Upcoming Election: August 11, 2026
Questions: Disability Rights and Access
Reach out to the Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidates to respond to questions on improving the quality of life for persons with disabilities in relation to:
- Health Care and Community Services
- Employment
- Education
- Infrastructure and Transportation
- Housing
As the state chief executive, how will you raise awareness on disability rights and access?
Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidates
Below are listed in alphabetical order with contact website and responses if provided to our questions on disability rights and access.
*NOTE: This is for informational purposes and not an endorsement of any candidate.
Joel Brennan
Democrat, former Department of Administration secretary.
Response To Our Questions on Disability Rights and Access:
The candidate has not yet responded.
Contact
Web: BrennanForWI.com
David Crowley
Democrat, Milwaukee County executive.
Response To Our Questions on Disability Rights and Access:
The candidate has not yet responded.
Contact
Web: CrowleyForWI.com
Francesca Hong
Democrat, state representative from Madison.
Response To Our Questions on Disability Rights and Access:
The candidate has not yet responded.
Contact
Web: FrancescaHong.com
Andy Manske
Republican, medical services technician.
Response To Our Questions on Disability Rights and Access:
Andrew Manske or “Andy” is a Medical Service Technician in Southeast Wisconsin. Andrew is 27 years old, married, and the oldest of three children. He has spent most of his life trying to get upward mobility in a system that often doesn’t encourage mobility. As a Medical Service Technician he delivers to rural and suburban areas as well as cities. Affordability is near and dear to Andrew’s heart, and he desires to see Wisconsin in a place where we don’t just survive, but we prosper.
Contact
Web: AndyManske4Governor.com/platform/
Kelda Roys
Democrat, state senator from Madison.
Response To Our Questions on Disability Rights and Access:
As governor, I will appoint, include, and consult with people with disabilities on all aspects of public policy.
One of the greatest tools I will have as governor is the platform to communicate. I will center the voices of people with disabilities and share my platform with them, so that they may tell their own stories in their own words. Don’t just take my word for it – this is how I’ve led as a senator and advocate, alongside people most closely affected by the policies we create.
I am a longtime champion for the equal rights of all Wisconsinites. I believe that people are defined by their own strengths and abilities, not by their disability. People with intellectual, developmental, mental or physical disabilities are people first and are entitled not only to equal treatment under our laws but to the freedom to make informed choices about how to live their lives. Policymakers who are presently able-bodied should partner with people with disabilities, their advocates, and caregivers to transform our communities so they are truly accessible and welcoming to everyone. I believe in including the voices of people with disabilities in policy decisions that impact their lives, and find meaningful opportunities for stakeholder engagement.
Address Transportation Barriers
Limited access to transportation has consistently been identified as a priority issue for people with disabilities across our state. Most people with developmental disabilities in Wisconsin neither drive nor own cars, and many Wisconsinites with disabilities rely on the bus system and taxi services to maintain their independence and employment, and to engage in their communities. Affordable, accessible, and effective public transit is also vital for direct care providers to get to work. Recent budgets have failed to make meaningful investments in public transportation or to increase funding for transit that serves people with disabilities and their caregivers. I support regional transit authorities, to allow communities to plan for and serve the current and future needs of their residents. I will seek appropriate funding for transit, so people can get to work, medical appointments, and community supports. For many people with disabilities, shared-ride systems also offer tremendous potential to help address transportation needs. These vehicles should be accessible, require background checks for drivers, prohibited from charging people with disabilities additional fees or higher fares or discriminating against riders who need to travel with mobility equipment.
Invest in Wisconsin’s Direct Care Workers
Many people with disabilities and older adults rely on workers like home health aides, personal attendants, and nursing assistants to help with daily tasks, keep them healthy and enhance their independence and ability to live at home. Yet a recent survey indicated that 85% of Wisconsin residents with disabilities cannot find enough direct care workers to meet their needs. Wisconsin is experiencing a direct care workforce crisis that our current political leaders have failed to address. Direct care workers are overwhelmingly female and women of color and they work for appallingly low wages, with few benefits and little training. Investing in our caregiving workforce will lead to improvements in the health and quality of life for Wisconsin’s older adults and people with disabilities, provide much-needed respite for family members who are also providing care, and strengthen our economy. All direct care workers – including those who provide home and community-based care – must be paid a fair wage, and have access to a meaningful career pathway. I support a Direct Care Workers’ Bill of Rights that not only protects the health, independence, and well-being of their patients, but provides these important workers with the right to collectively bargain, increased training and advancement opportunities, benefits like paid leave, and protection from harassment and mistreatment.
