Where to vote, when to vote, what’s on the ballot and NO, IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER TO VOTE

Not sure WHERE TO VOTE?

Google can help.  CLICK HERE.  Enter your home address and Google will give you your polling place.  If Google doesn’t know, call 1-866-VOTE-WIS, or call the Milwaukee County Clerk at (414) 278-4061.

If you live in the CITY of Milwaukee, try this webpage to find your polling place.

Not sure WHEN TO VOTE?

1) Any Wisconsin voter can vote by mail.

Absentee Ballot REQUESTS must be received by election officials by Thursday, October 30.

COMPLETED Absentee Ballots must be received by election officials by Monday, November 3.

2) Polling places are open on ELECTION DAY Tuesday, November 4, from 7am to 8pm.

WHAT’S MY BALLOT GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

You’ll be voting for more than just a new president on Election Day.

Here’s a SAMPLE BALLOT for the CITY OF MILWAUKEE.  (Click the link to open the pdf file.)

Here’s another SAMPLE BALLOT for the CITY OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE.  (Click the link to open the pdf file.)

BALLOT REFERENDUMS

In addition to national, state and local elections, your ballot may also include one or more referendums.

#1 Municipal Referendum (City of Milwaukee): PAID SICK LEAVE

“Shall the City of Milwaukee adopt Common Council File 080420, being a substitute ordinance requiring employers within the city to provide paid sick leave to employees.”

To read an editorial IN SUPPORT of the referendum, click here.

To read an editorial IN OPPOSITION of the referendum, click here.

#2 County Referendum (County of Milwaukee): SALES TAX

“Shall the State of Wisconsin grant Milwaukee County the authority to provide property tax relief of at least sixty-seven million dollars ($67 million) by levying a one percent (1%) county sales and use tax to be used to remove the following three items from the property tax levy: parks, recreation and culture; transit; and emergency medical services?”

To read a recent Journal-Sentinel article on the pros and cons of the referendum, click HERE.

IS IT TRUE THAT I CAN REGISTER ON ELECTION DAY?

YES.  You just need proof that you’ve lived at your place of residence for at least 10 days.

Proof of residence must contain: 1) current and complete name; and 2) current and complete residential address, including numbered street address (if any) and the name of a municipality.

Acceptable proofs of residence:

1. A current and valid Wisconsin driver’s license.
2. A current and valid Wisconsin identification card.
3. Any other official identification card or license issued by a Wisconsin governmental body or unit.
4. Any identification card issued by an employer in the normal course of business and bearing a photo of the card holder, but not including a business card.
5. A real estate tax bill or receipt for the current year or the year preceding the date of the election.
6. A residential lease which is effective for a period that includes election day (NOT for first-time voters registering by mail).
7. A university, college or technical institute fee card (must include photo).
8. A university, college or technical institute identification card (must include photo).
9. A gas, electric or telephone service statement (utility bill) for the period commencing not earlier than 90 days before election day.
10. Bank statement.
11. Paycheck.
12. A check or other document issued by a unit of government.

You can also register in person at the city clerk’s office as late as 5pm on Monday, November 3.

YOU CAN TAKE THREE HOURS OFF FORM WORK TO VOTE

It’s Wisconsin law.

“Any voter is entitled to be absent from work while the polls are open for a period not to exceed three successive hours.”

Just work it out with your supervisor.

Click HERE to read a recent Journal-Sentinel article about the law.

RadioMilwaukee Voting Awareness Events

88nine RadioMilwaukee says Be Heard!  Register to vote and help others get registered!  Join us at an upcoming event and find out how.

When you stop by the RadioMilwaukee tent, sign up for the 88nine Newsletter and you’ll be eligible to win cool RadioMilwaukee gear and gift certificates from El Rey Mexican Products and Lena’s Food Market.

