LeaderEthics Wisconsin is hosting a virtual conversational program looking at some of the unique issues surrounding Wisconsin elections.

As a battleground state, elections in Wisconsin are drawing increased interest at both the state and national level.  Campaign spending has increased dramatically, notably from out-of-state sources.  Respected groups such as Pew Research have been tracking the growing partisan divide and the corresponding reduced trust by many Americans, including with the electoral process itself.  Under these conditions, the November 2024 election looms large.

This conversational program will take an "outside in/inside out" look at some of the unique iossues surrounding Wisconsin elections, including how they compare with other key states.  The discussion will include an analysis of the challenges facing the electoral system, the integrity of the electoral system, and the efforts to keep the public informed.

Speakers:

• Kathy Bernier has an extensive background in elections in Wisconsin.  She is a former County Clerk, Wisconsin Assembly Representative, and former Wisconsin State Senator.  She currently serves as the Wisconsin State Director of Keep our Republic, a nonparitsan organization dedicated to protecting a republic of laws and strengthening the checks and balancesof the democratic electoral system.  Kathy's assessment of the results of the 2020 election was featured on the national news magazine, 60 Minutes.  Kathy was the recipient of the 2023 LeaderEthics Award.
• Samantha Buckley is a Policy Director with Secure Democracy USA, a nonpartisan/nonprofit organization that works to build confidence in elections and improve voter access across the United States.  Before taking this position, she was an elections authority with the State of Virginia Department of Elections.
• John Smalley will moderate the forum.  He is the respected and accomplished former Executive Editor of the Wisconsin State Journal and in a prior post, he served as Editor at the La Crosse Tribune.  He has more than 40 years experience in the newspaper industry, serving as a champion for integrity and community collaboration.