State - The Daily Cardinal

STATE NEWS

Harris, Feyen vie to fill 18th Senate District

By Gina Heeb | Oct. 27, 2016

Each week, The Daily Cardinal will be taking a look at down-ballot races throughout the state. This week, we visit the 18th Senate district, composed of parts of Fond du Lac, Dodge and Winnebago counties. In the only state Senate district without an incumbent candidate, Republican Dan Feyen of Fond du Lac faces Democrat Mark Harris of Oshkosh in a race for the seat previously held by Sen.

A record number of voters submitted absentee ballots in Madison ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

CITY NEWS

City issues record number of absentee ballots

By Sam Schulz | Oct. 26, 2016

The number of absentee ballots cast and issued in Madison has already broken records with more than two weeks of early voting availability still left. The City of Madison clerk had issued 35,497 absentee ballots as of Tuesday, with 31,421 of those already counted.

U.S Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., was one of three members of Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation to petition the U.S. Department of Justice Wednesday to monitor elections in Wisconsin.

STATE NEWS

Wisconsin Democrats ask DOJ to monitor elections

By Andrew Bahl | Oct. 26, 2016

Three Wisconsin congressmen are calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to monitor elections in the state after concern about the state’s voter ID law. U.S.

STATE NEWS

Emails show Green Bay city clerk tried to block student early voting

By Lilly Price | Oct. 25, 2016

A series of emails recovered from Green Bay City Clerk Kris Teske suggest efforts to hinder student voting by limiting access to early polling places on UW-Green Bay’s campus.

STATE NEWS

Chelsea Clinton emphasizes respect in Madison rally

By Claire Grummon | Oct. 25, 2016

Chelsea Clinton emphasized the importance of voting early, respect for others and the future in an address at the Overture Center Tuesday.

“I take the position that we shouldn’t have a special counsel at this time. We should let the [congressional] committees do their work,” U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said.

STATE NEWS

Johnson, Feingold trade barbs as Election Day nears

By Tenley Sanduski | Oct. 24, 2016

In an increasingly tight senate race in Wisconsin, Democrat Russ Feingold responded Monday to quotes from Ron Johnson that described him as “phony.” Johnson spoke with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board on Friday, and when asked about his opponent, he stated he does not “respect phoniness.” "Is that really a guy who has traveled around the state and really been part of Wisconsin?" Johnson said of Feingold.

Students, led by UW basketball player Vitto Brown, cast their ballots Monday as early voting began on campus.

STATE NEWS

Vitto Brown, university officials urge students to cast their ballots as early voting begins

By Emily Curtis | Oct. 24, 2016

Students began casting their first votes in the 2016 election Monday, as early voting began at two campus locations. Leading the way was UW-Madison men’s basketball star Vitto Brown, who voted today for the first time in Wisconsin. At Union South, Brown urged his fellow Badgers to go out and exercise their right to vote in the upcoming election before registering and casting a vote of his own. “I think it is important for us students to go out and vote because we all have ideas.

Panelists discuss the role of religion in politics at a panel Thursday night at the High Noon Saloon.

CITY NEWS

Panelists explore role of religion in 2016 election

By Andy Goldstein | Oct. 20, 2016

The intersection of religion and politics is a historic and controversial tradition in American discourse, and one given contemporary insight by a diverse panel of members of the faith community brought together by The Capital Times Thursday night. “I was kind of hoping to think of a joke about everyone on this panel walking into a bar,” joked moderator and Cap Times reporter Jessie Opoien. Faith has often been a galvanizing factor in American politics, from the scripture-charged battle against slavery, to the natural law-based defense of statewide same-sex marriage bans.

STATE NEWS

With declining state support for UW, budget could tie funding to performance

By Andrew Bahl and Madeline Heim | Oct. 20, 2016

The state’s biennial budget might seem complicated, but it has very real effects for the students, faculty, administration and staff that make up the UW System.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump squared off in the third and final presidential debate Wednesday in Las Vegas.

STATE NEWS

Trump, Clinton meet in final debate

By Lucas Sczygelski | Oct. 20, 2016

Nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton met Wednesday night for the third and final presidential debate at the University of Nevada,Las Vegas. The exchange began in a surprisingly subdued manner.

State Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, hears testimony on a bill he introduced last year, which allows students to refinance their loans.

STATE NEWS

Report reveals growing student debt in Wisconsin

By Hannah J. Olson | Oct. 19, 2016

According to a report issued Monday by the Institute for College Access & Success, national debt levels are climbing, with seven in 10 Wisconsin graduates amassing debt. After increasing by 4 percent nationally and 2 percent statewide this year, the accumulated average debt of Wisconsin college graduates now stands at $29,460.

STATE NEWS

Clinton maintains lead in new Monmouth poll

By Andrew Bahl | Oct. 19, 2016

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is holding on to a lead over Republican Donald Trump in Wisconsin, according to a Monmouth University poll of the state released Wednesday. Forty-seven percent of those surveyed say they will back Clinton, with 40 percent supporting Trump.

Roughly 42 percent of students are proficient in English and math according to data from the state’s new standardized tests administered to students throughout the state.

STATE NEWS

New standardized tests show 42 percent of students are proficient

By Lilly Price | Oct. 18, 2016

Roughly 42 percent of high school students performed at proficient or higher levels in their studies, according to data from Wisconsin Forward Exam released Tuesday.

STATE NEWS

Panel explores potential for criminal justice reform in state

By Sarah Schoenfeldt | Oct. 18, 2016

Wisconsin needs to do more to reduce recidivism in the criminal justice system—including changing laws to better support former offenders—according to a panel of activists, who spoke Monday night at Grace Episcopal Church.

STATE NEWS

Trump decries voter fraud, corruption in Green Bay speech

By Emily Curtis | Oct. 17, 2016

Donald Trump traveled to Green Bay Monday to continue his campaign with a rally at the KI Convention Center, lashing out at what he claimed to be large-scale voter fraud. With a poll from FiveThirtyEight suggesting that Trump has less than a 10 percent chance of winning Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes, Trump attempted to rally his fervent supporters to go and campaign on his behalf.

State Superintendent and Democratic nominee for governor Tony Evers took shots at Gov. Scott Walker in his tenth annual State of Education address, calling for significant increases in state aid and financial support to schools and students.

STATE NEWS

Graduation rates, racial achievement gap remain high in Wisconsin

By Tenley Sanduski | Oct. 17, 2016

For the second year in a row, Wisconsin had one of the top high school graduation rates in the country, according to statistics released by the U.S. Department of Education Monday.

STATE NEWS

Federal judge orders improved voter education, more training after voter ID controversy

By Ningyuan Ma | Oct. 13, 2016

With Election Day weeks away, a federal judge ordered Thursday that the state must provide more information to help every legal voter navigate the complex process of acquiring state-issued voter ID. U.S. District Judge James Peterson issued the ruling to provide a "targeted remedy" to problems with a program designed by Wisconsin Department of Transportation to help people without identification documents obtain IDs promptly.

State Sen. Rick Gudex, R-Fond du Lac, died early Wednesday morning from a self-inflicted gunshot.

STATE NEWS

State Senator Richard Gudex dies of self-inflicted gunshot wound

By Katie Moakley | Oct. 12, 2016

State Sen. Rick Gudex, R-Fond du Lac, was pronounced dead early Wednesday morning due to a self-inflicted gunshot.

STATE NEWS

Clinton’s lead rises to seven points in new Marquette Poll

By Sam Schulz | Oct. 12, 2016

The latest Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday shows Hillary Clinton’s lead over Donald Trump has grown to seven points. Among likely Wisconsin voters, 44 percent support Clinton while 37 percent Trump, with Libertarian Gary Johnson supported by three percent and the Green Party’s Jill Stein at three percent.

Mitchell could face felony charges related to assaulting an officer.

STATE NEWS

State building commission green lights Witte Hall renovation

By Andrew Bahl | Oct. 12, 2016

Fifty-two-year-old Witte Residence Hall will receive a $47 million renovation, after approval Wednesday from the State Building Commission. The project, slated to begin in the spring, will add an 11th floor to one of the towers, build bridges connecting the two buildings and bring new lounge space and air conditioning.