Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon has released a statement thanking Wisconsin voters for their sincerity and shared conversations, as part of his on-going ‘For Wisconsin’ voting drive.

The non-partisan initiative launched on September 22 saw Vernon, along with The National’s Aaron Dessner, encourage citizens to register to vote and participate in upcoming elections, particularly the recent race between President Trump and now, President-elect Joe Biden.

Vernon’s statement today (November 8) comes after Joe Biden was elected the 46th President of the United States. The post reads: “When we announced the “For Wisconsin” project, we were trusting in sincerity.

“From the first, we were looking for conversation, not conversion. Conversation in voices designed to be heard by each other, not over each other. The voices we use when we visit. Your voice was exactly that.

“Thank you for conveying that the power of conversation is measured not in volume, but in consideration. In quiet questions. In small stories. And sometimes, in silence… so others may speak.”

Thank you. #forwisconsin pic.twitter.com/ZjmCut9BgO

— Bon Iver (@boniver) November 8, 2020

Vernon’s home of Wisconsin played a crucial role in the 2020 election, often being referred to as one of the “battleground states” that would determine which candidate won.

The Midwest state has a long history of voting Democrat from 1988 to 2012, albeit with narrow margins. In 2016, Trump flipped it red, despite underperforming in the polls.

Earlier this week, on November 4, Wisconsin was called in favour of Biden at 49.6 per cent of the vote. Trump narrowly followed at 48.9 per cent.

Just 24 hours before voting booths opened, Vernon and Dessner shared a rousing cover of Aimee Mann’s ‘Wise Up’. The video, made to support the ‘For Wisconsin’ initiative, featured Mann’s lyrics of “It’s not going to stop/’Til you wise up” against a backdrop of the state’s stunning landscape.

“The stakes couldn’t be any higher in this election and it may come down to a handful of votes,” Dessner wrote in the video description.

Other videos in support of ‘For Wisconsin’ include Feist covering Cat Stevens’ ‘Trouble’ and a live performance from Arcade Fire of their 2020 track ‘Culture War’.