Home > About Us > Government Relations > ABA-Event

Elections in the 21st Century

Tuesday, July 9, 2024
12:30 PM - 5:00 PM CDT

Featuring: ABA President Mary Smith; Task Force Co-Chair Secretary Jeh Charles Johnson

Save the date for this one day program to explore Wisconsin election issues and how they affect democracy and civic engagement. This program will be the kick off of ongoing efforts to bring Wisconsinites together to listen and discuss important issues related to democracy.

This nonpartisan event will include 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)

This Wisconsin program builds on the ABA Task Force on American Democracy. ABA President, Mary Smith and Task force Co-Chair, Secretary Jeh Charles Johnson will open the program.

Register to attend at no cost:

In-Person Registration FULL

Webcast Registration

Tuesday, July 9, 2024
12:30 – 5:00 (Reception to Follow)

Location
State Bar Center
5302 Eastpark Blvd

Faculty

Wisconsin Host Committee for ABA Task Force on Democracy

Atty. Michelle Behnke, Co-Chair
Boardman Clark

Atty. John Skilton, Co-Chair
Retired

Dean Dan Tokaji
University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School

Atty. Paul Swanson
Steinhilber Swanson, LLP

Atty. Joseph Diedrich
Husch Blackwell, LLP

Prof. Chad Oldfather
Marquette University Law School

Prof. Kali Murray
Marquette University Law School

Prof. Robert Yablon
University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School

Prof. Miriam Seifter
University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School

Bree Grossi Wilde
Executive Director, State Democracy Research Initiative

Prof. Alexander Tahk, Director
Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership

Schedule

12:30 pm

Welcome: Co-chairs of Wisconsin Host Committee
Mary Smith, President, American Bar Association

12:45 pm

The Threat to Democracy – Hon. Jeh Charles Johnson

1:00 - 1:40 pm

Federal Election Litigation
Dean Daniel Tokaji

Survey of election litigation across the country 2000-present
Putting election litigation in perspective
What can we expect in 2024

Wisconsin Constitution and Election Law
Professor Robert Yablon

Wisconsin Constitution and Election Laws
Wisconsin election litigation issues
What we can expect in 2024

1:40 - 1:50 pm

Break

1:50 - 2:30 pm

Nuts and Bolts of Election Litigation
Panel Discussion
Atty. Erin Deeley-Stafford Rosenbaum
Atty. Misha Tseytlin-Troutman Pepper
Moderator: Atty. Joseph Diedrich-Husch Blackwell

2:30 - 3:30 pm

Media and Civil Discourse
Prof. Michael Wagner, School of Journalism

George Stanley, CEO Wisconsin Watch

Moderator: Prof. Chad Oldfather, Marquette University Law School

Civic Discourse-where are people getting information
Information sources and the effects on civic participation
Election ads/content
Misinformation/Disinformation
News sources

3:30 - 4:30 pm

Election Mechanics- How does it all Work
Moderator: David J. Becker, The Center for Election Innovation & Research
Panelists:

Kathy Bernier Keep Our Republic, Former State Senator
Lisa Freiberg, Fond du Lac County Clerk
Michael Haas, Madison City Attorney, former Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator
Voter rolls
Voting machines
Vote counts

4:30 - 5:00 pm

Closing Remarks – Next Steps John Skilton, Host Committee Co-Chair

5:00 - 6:30 pm

Reception State Bar Center