The following program is a PBS Wisconsin original production.

>> You're watching "Here& Now".

2024 Election Coverage.

Whether from enthusiasm to cast their ballot or eager for the election to be over.

Early voting saw long lines in its opening days.

This week.

I'm Frederica Freyberg.

Tonight on "Here& Now", an early voting push young voters culture wars, abortion and the latest ballot question.

It's "Here& Now" for October 25th.

>> Funding for "Here& Now" is provided by the Focus Fund for Journalism and friends of PBS Wisconsin.

>> Tuesday was the first day for in-person early voting in Wisconsin, and the lines were out the door in clerks offices around the state, with nearly 100,000 votes cast in Madison.

The Harris campaign held a rally with Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz and former president Barack Obama "Here& Now" senior political reporter Zach Schultz was there.

>> Reporter it is great to be here in Wisconsin.

It's great to be back in the Midwest, where folks got good sense.

>> Former President Barack Obama was the headliner at a rally in Madison Tuesday, but every speaker had the same message.

>> You might hear people say that there's two weeks until the election, but don't believe it because early vote is here.

And this election is happening now.

>> Who here plans on voting in person early?

So let's get to work and let's win this thing.

>> Let's go.

And I know you've heard it about, I don't know, 15 times so far today, but it's worth repeating here in Wisconsin early voting starts today.

>> If you haven't voted yet, I won't be offended if you just walk out right now.

Go vote.

>> Across the state, voters were already in line, ready to cast a ballot.

Turnout was so high there was a lag in the WIS vote system that lets clerks print the sticker that goes on the absentee ballot envelope.

The lag was fixed by early afternoon, around the time vice presidential candidate Tim Walz was telling the rally goers he wanted them to volunteer after they voted early.

>> Wisconsin.

You got same day voter registration and it's open today to get there and vote.

We need you.

Door knocking.

We need the calls.

>> This is the second time I got to see Walz for a rally and first time for Obama, and it was just awesome.

I loved it.

>> We first introduced you to Ana Wilson and Landiran Kern at the Democratic National Convention.

They're college Democrats and have spent the last few months organizing student voters.

especially at school, are excited.

classes and door knocking to attend the rally and get re-energized for the final stretch of the campaign.

>> I'm sensing a lot of excitement, a lot of nerves, but I think people are really excited.

with the largest margins seen by a presidential candidate this century, and he knows the last couple weeks of a campaign bring many emotions.

making you feel excited or scared or hopeful or frustrated or anything in between, do not sit back and hope for the best.

Do not think this is a distraction or a joke.

Get off your couch and do what Leow both Ana and Landiran say they plan to vote on election Day, even as they work to get their classmates to vote early.

>> I've been out canvasing a lot within the last couple of weeks, and most students have already sent in their absentee ballots.

You know, those students who haven't were trying to get them out in early voting, and you better believe if they're not early voting, I will be at their door knocking on November 5th.

>> Reporting from Madison.

I'm Zach Schultz for here.

And now.

>> In a tight election, every group of voters can make the difference.

And student voters are no different.

But college students, especially those from out of state, face a few more obstacles to voting "Here& Now".

Student journalist Jane McCauley reports.

>> California does not need your vote.

New York does not need your vote.

Illinois does not need your vote.

Wisconsin needs your vote.

>> Emily Teffert is a junior at UW-Madison and part of the Wisco project, a liberal group engaging students to vote.

2024 is her first time voting in a presidential election, and she's urging out-of-state students to put their vote where it matters.

>> This time, it's much more.

Instead of telling them that they can vote, it's telling them that they should vote.

>> Students can vote where they attend college or at their permanent address.

But what is needed to vote in Wisconsin?

In-state students need to register and have a valid ID for out of state students.

>> It's the same registration form, but instead of doing your driver's license number, you do the last four digits of your Social Security number, as well as a proof of residence.

>> But there's one more piece students who are not from issued voter ID at nearly all two and four year campuses.

Wisconsin campuses like could flip razor thin margins.

In 2020, UW Madison's turnout rate was over 70%, or nearly 25,000 students.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden won Wisconsin in 2016, and 2020, respectively, with just over 20,000 votes.

Each time we have over 40,000 undergraduate students.

>> So if you think that if every single student were to go out and vote, the insane impact that could have every vote really, really does matter and J.

>> Heck, the executive director of Common Cause Wisconsin, sees a generation that's already voting at higher rates than previous ones, creating voting habits.

Now that will carry on past this election season.

>> You know, young students, whether they're conservative or progressive, tend to be very highly motivated.

And that's important because you generally establish your lifetime voting tendencies when you're in school.

could prevent students from even getting to the polls as early voting is underway.

