June 19, 2024 – The ABA Task Force for American Democracy is holding an event in Madison: Elections in the 21st Century, which is being held both in person and via live webcast​.

Hosted by the State Bar of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Democracy Task Force, this half-day program is nonpartisan and explores Wisconsin election issues and how they affect democracy and civic engagement.

The event is Tuesday, July 9, 2024, is free of charge and runs 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. While the event is in-person at the State Bar Center in Madison, registration is currently at full seating capacity. The event will be webcast live on the ABA website. ​We ask that you register for the webcast via the event page on congressweb.com.

Find out more information, including a schedule and where to register, on Wisbar.org.

More about the Program

Speakers include ABA President Mary Smith and Hon. Jeh Charles Johnson, task force co-chair and former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.

​Johnson opens the event with a presentation, “The Threat to Democracy.” U.W. Law School Dean Daniel Tokaji will speak on federal election litigation.

This event also includes panel discussions on:

• The voting protections in the Wisconsin Constitution and election laws in Wisconsin.

• Nuts and bolts on federal election litigation.

• Social media engagement and civil discourse and how they affect who votes.

• Election mechanics and how it works (explained by local clerks and election administrators).

Find the full schedule on Wisbar.org.

Goal: Helping People Understand the Election Process and Find Good Information

These listening sessions are important because the current environment does not seem to give people of differing viewpoints the chance to discuss the issues of the day, said former State Bar of Wisconsin President and current ABA President-elect Michelle Behnke of Madison.

“People are not sure ​​where to get good information and where to ask questions,” she said. “These listening sessions are a start to helping people understand more about the election process, and where and how to get good information.”

The ABA Task Force chose Wisconsin as a host for the listening sessions because it is a battleground state, “which means that lots of resources for information and disinformation will be deployed here,” Behnke said. “Helping people understand the voting process and mobilizing lawyers to be helpers in their communities is important to our democracy.”

“As a state that is truly a ‘purple state,’ this event presents a unique opportunity to have people of varying views come together to discuss election process and our democracy.”