Where to find Clean Water Now on local ballots this fall
More voters in Wisconsin will have a chance to vote YES for clean water on Election Day, November 8. Here’s the 101 on what the Clean Water Now referendum movement is, and why these grassroots, county-by-county ballot questions and resolutions are an important way for voters to demonstrate their clean water values.
What is Clean Water Now?
Clean Water Now is an advisory referendum that reads, “Should the State of Wisconsin establish a right to clean water to protect human health, the environment, and the diverse cultural and natural heritage of Wisconsin?”
What will this advisory referendum accomplish? And what will it cost?
When voters have a chance to show they value clean water above partisan politics, they will vote in support of our water resources. When the outcomes of these referendums are strong, they can be used to remind statewide elected officials that people want their right to clean water put first over political divisions.
Unlike many referendums to decide how taxes are spent on schools or other public services, the Clean Water Now question is advisory and has no direct impact on government spending.
Which counties have voted YES to Clean Water Now?
Eau Claire – 79% support, April 2022
La Crosse – 86% support, April 2022
Marquette – 73% support, April 2021
Portage – 77% support, April 2021
Wood – 76% support, April 2021
Where will voters say YES to Clean Water Now on November 8th?
Adams, Bayfield, Juneau, Green, and Outagamie County voters will have the question on their ballots this fall, including ballots for those who vote absentee or vote early by mail. Visit myvote.wi.gov to check your voter registration status.
What will happen after November 8th?
First, we will celebrate the county board members and voters who took a stand for water in ten counties.
Second, we will carry those results into all of our future work to protect clean water, and we will help local organizations and grassroots activists use the results in their advocacy.
Third, we will encourage more counties – like Monroe County – to pass resolutions in support of Clean Water Now. The first ten counties have built momentum. Next, resolutions approved by county boards will continue building that momentum for Clean Water Now to show how our state agrees on the right to clean water.
Want your county to pass a Clean Water Now resolution in 2023? Contact Water Advocates Organizer Johnson Bridgwater at [email protected] for tips on how to ask your county board to take action or a toolkit for elected officials to effectively advocate for a Clean Water Now resolution.
Get updates on this campaign
Sign up at voteforcleanwater.com.
– Johnson Bridgwater, Water Advocates Organizer
This message is made possible by generous donors who believe people have the power to protect and restore water. Become a member of River Alliance of Wisconsin today.