Reports of intimidating texts are addressing students saying if they vote where they are not eligible, it could result in fines or jail.

>> Every general election we see mailings.

We see text messages from third party groups that just don't get it right.

It's just about pointing people to the official source of information, and that official source of information would come from going to the Wisconsin Elections Commission website.

>> According to its administrator, Meagan Wolfe.

at polling locations should not scare students away.

>> We worry about whether there will be people that will be standing trying to tell people that they can't vote.

You have every right to vote.

>> But it's not just Madison.

The national spotlight is on Wisconsin and all its youth.

>> Yes, UW-Madison is the largest university and obviously is impactful.

But I think we also need to focus on the UW schools, private schools, tech schools across the state, especially as presidential campaign stops have been more frequent in smaller cities.

>> I think that is just a really strong signal that those campaigns know that Wisconsin matters and that, you know, it's not just Madison, it's Milwaukee, it's green Bay.

>> John Zumbrunnen is the vice provost of academic affairs at UW-Madison and faculty co-chair of BadgersVote.

He says up until November 5th, candidates will continue their Wisconsin campaign stops, bringing energy and attention.

>> And those campaigns know that they need to connect with Wisconsin and encourage people to get out your own voice and your own ability to be able to vote, particularly in Wisconsin.

>> And I can't say this enough is probably louder here than in almost any other state in the country.

October 22nd, the first day of early voting in Wisconsin.

She will continue to canvass until November 5th.

>> That's why when people are like, oh, well, politics doesn't really impact me.

It doesn't impact you.

You mean the future of the world like the future of our Earth, like the planet we live on for "Here& Now"?

>> I'm Jane McCauley in Madison.

>> Despite the number of Republican challenges to absentee ballots in 2020 and the party's criticisms of ballot drop boxes, they too pushed hard for early voting this week.

>> This is our opportunity as Republicans, as conservatives, as Trump supporters, to make sure that we're using every legal means to get the vote out and that in particular means encouraging people to vote early in person.

Do not wait until the actual voting election day polling day in case something does happen.

>> Go and vote tomorrow.

Vote the next day.

The day after.

You know, try to do it as early as possible.

voters to either vote in person or in person at their clerk's office, or by mail as others have done.

Look, our issue with drop boxes is because it's so even the regulation of drop boxes throughout the state, we don't know where we're going to get.

We do have areas who ban drop boxes.

You have others that are using them.

But I always feel safer myself mailing it in or voting at my clerk's office.

But I will tell you if it's the difference between getting a vote in or not getting a vote in, you know, I say to Republicans, put it in the mailbox or put it in the drop box.

an appeal to Wisconsin conservatives this week in Brookfield alongside former Liz Cheney and former conservative radio talk show host Charlie Sykes, about how undecided voters should view this election.

>> The Supreme Court essentially told the former president he will be immune from anything he does in office.

So whereas before there was at least some threat of consequence and accountability that no longer exists, although not every Republican who is casting a vote for Vice President Harris will say publicly that they are.

>> There's clearly you know, a threat associated with that in some instances.

But but millions will.

>> It's not about left versus right.

We're talking about the culture and the impact, the coarsening of the culture, the way in which we have been taught to fear and hate one another, and how our debates have just devolved into sort of trolling one another, trading on that fear and hate.

>> Republican candidates have run attack ads like Eric Hovde slamming Tammy Baldwin over what he calls her radical agenda, allowing men to compete in girls sports.

He's not alone.

In the final days of the 2024 campaign, the Trump campaign is also laser focused on attacking Kamala Harris on transgender rights in an ad blitz and on the campaign trail, Kamala supports states being able to take minor children and perform sex change operation, take them away from their parents, perform sex change operation and send them back home.

Of course, this is a lie.

It does not happen.

In an opinion piece in the Journal Sentinel this week.

Our next guest said, quote, politicians should know better than to attack people, especially children.

Abigail Swetz is executive director of Fair Wisconsin, an advocacy organization for the LGBTQ community and she joins us now.

Abigail, thanks very much for being here.

Thank you for the invite.

So as to the idea of children going off to school and coming home with transition surgery, does that happen?

>> Absolutely not.

It is a lie.

And I'm glad we're calling it a lie because it is not only untrue, it is meant to deceive and frankly, divide and create distrust with our with our educators and our medical professionals.

And I find that lie absolutely disgusting.

>> How do these ads and statements affect people for whom you advocate?

>> So to understand the impact of the ads, I think first we have to realize that they are ethically wrong because they are dehumanizing and lies and frankly, a ridiculous distraction.

And that kind of hateful language.

It does have a cost.

It has an emotional cost because turning people into issues and weapons does have an impact that is quite dangerous on the LGBTQ plus community and frankly, on everyone, because I think it has this impact of eroding empathy.