FRI 10/3          Lena’s Food Market             11am – 1pm        3334 N Holton

SUN 10/5         El Rey Mexican Products     12noon – 2pm     1023 S Cesar E Chavez Drive

THURS 10/9     Pabst Theater                      Robert Randolph & The Family Band

FRI 10/10        Lena’s Food Market              11a-1pm            3334 N Holton

FRI 10/10        Pabst Theater                       Fleet Foxes Concert

SAT 10/11       El Rey Mexican Products      12-2pm               3524 W Burnham

SAT 10/18       El Rey Mexican Products      12-2pm               916 S Cesar E Chavez Drive

SAT 10/25       El Rey Mexican Products      12-2pm               1320 W Burnham

SAT 11/1         Riverside Theater                 Atmosphere Concert

TUES 11/4       TBA                                      Election Day Event

Declare Yourself

No Explanation Needed!!!! VOTE! Check out the site Declare Yourself. Declare Yourself is a national nonpartisan nonprofit campaign to encourage young voters to register, get informed and involved, and vote.

MySpace Launches MyDebates to Add Interactivity to the Presidential Debates

MySpace Launches MyDebates to Add Interactivity to the Presidential Debates

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Faithful America thanks Community Orgs with ad in Journal-Sentinel

Faithful America, a Washington, DC-based online community of tens of thousands of citizens motivated by faith to take action on pressing moral issues, took an ad out in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel thanking community orgs for the work they do — and will do in the future.

Obviously a response to some of the dismissive remarks about community orgs at the recent Republican National Convention, but interesting that the ad was published in only two city newspapers — the St. Paul Pioneer Press (the site of the convention) and Milwaukee’s Journal-Sentinel.

Certainly other factors could have been at play, but I take this is a pretty explicit reflection of our city’s national reputation as a region committed to public service, volunteering and community organizing.

Any other theories out there?

And let me second that motion — THANKS to all the community organizers and volunteers out there!

Wisconsin Voter Rights and How to Report Abuses

From the Wisconsin Department of Justice website:

Given the importance of voting in our democracy and the importance of this fall’s election, I am concerned that voting problems that have happened in other states not occur here in Wisconsin,” Lautenschlager said. “To try to prevent such problems, I am encouraging all Wisconsin citizens to be fully aware of their voting rights, and to exercise these rights. – Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager (10/24/04)

The following is a partial list of voter’s rights.  To see the complete list of your rights and for information on how to report voting abuses, follow this link.

• You have the right to vote by absentee ballot if you are already qualified and registered to vote in Wisconsin, or if you are in the Military or overseas on Election Day. [Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.20]
• You have the right to vote if you are in line when the polls close at 8 p.m., or at any other time between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. (In smaller cities, the polls are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.) [§§ 6.78 and 62.05]
• If you have not registered to vote, or if you did register but your name is not on the registration list, you have the right to vote at that polling place if you are at the correct location after (i) signing a registration form and (ii) providing written proof of your residence or having another voter confirm your residence. [§§ 6.29(2)(a), 6.54, 6.55((2)(a)-(c), 6.55(3), and 6.55(7)]
• If you cannot read, have trouble understanding English, or are disabled, you have the right to request special assistance from anyone other than your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your union. [§ 6.82]

Follow this link to see a complete list of your rights as a Wisconsin voter.

Election Protection

Election Protection is a non-partisan organization committed to protecting the right to vote and ensuring fair elections.

Election Protection Through their state of the art hotlines: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (administered by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law) and 1-888-Ve-Y-Vota (administered by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Education Fund), this website, and comprehensive voter protection field programs across the country, Election Protection provides Americans from coast to coast with comprehensive voter information and advice on how they can make sure their vote is counted.

If you’re interested in volunteering for Election Protection this election season, click here.  If you are an attorney, law student, or paralegal, Election Protection is in particular need of your help to protect the right to vote.

Unified Milwaukee: Get Out The Vote

2008 is an historic election year.  BE HEARD! 

REGISTER TO VOTE TODAY!

If you’re already registered to vote, GET INVOLVED!

Join 88Nine RadioMilwaukee and our partner organizations Citizen Action of WI and Voces de la Frontera to help Milwaukee Get Out The Vote.  Our partner orgs need poll workers, bilingual voting assistants, door knockers, phone bankers, drivers to the polls and chaperons for the youth Get Out The Vote effort.  Volunteer today.

Be heard.
Get Involved.

88Nine RadioMilwaukee