A news report released Wednesday describing false canvassing of the gay marriage and civil unions amendment reinforces the fact that getting citizens informed about the issue remains the most important issue on both sides of the debate.
The report published on the ABC 27 news website said members of Fair Wisconsin approached the newsroom about possible false information being canvassed to citizens.
""We had some people from Fair Wisconsin approach us and say, ‘we've run into some residents as we've been doing the canvassing saying that there was someone telling them that the second part of the amendment wasn't going to be on the ballot in November,"" said Sean Ryan, reporter for Fox 47 news, working out of the ABC newsroom.
The second part of the amendment refers to restricting all institutions similar to marriage, which may include civil unions.
Fair Wisconsin divulged phone numbers of citizens with these complaints, and the newsroom spoke to one citizen in the Old Sauk Road neighborhood.
""The resident said someone who claimed to be from the group Vote Yes for Marriage basically gave them misinformation,"" Ryan said.
However, Julaine Appling, president of Vote Yes for Marriage, denied any truth or affiliation in these charges.
""I'm not even going to dignify it with a response, ""Appling said. ""We don't canvas, we don't need to canvas. You have to remember that the sources of this story are the opponents of this amendment.""
Fair Wisconsin trains volunteers who then go door-to-door in neighborhoods, presenting people with information about the amendment.
""When we go and knock on people's doors, we take the text of the entire amendment and we put it in front of it and have them read it,"" said Rachel Strauch-Nelson, Press Secretary of Fair Wisconsin. ""It's really important because a lot of people don't understand the full scope of what's on the ballot in November.""
Ryan said the focus of their story, while they only spoke to one person, lies in the idea of how vital a role correct information will play in the upcoming election.
The two groups will continue to discuss the issues this morning at 9 a.m. at Edgewood High School, 2219 Monroe Street, when representatives from both sides will appear together in a debate.