And that is really dangerous.

And as an example of this impact, actually.

So I just want to say I am a member of the LGBTQ plus community, but I'm not trans, and it is incredibly important to always center trans voices in this conversation.

And it is not okay to always make trans and nonbinary people defend their own existence.

And so it is incredibly important for the rest of us to also show up and support the editorial you mentioned.

I co-wrote it with a dear friend of mine who is trans.

I am here because in that editorial you probably noticed my friend used their initials out of out of a safety concern and that is incredibly important.

It sort of distills down the impact we're talking about.

>> So the 2024 Republican platform states they will oppose, quote, left wing gender insanity, trying to make inroads with voters by focusing in on these transgender rights.

What's the play there in your mind politically?

>> Walz it's a really good question.

I'm not sure I'm the right person to ask it to, though.

I would love someone to ask them that question because they seem to think that attacking trans people is a winning issue.

And I'm here to say that as voters, we cannot let that be true.

We cannot let it work.

They are trying to use an identity as a wedge issue to divide and confuse, and it's just a distraction that we cannot let them let them take advantage of on that.

>> What is your message to voters who are deluged by these ads and rhetoric?

>> My message is, my message is that I think we all need to hold a few truths in our hearts when we're seeing this kind of deluge.

It's the right word.

We have to remember that these are not issues and these are not weapons.

Trans people are people who deserve respect.

Trans children are children who deserve love and support and trust.

They are not weapons.

And as LGBTQ plus people, we've been turned into issues against our own will by politicians who are trying to scare you to vote a certain way by using your neighbors against you.

Because trans people and trans children are your neighbors and your friends.

And we in the LGBTQ plus community care about a lot of issues those that target us and those that don't.

Those are the ones that we should really be paying attention to.

Like housing affordability and reproductive justice.

Those are the issues that everyone cares about, and we're part of everyone, too.

>> So how important is the LGBTQ plus voting bloc?

>> Well, we're not a monolith.

They'll definitely start with that.

But we are pretty numerous.

I'd say their best estimate about 250,000 voting age, LGBTQ plus people in Wisconsin.

So while we definitely don't vote as a full unit, we could really make a difference in an election in a state where we know the margin of victory is about 20,000 votes pretty often.

So I think it's important when we are going around as fair Wisconsin talking to voters, we're hearing those intersectional needs.

People are caring about so many things that impact us, often to remember that our vote reall, really matters.

>> What kind of fears do you have that that vote could be swamped by inciting fear of harming children.

>> I fear beyond just voting when it comes to the rhetoric we're seeing, because rhetoric just has a it has an impact and emotional cost, but it also turns into hateful policies.

And those policies also have a very detrimental effect.

thanks very much.

>> Thank you.

>> As we approach the first presidential election since the overturning of Roe v Wade, abortion remains a central and contentious issue for voters and candidates alike.

Here and now, reporter Aditi Debnath examines how this topic is shaping the political landscape in our state and beyond.

>> Reporter.

After the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision in 2022, which overturned Roe v Wade, Wisconsin saw immediate changes.

Abortion services only to resume in late 2023 after a judge's ruling.

This legal whiplash has kept the issue at the forefront of political discourse even now.

>> There's a lot of confusion about what is allowable and what institutions are comfortable for by choice.

playing a crucial role in both state and national races.

In Wisconsin's U.S. Senate race, the contrast between candidates is stark.

>> Democratic incumbent Senator Tammy Baldwin has been a vocal advocate for abortion rights.

>> I am the leader in the fight to restore Roe v Wade through a bill that I lead called the Women's Health Protection Act.

>> Baldwin's bill would codify the right to abortion into federal law and ban states from passing additional restrictions to abortion access.

woman's pregnancy, she should have a right to choose.

>> Her Republican challenger, Eric Hovde, has a different take.

line, different than Senator Baldwin is that there comes a point where a baby can be born healthy and alive, that it's unconscionable that you would terminate that child's life.

>> Hovde position reflects a broader trend among Republican candidates grappling with the issue's complexity, a focus on late term abortions.

>> We know that overwhelming majority of abortions take place within the first trimester.

>> Jenny Higgins, director of UW Madison's Collaborative for Reproductive Equity, says late term abortions are rare abortions that happen later than the first trimester happen for excellent reasons.

These reasons include fetal anomalies that aren't detectable in the first trimester and can be fatal to the fetus.

Kamala Harris in the presidential race, former President Donald Trump has gone as far to erroneously say his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, supports murdering babies.

Her vice presidential pick says abortion in the ninth month is absolutely fine.

>> He also says execution after birth.

It's execution no longer abortion because the baby is born is okay, and that's not okay with me.

