1. Fall 2008 Government Ethics Voter Guide is underway

2. Results from voluntary election audits

3. Great Lakes Compact goes to Washington

Fall 2008 Government Ethics Voter Guide.  The LWVWI Education Fund, Common Cause in Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign are calling on candidates for the Wisconsin Legislature (Assembly and Senate) to state their positions on issues that are central to honest, accountable government.  The groups mailed an Ethics Questionnaire this week to all candidates certified by the Government Accountability Board, with a response deadline of Friday, July 18, 2008.  The questionnaire asks candidates their positions on specific reforms designed to reduce the influence of special interests on judicial and other elections and to promote a fair process for drawing legislative district lines following the next census.  Their responses will be posted by the end of the month.

Voluntary Election Audits Find Nearly Error-Free Voting, reports the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.  LWVWI worked with county and municipal clerks, the Government Accountability Board, and others to encourage county clerks to do voluntary audits following the April 1 elections.  While the GAB performs random mandatory audits following the November elections, the purpose of the voluntary audits -- which took place in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington, Dodge, Barron and Marinette counties -- was to “allow administrators to double-check their work by rerunning the balloting process, much like a recount…”  Read more here.

Great Lakes Compact – The Governors of Pennsylvania and Michigan signed the Great Lakes Compact this week, making it unanimous – almost.  The eight states required to pass legislation supporting the Compact have done so.  Now it goes to Congress.  Read more here.