Residents of Wisconsin will elect a new state Supreme Court justice Tuesday, and both Democrats and Republicans are seeking to utilize younger voters to spread the word about the election.
Republican-favored candidate Judge Brian Hagedorn will be going up against Democratic-endorsed candidate Judge Lisa Neubauer at the polls. Hagedorn currently serves as an appellate judge, while Neubauer serves as the chief judge on the Waukesha Court of Appeals.
The importance of this election has inspired third-party organizations to rely on younger citizens of Wisconsin to inform, motivate and even canvass neighborhoods for the upcoming election.
One such organization is NextGen Wisconsin, a political advocacy organization dedicated to inspiring the next generation of voters to get involved in activism.
Along with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, they co-hosted a “Get Out the Vote Canvass” which brought together college and high school volunteers alike to teach them how to best communicate with potential voters and spread the word about the election on Thursday in Madison.
Previously, NextGen Wisconsin held similar events for other progressive candidates, such as Gov. Tony Evers and Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Dallet.
Both NextGen Wisconsin and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin expressed their support for Chief Judge Lisa Neubauer and canvassed accordingly on Thursday. Katrina Morrison, a public affairs organizer for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, said they chose to endorse Neubauer because they believe she is committed to making fair and impartial decisions, including ones that relate to women’s health.
“This election is really important because we know that Hagedorn will not protect reproductive rights for Wisconsinites,” Morrison stated Thursday. “We want to ensure that Wisconsin does not head down that dangerous path.”
Although most of the volunteers that showed up to NextGen Wisconsin’s event were high schoolers — some not even eligible to vote yet — they were eager and attentive to get out and canvass with NextGen.
When asked about the importance of getting younger Wisconsinites involved in the political process, NextGen Wisconsin Director Hannah Marcus emphasized the work NextGen does is for them.
“It’s their future we’re fighting for,” Marcus said. “Getting them engaged is the most important thing.”
In addition to NextGen’s outreach efforts, other groups in Wisconsin are also utilizing their resources to campaign. College Republicans of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who are endorsing Hagedorn in Tuesday’s election, are benefitting from access to 40,000 potential voters on campus alone.
“Judge Brian Hagedorn is a perfect example of someone who puts his role as a judge and upholding the constitution above his personal views and opinions,” College Republicans Chairman Charlie Mueth said. “He’s been doing it for several years, and many people that have worked above him have said that he’s really devoted to that cause and to just making sure that the rule of law is upheld.”
The organization has already phone-banked potential voters, and members have expressed the importance of personal testimony to get through to younger voters who are unsure about their stance in the election.
“If you’re able to communicate to somebody why you’re voting for a candidate and how they can help you out, that goes a long way and it really convinces a lot more people than you’d think,” Mueth said.
The influence of Both NextGen Wisconsin and College Republicans of UW-Madison on younger, high school- and college-aged voters could be the deciding factor in Tuesday’s general election.
With the state Supreme Court currently sitting with a 4-3 conservative majority, Republicans are hopeful that Hagedorn could further strengthen the majority, while Democrats in support of Neubauer seek to even out the justices.
