Tuesday, University of Wisconsin’s Distinguished Lecture Series hosted political strategist LaTosha Brown for a virtual event on voter suppression.

Brown’s lecture appeared on YouTube Live and was titled “The Death of Democracy: Voter Suppression in the 21st Century.”

The death of democracy in the U.S. is evident in Wisconsin, Brown said. 

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“Right now in Wisconsin, there are 129,000 voters who the State Board of Elections want to try to force to be removed,” Brown said. 

Brown said voter suppression is still present in a variety of forms, including the removal or moving of polling stations.

This has a major effect on many voters, and Brown said this usually happens to prevent voters of certain parties, races or socioeconomic backgrounds from showing up on election days. The other form of voter suppression that Brown discussed is people being dropped from voter rolls before elections. 

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Using the example of the 209,000 voters who may be removed in Wisconsin this year, Brown sourced experts who said that a disproportionate number of these voters are people of color, and a large number of them are students. 

Voter suppression not only destroys democracy, but also does not recognize the humanity of any potential voters who are not allowed to practice their right vote, Brown said.

Brown said voter suppression is evident in all elections. She encouraged her audience to stand up for citizens that are in danger of voter suppression and demand they be allowed to maintain their right to vote.

Brown’s said Wisconsin voters are able to make a difference, especially considering the state’s importance in every presidential election as a swing state.