Fall events to address Wisconsinites’ concerns leading up to November elections

University of Wisconsin–Madison students vote during the Nov. 2020 election.

This fall, the La Follette School will host a number of events that will examine critical issues facing voters as the November elections approach. The La Follette School’s fall 2022 Journalist in Residence, Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight, will give a public talk and will visit with students, faculty, and local journalists. In collaboration with the Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association, a September event will highlight the Wisconsin Idea in action and the La Follette Policy Poll released earlier this year. As part of the Wisconsin Main Street Agenda project, the La Follette School has partnered with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Ideas Lab and Wisconsin Public Radio to hold four public forums throughout the state to discuss the issues that candidates for office should be talking about as they compete for votes this fall. A generous gift from David and Madeleine Lubar has made these town halls possible. All fall events are free and open to the public. All events will be in person and livestreamed, with the exception of the Wisconsin Idea Spotlight event, which will only be held in person. More information on each event can be found below.

September 21 — Milwaukee Town Hall | Wisconsin Main Street Agenda

Centennial Hall, Milwaukee Public Library Central Branch, 733 N. 8th St., Milwaukee, and via livestream, 7 – 8:30 p.m. The Wisconsin Main Street Agenda project Milwaukee town hall will begin with a moderated panel including David Haynes of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and three La Follette School faculty members: J. Michael Collins, whose research focuses on financial security and personal finance; Lauren Schmitz, who studies health policy and socioeconomic disparities; and Greg Nemet, who researches climate and energy. Next, a citizen panel will discuss issues that are most important to them. Each panel will be followed by an audience Q&A session. Register for Milwaukee Town Hall

September 29 — Wisconsin Idea Spotlight: Public Policy at the Polls

Milwaukee Public Market, 6 – 7:30 p.m. The La Follette School has partnered with the Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association to host this event that will examine what the Wisconsin Idea in action looks like today. The event will be moderated by La Follette School outreach director Lisa Ellinger. Susan Yackee, La Follette School director and professor, will discuss findings from the La Follette Policy Poll,  which asked Wisconsinites about the public policy issues they worry about most. Faculty members Bobbi Wolfe, whose research focuses on poverty and socioeconomic disparities, and Christine Durrance, who studies health policy and socioeconomic disparities, will also join the panel. Results from the La Follette Policy Poll were released earlier this year. With Wisconsin poised to be a battleground state in the 2022 elections, residents’ opinions on these issues could have national implications. Register for WI Idea Spotlight

October 6 — Pewaukee Town Hall | Wisconsin Main Street Agenda

Ingleside Hotel, 2810 Golf Road, Pewaukee, and via livestream, 7 – 8:30 p.m. The Wisconsin Main Street Agenda project Pewaukee town hall will begin with a moderated panel including David Haynes of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and three La Follette School faculty members: Susan Yackee, who will share findings from the La Follette Policy Poll released earlier this year; Mark Copelovitch, whose research focuses on inflation and the economy; and Ross Milton, who studies state and local government and taxes. Next, a citizen panel will discuss issues that are most important to them. Each panel will be followed by an audience Q&A session. Register for Pewaukee Town Hall

October 11 — Green Bay Town Hall — Wisconsin Main Street Agenda

Brown County Public Library, 515 Pine St., Green Bay, and via livestream, 7 – 8:30 p.m. The Wisconsin Main Street Agenda project Green Bay town hall will begin with a moderated panel including David Haynes of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and three La Follette School faculty members: Morgan Edwards, whose research focuses on climate and energy; Sarah Halpern-Meekin, who studies poverty and social policy; and Manny Teodoro, who researches water and socioeconomic disparities. Next, a citizen panel will discuss issues that are most important to them. Each panel will be followed by an audience Q&A session. Register for Green Bay Town Hall

October 26 — Politics & Policy with Nate Silver

Wisconsin Union Theater, Memorial Union, and via livestream, 7 – 8 p.m. Days ahead of Wisconsin midterm elections with the potential to remake the national political landscape, this talk by the author of the New York Times bestseller The Signal and the Noise could not be better timed. Nate Silver will dig into the critical issues facing voters this November and explain what polling data says about public policy solutions to problems like poverty, climate change, and inflation. As the La Follette School’s fall 2022 Journalist in Residence, Silver’s visit will include meetings with faculty, students, and local journalists. The Public Affairs Journalist in Residence is made possible by the La Follette School’s Kohl Initiative, University Communications, and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Register for Politics & Policy  with Nate Silver

November 1 – Wausau Town Hall — Wisconsin Main Street Agenda

UW Stevens Point – Wausau Campus: UW Center for Civic Engagement, 625 Stewart Ave, Wausau, and via livestream, 7 – 8:30 p.m. The Wisconsin Main Street Agenda project Wausau town hall will begin with a moderated panel including David Haynes of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and three La Follette School faculty members: Jon Pevehouse, whose research focuses on inflation and the economy; Tim Smeeding, who studies poverty and social policy; and Jason Fletcher, who researches health policy and socioeconomic disparities. Next, a citizen panel will discuss issues that are most important to them. Each panel will be followed by an audience Q&A session. Register for Wausau Town Hall
Interested in La Follette School events? Sign up for our events emails.