I am also proud to be the lead author of the LIving Wage bill to raise the state’s minimum wage immediately to $15/hr and $20 by 2030, with inflationary increases and local control to exceed it. I’ll also allow care workers to unionize, and will open up Wisconsin’s state employee health insurance plan to allow anyone to buy in – and same with our excellent pension system. Anyone should be allowed to voluntarily participate in these high quality programs, at cost.
Improve Employment and Housing Opportunities
Individuals with disabilities experience much lower rates of employment, far less than half the rates of able-bodied counterparts, and many are paid low wages. All citizens should have the opportunity to earn income, to achieve greater stability, homeownership, and financial security. Employment and stable housing helps people achieve independence, economic self-sufficiency, and better health. Wisconsin can ensure that people with disabilities will be employed in integrated jobs of their choosing in the community. I will champion programs that expand employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, and programs that pay fair wages for that work. Wisconsin should be a leader in employment and work accommodation programs for people with disabilities, including finding ways to ensure that our public sector is providing training and hiring opportunities for Wisconsinites with disabilities.
I have detailed strategies for increasing access to housing, investing in homeownership, preventing homelessness and housing insecurity, protecting the rights of renters, and increasing housing affordability and the housing stock throughout Wisconsin.
Strengthen Our Public Assistance Programs
Many of Wisconsin’s residents with disabilities live on very low incomes — so low that they rely on programs like Medicaid, FoodShare, Wisconsin Works, and housing assistance. Attacks on these vital supports and spiteful welfare “reform” tactics significantly impact people with disabilities and their caregivers. Changes to eligibility, reductions to time limits, and new punitive practices all create major barriers to accessing assistance, and often result in a loss of household supports that parents or families with disabilities with children with disabilities living in poverty need to meet their basic needs. We must reverse these harmful policy changes so Wisconsin’s public assistance programs work to stabilize these families and prevent loss of employment, homelessness, serious health deterioration, or other negative consequences.
Involve Stakeholders in Maintaining our Long-Term Care Programs
Wisconsin’s system of long-term care services helps people with disabilities stay healthy and maintain/gain their independence through community-based care and at-home supports and services. Despite the success and efficiencies of our Family Care and IRIS programs, Republicans have repeatedly proposed dramatic changes to these vital programs that neither come from nor reflect the recommendations and needs of people with disabilities, their advocates, or their caregivers. Stakeholders must be involved before any changes are made to long-term care programs. Long-term care programs must be regularly monitored and evaluated, and data about these programs’ outcomes compiled regularly and shared transparently and collaboratively with stakeholders. Wisconsin should strengthen community-based support systems that allow people the dignity and independence to live inclusive lives in their communities. I will defend independent living and community integration from the attacks of the Trump administration. I’ll also take aim at profiteering middlemen MCOs that purport to save money but actually are accelerating the fiscal challenges faced by providers.
Ensure that Our Public Schools Help Students with Disabilities Succeed
Research is clear that students with intellectual disabilities can learn and succeed in school if they’re given appropriate supports. Our public schools can and must prepare all students to become the best version of themselves that they can – valued members of our communities, people with purpose, leaders, and participants in our workforce. We must ensure adequate special education funding for our public schools and 90% sum sufficient reimbursement, which has been stagnant for a decade even as costs have increased; and I will responsibly end the costly special needs voucher program that siphons public dollars away from public schools and funnels them to unaccountable private voucher schools.
Contact
Web: KeldaRoys.com
Tom Tiffany
Republican, congressman representing northern Wisconsin.
Response To Our Questions on Disability Rights and Access:
The candidate has not yet responded.
Contact
Web: TomTiffany.com