>> Vice President Harris, in her bid for president, recently visited Wisconsin to highlight her administration's stance on abortion.

>> What these kinds of laws mean, these kinds of laws.

Under Trump, abortion bans, it means doctors may have to wait until the patient is at death's door before they take any action.

>> Gracie Skogman, legislative director of Wisconsin Right to Life, says Harris's rhetoric ignores the crux of anti-abortion advocates philosophy.

to remind people that we're talking about two lives in the equation, both deserving of care.

>> Skogman and her team are activating voters across the state to understand that abortion law is on the ballot.

>> We have some groups that are in the Appleton area, and we want people to be aware of candidates who are running and what their record is.

>> Appleton is part of the eighth Congressional District, where the abortion issue is a key topic in the race between Democrat Kristin Lyerly and ob gyn, and abortion provider and Republican Toni Wied.

A businessman endorsed by former President Trump.

protection for abortion, contraception, IVF.

>> Meanwhile, the Republican candidate has pointed out a states rights approach.

>> The Supreme Court made the decision that the right of abortion is within the state's hands, where it was before.

It is now, and I believe that it should continue to stay as a states right issue.

>> Skogman says this focus on a states rights approach ignores several legal levers at the federal level.

>> For example, right now, the vast majority of abortions are actually chemical abortions, and this is something that's federally regulated.

So that that has to be a federal conversation.

>> She's referring to a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June to preserve access to chemical abortions.

The case threatened to federally restrict access to chemical abortions, even in states where abortion is legal.

people understand, I think the sort of powers of the of the various offices at the national level.

chief strategy officer at planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.

>> A president appoints judges who are interpreting laws and hearing lawsuits.

>> Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has been heading the legal battle over abortion at the state level, filed a lawsuit in February that the Wisconsin Supreme Court accepted.

>> That case will argue that our state constitution would not allow an abortion ban to stand because our Constitution protects the right to bodily autonomy and agency.

released a schedule for the case, but abortion remains top of mind for Wisconsin voters as we approach the first presidential election since the overturning of Roe v Wade.

Reporting from Milwaukee.

I'm Aditi Debnath for "Here& Now".

>> Those who've already voted early have seen yet another constitutional amendment on their ballot.

The fifth, this year.

If you haven't yet voted, what you'll see is a yes or no question that deals with citizenship and voting rights "Here& Now".

Reporter Nathan Denzin explains the ballot question.

constitution states that every U.S. Citizen 18 or older can vote in an election, but an amendment on November's ballot seeks to change that language from every U.S. Citizen to only a U.S. Citizen.

Republican backers say the change is needed because cities in California, New York and Vermont have allowed non-U.S. Citizens to vote in local elections like school board races.

>> Remember that perception can, in and of itself, call into question the integrity of elections.

We don't want that.

>> Similar amendments are being voted on in seven other states, including Iowa.

While Wisconsin law doesn't explicitly bar noncitizens from voting in local elections, no local government in the state has ever allowed it.

Federal law already makes it illegal for non-citizens to vote for the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and President.

When voters register, they must attest to their citizenship under penalty of perjury and possible deportation.

But Wisconsin law does not provide any process that systematically verifies citizenship.

is easy to vote, but hard to cheat.

say it's a precursor to verify citizenship in future elections.

That practice has been declared unconstitutional in other state, as it could disqualify the elderly or legal immigrants who lack a birth certificate.

They also fear that the referendum will be used to establish the trope that migrants are voting in large numbers, despite the fact that it rarely happens.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission non-citizens who have been referred for prosecution for voting illegally since 2019, mostly for misunderstanding their eligibility for "Here& Now".

I'm Nathan Denzin.

>> For more on this and other issues facing Wisconsin, visit our web site at PBS Wisconsin.

Org and then click on the news tab to see all of our election coverage.

Visit Wisconsin Vote.org.

Finally, tonight we are super sad to report that fellow colleague and former PBS Wisconsin journalist Art Hackett passed away last weekend after battling illness.

>> I'm one of those odd folks who knew what they wanted to be when they were in the fourth or fifth grade and managed to do it for over 40 years.

30 of them here in Wisconsin.

>> Art was an institution here.

Our primary political news reporter for 31 years, his award winning work included a documentary titled Water Rich, Water Poor, a program his daughter tells us was among those he was most proud of.

>> Since people have been asking whether Wisconsin has enough water to share, we decided to ask the question.

>> Art was keenly smart, intrepid and hardworking.

He reported for several news programs over the years, and I'm told he never missed a deadline.

Art retired in 2010 and lived near family in Iowa.

Art Hackett was 74.

>> For "Here& Now", I'm Art Hackett.

>> Funding for Here and Now is provided by the Focus Fund for Journalism and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.