Wisconsin Watch

The latest @wisconsinwatch.org Fact Briefs in the Wisconsin governor's race: No, David Crowley did not say he supports undocumented immigrants who commit violent crimes. Yes, a Milwaukee County health insurance contract lapsed under Crowley’s administration. wisconsinwatch.org/series/fact-...

Western Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District is a top battlegrounds as Democrats try to take back the U.S. House. Republican Derrick Van Orden is sticking with President Trump. Democrat Rebecca Cooke sees that as a vulnerability. Here's what's at stake: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/west...

What policies could help reduce gun violence in Wisconsin? A new guide from Johns Hopkins University recommends 10 changes to state law, including three that researchers say could particularly impact Milwaukee. Read more from @MilwaukeeNNS.org: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Wisconsin election officials are divided over how to handle the possibility of unarmed federal immigration or law enforcement agents arriving at polling places this November and asking to observe voting. More from @Votebeat.org: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Milwaukee still has more than 55,000 properties with known lead water lines — and another 27,000 where pipe materials remain unknown. So how does the city decide which pipes to replace first? It’s turning to a tool developed by UW-Madison researchers. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/milw...

Writer and former NNS staffer Adam Carr writes a heartfelt tribute to the neighborhood, being a lifelong fan and what the Brewers mean to Milwaukee. Read the full story here: buff.ly/3EOIzHJ #CommunityVoices #MilwaukeeBrewers #WorldSeries #LocalNews

Hongyu Liu broke down Wednesday night's debate by the numbers. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/by-t...

Northeast Wisconsin residents concerned about PFAS contamination have pushed the issue to the forefront this election season. Read more about how communities are dealing with PFAS and why residents want elected officials to act: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Wisconsin’s next governor will shape the state’s approach to taxes, abortion, private school vouchers and more. Democrat David Crowley and Republican Tom Tiffany faced off tonight in their only televised debate before the Nov. 3 election. Read more: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/davi...

Door County’s jail is operating under emergency staffing rules, with 16 employees covering shifts that require at least 22. The shortage has fueled heavy overtime, declining morale and a union vote of no confidence in Sheriff Tammy Sternard. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Wisconsin has sent out 20% fewer mail ballots than at this point in the 2022 midterms. Voters in 63 counties have returned a smaller share of ballots than four years ago. “The voters are saying they don’t trust the mail,” New Berlin's clerk told @Votebeat.org. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

There's a lot more to explore in our voter guide, beyond how and when to vote or where candidates stand on key issues. For example, we recently updated the campaign finance data for every race in the guide. Here are a few examples. voterguide26.wisconsinwatch.org

Alzheimer’s and dementia patients are helping teach Wisconsin’s next generation of health care workers — and squash misconceptions about the diagnosis. Read the full story here: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Planning to watch tonight’s Wisconsin governor debate? Here from @wisconsinwatch.org are some of the claims you’re likely to hear from David Crowley and Tom Tiffany, and the facts.

The demand for electricity means line workers enjoy job security, lucrative salaries and union benefits without the need for a college degree. But the work can be dangerous. Read more about the work from reporter Natalie Yahr: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

How closely are you following the Wisconsin governor's race? Quiz yourself on the 11 Fact Briefs published so far by @wisconsinwatch.org and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. We examine claims made against Democrat David Crowley and Republican Tom Tiffany ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Yes, David Crowley and Tom Tiffany have both expressed support for data centers. Find more context in our Fact Brief. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Election officials are urging Wisconsin voters to return their absentee ballots as early as possible after a court ruling blocked a plan to allow voters with late-arriving mail ballots to cast provisional ballots on Election Day. More from @Votebeat.org: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

An email from Elon Musk asking Mitchell Berman to justify his job as an ER nurse at the VA helped push him into politics. Now, he's is challenging four-term Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil in a congressional race that's drawing unexpected national attention. wisconsinwatch.org?p=1321500

