University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Thursday, February 20, 2020
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The Perils of Patriotism +OPINION, PAGE 5
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Madison voter turnout increases from 2019 By Kate Van Dyke STAFF WRITER
Madison voter turnout in Wisconsin’s Spring Primary was up 4.5 percent from
last year’s February election as voters cast their ballots Tuesday for the State Supreme Court and Madison School Board.
TAYLOR WOLFRAM/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Voters experienced delayed registration and confusion about their polling location due to technical difficulties with MyVote Wiscosnin.
Polls saw 47,599 registered voters in Madison despite online polling website MyVote Wisconsin experiencing problems — leaving some voters with delayed registration and confusion regarding their polling location. The problem with MyVote Wisconsin developed from a crashed server that had to be taken offline, Wisconsin Elections Commission spokesman Reid Magney said in an interview with Wisconsin State Journal. The site crashed for some visitors, while others experienced long delays as it retrieved information. “We haven’t seen any indication that there’s anything suspicious going on,” Magney said. “We are still in the process of diagnosing the prob-
lem and figuring out a solution to it. When we know more, we will be happy to tell you everything we’ve learned.” If voters were experiencing problems, Magney recommended they use the backup polling location service gettothepolls.com while they addressed the issue. Magney does not expect the problems to continue into the nonpartisan general election in April or the partisan election in November. “This website has been working for many years under significantly higher loads,” he said. “This website has done very well in an election when we’ve had 60 and 65% turnout.” In the results from Tuesday’s election, current
Justice Daniel Kelly and Dane County Circuit Court Judge Jill Karofsky advanced to the Wisconsin Supreme Court Election, while Maia Pearson and Christina Gomez Schmidt will move on to the April 7 election for the Madison School Board. The technical difficulties with the online polling website did not deter UW-Madison student Annie Martin from casting her vote. Although she experienced issues on MyVote Wisconsin, Martin said she made it a priority to vote despite her initial difficulty. “Especially in a state like Wisconsin, every vote matters,” Martin said. “It’s very rewarding to participate in elections and to directly influence the issues that affect our country.”
Restorative Justice Project facilitates Victim-Offender Dialogues By Morgan Lock CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR
The Restorative Justice Project, sponsored by UW-Madison’s Law School, aims to serve victims and survivors in the aftermath of serious crimes by providing victimoffender dialogues. The Victim-Offender Dialogue program is an opportunity for victims, survivors and their relatives to meet with the individuals who have committed crimes against them. This process is completely confidential and voluntary on both sides. Crimes could include: homicide, sexual assault, incest, child abuse, domestic violence, kinapping/false imprisonment, robbery, armed robbery and burglary, among others. Jonathan Scherrer, the director of the Restorative Justice Project, is a clinical assistant professor in
the Law School with a seat on the Advisory Council for the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice. By facilitating a dialogue between a victim and their offender, the victim is able to have their questions answered, leading to reduced trauma in the aftermath of the crime. “By providing them a means of engaging with one another in a very positive way, we’ve seen really incredible outcomes,” Scherrer said. The dialogue works to humanize both sides in order to come to an understanding, according to Scherrer, who recalled when a victim advocated for the release of their offenders after their discussion. Alongside their dialogue program, the Restorative Justice Project also focuses on teaching students restorative practices in local communities. They provide opportuni-
ties for students to address conflict and harm in their own neighborhoods and schools in a coalition with the Dane County Community Restorative Court. The Court provides young adults who committed misdemeanor law violations in South Madison the possibility to appear before community members to ensure accountability, determine alternative sanctions and to help repair the harm done to the victim of the crime, according to their website. Their mission is to repair harm, reduce risk and rebuild the community. Since opening the program in 1987, the Restorative Justice Project has helped over 200 victims and survivors. Over 98 percent of participants said the dialogue was a positive experience and would recommend it to another person, according to Scherrer.
“Whatever it is that a victim is looking for, we try to get those questions answered for them,” Scherrer said. “The amount of peace and healing that results from engaging in this
process is incredibly valuable for the individuals involved.” “The [Restorative Justice Project] allows us to use the law as a tool for healing,” Scherrer said.
GRAPHIC BY MAX HOMSTAD
The Restorative Justice Project aims to repair harm and reduce risk.
Panhellenic Association joins collective fight against new Hub II apartments By Michael Parsky ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
As plans for the proposed Hub II apartments on Langdon Street halted last week, students joined Madison community members to express their concerns in anticipation of the apartment complex’s construction. Representatives from the UW-Madison Panhellenic Association met and discussed the proposal to build a seven-story, 124-unit edifice — called “The Langdon” — to occupy the empty lot at 126 Langdon St., which lies in a historical neighborhood and sits
in between UW-Madison fraternity and sorority houses. The Madison Plan Commission voted last week against the height of the structure, putting plans for the apartment edifice in limbo and doubts if the project will even continue, according to Ald. Sally Rohrer, District 8. Rohrer led deliberations and listened to student input, receiving recommendations as to what the vacant space should hold. Rohrer started reaching out to students after she noticed a lack of student representation when
a steering committee comprised of residents — primarily from the
“It was unjust because the people who are going to be living in [the neighborhood] weren’t involved in the process at all.” Sally Rohrer Ald.,District 8 City of Madison
Mansion Hill neighborhood — complained about the potential
impact of the apartment building on the community to the Urban Design Commission. “There were no students involved,” Rohrer said. “Both of the steering committee meetings were over winter break or during exam week. It was unjust because the people who are going to be living in [the neighborhood] weren’t involved in the process at all.” A major concern the steering committee noted to the design commission regarded a proposed rooftop pool and hot tub deck, which the committee ultimately
requested to be removed as a conditional use standard, according to the Cap Times. Core Spaces — the developers of the Hub II apartments — said they would collaborate with the steering committee to accommodate their concerns. “As always, we are open to listening to the steering committee’s suggestions,” Rodney King, a member of the development team
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“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”