Milwaukee's Midtown early voting site likely to relocate to 60th and Capitol

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Despite being a year away, pressure is already building for Wisconsin voters to make their voices heard in the next election, and one of Milwaukee's most popular voting areas may have a new polling place.

Milwaukee voting advocates gathered Thursday to show their support for an early voting site at 6001 West Capitol Drive.

"We wanted to make sure that we are starting to draw attention to this over a year out," said Angela Lang, the executive director of BLOC.

The move comes after the previous polling place, leased at Midtown Center shopping complex, was taken over by new ownership.

"A business is a business, and we completely understand that, but I think what the new owners didn't understand was the impact that the early voting site had," said Alderman Mark Chambers.

Chambers said the Midtown polling place is the most used early voting site in the entire Midwest.

"It was very imperative that we kept it within the area of Midtown, in the second district," Chambers said.

The new location's allure is its accessibility, with 95 parking spots, and located directly on a bus route in a diverse neighborhood.

"There is no way to win a state like Wisconsin that doesn't run through the heart of the Black community in Milwaukee," Lang said.

The 18-month lease is awaiting the green light from Milwaukee's Common Council.

If approved, it will be a home for voter and community engagement during a crucial election year.

"Wisconsin, we have an election in just a couple months," Lang said. "It's not just about November, we want to make sure folks are turning out in February, April, August, and November as well."

Right now, the lease is in the hands of the Judiciary and Legislation Committee.

It could head to the Common Council as early as Nov. 28, and Alderman Chambers expects full approval.