Is a Wisconsin ballot disqualified if a poll worker writes on it? Nope. Find more context in our latest Fact Brief. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Wisconsin has one of the nation’s worst racial disparities in infant mortality. In 2024, 12.5 of every 1,000 Black babies died before age 1, compared with 4.8 white babies. David Crowley responded to @CapTimes.com questions about the crisis. Tom Tiffany didn't. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

A baby born at 22 weeks and weighing less than a pound faces extraordinary odds. Ayah Chisenga is now 3½, thanks in part to Madison’s Small Baby Care program — one of a handful in the US equipped to care for babies born so early. Read our partners at @captimes.com wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Wisconsin’s century-old ban on fusion voting limits political competition and voter choice, argue Anoop Prakash and Tom Florsheim Jr. They say ending the ban could make elected officials more accountable. Read the guest opinion: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

We love being able to answer questions from readers — especially those that others will likely have. Thanks to Sophie B. for this one. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

The EPA is proposing to shift oversight of Wisconsin’s six coal ash landfills from federal to state regulators. Supporters say one set of rules would make regulation more efficient. But environmental advocates argue dual oversight is important. More from WPR: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Despite high stakes for the state's energy future, Wisconsin utilities are spending less on political campaigns this year. “I think utilities are beginning to recognize that their brand is increasingly toxic,” @energyandpolicy.org researcher Jonathan Kim said. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Wisconsin’s statewide economic development agency has signed at least five nondisclosure agreements with developers of artificial intelligence data centers, adding a previously unknown level of secrecy to the billion-dollar projects. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Wisconsin election officials have issued guidance for clerks on what to do if federal agents show up at polling places — after being deluged with questions from voters about the possibility. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

WI voters shouldn't have their ballots rejected due to election officials' mistakes, a judge ruled. That follows a dispute over 23 Madison ballots that arrived at the city on time in April but didn't reach polling places by the 8 pm deadline. Via @Votebeat.org: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

David Crowley unveiled an 11-point plan that would limit AI chatbot access for children under 13, increase penalties for circulating AI-generated sexual images of minors and hold tech companies accountable for scams and fraud on their platforms. More: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Enbridge said a Monday morning fire destroyed a drill rig and support equipment on a $1 billion project to reroute its Line 5 oil and gas pipeline in northern Wisconsin. An Enbridge spokesperson called the fire an act of vandalism. More from WPR: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

At least 50 million acres of Midwest farmland are expected to change hands by the end of the decade. A federal program helps landowners preserve farmland from development, but the costs and tradeoffs keep many from participating. (via @kbianews.bsky.social) wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/agri...

Yes, Tom Tiffany received more than 90% of his campaign donations from 3 billionaires since July 2026. Find more context in our Fact Brief. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Hey, Wisconsin Bskyers! Do y'all subscribe to Forward, @wisconsinwatch.org's free weekly politics newsletter? If not, you're missing out. Here are a few snapshots of the great info in just today's edition. 👀https://wisconsinwatch.org/subscribe/

Yes, Gov. Tony Evers vetoed four auditor positions in the 2025-27 state budget. Our latest Fact Brief has the context.

When it comes to data centers, much of the election campaign rhetoric is on blocking or restricting them. That's true for David Crowley and Tom Tiffany, the candidates for Wisconsin governor. But both of them have also spoken favorably of data centers. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

Thanks to everyone who sent questions to our newsroom. We put them to David Crowley and Tom Tiffany, who answered questions about everything from tribal relations and severe weather to campaign finance, marijuana and care for older adults and people with disabilities. wisconsinwatch.org?p=1321266

When do you plan to vote? Our partners at @Votebeat.org explain everything you need to know, from registration deadlines and early voting to absentee ballots, photo ID requirements and where to find your polling place. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/10/wisc...

19th century overfishing and dams nearly wiped out lake sturgeon from the Milwaukee River basin. But 20 years of restoration have released 23,000+ fish. The DNR hopes to soon see the basin's first natural sturgeon spawn in more than a century. "Fisha" Young has more: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIXA...