By Lexi Chitwood
On Oct. 20, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and indie folk group Bon Iver held a sold-out concert to 2,500 people at The Sylvee, a new music venue in Madison.
This event was held to encourage early voting in anticipation of the upcoming midterm election on Nov. 6. The money raised from ticket sales went to the Baldwin for Wisconsin Victory Fund.
Justin Vernon, frontman of Bon Iver and Eau Claire native, gave a short speech before introducing Baldwin. Vernon addressed his desire to get involved with the campaign and use his platform to make a difference. “Music is beautiful, but if you don’t have freedom, you don’t have anything,” he said.
Vernon said using individual voices and votes is important to protect each other. “We need leaders that do not sway in times of great crisis, that do not remain neutral. That will fight for all people. Not just the people that are on their ticket,” he said.
Vernon stressed that human lives cannot become partisan issues or commodities.
Vernon embraced Baldwin before exiting the stage. Baldwin took to the mic among cheers from the audience. She encouraged the audience to vote early and brought up the issues that are on the ballot this election: climate change, net neutrality, equality, and healthcare.
Baldwin recalled her family’s struggle to find healthcare after she was diagnosed with a serious childhood illness. An issue at the forefront of the night was coverage for pre-existing conditions.
“I believe in a world and a country and a state, where everyone has access to high quality, affordable healthcare and that includes coverage for people with pre-existing health conditions,” Baldwin said.
She said her opponent, Republican Leah Vukmir, has opposed coverage for pre-existing conditions at every opportunity. “You didn’t send me to Washington D.C to take people’s healthcare away. And I will be unafraid to stand up to those powerful interests and fight for Wisconsin,” Baldwin said.
John Darcy, a History major at Edgewood College, attended the rally. Bon Iver drew him to the event, and he had already voted early but was still interested in the political activism of the night. “It was nice to buy the ticket knowing it would go directly to fundraising,” he said.
When asked about the political engagement at Edgewood College, Darcy said, “I think people are pretty amped up about the midterms. There is also a huge push for voting going on in general, and it’s probably impossible for people to not get some of that on a daily basis.”
Darcy encouraged his peers to vote, even if they had reservations about it. “It’s really easy and understandable for people to be very turned off with the whole political system right now and just not even want to participate,” he said. “But I think it’s important to remember that if you don’t vote, you really are kind of voting in a way. There’s no such thing as not voting.”
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