the US Constitution.

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