Listen: The 2010 Fall General Elections are rapidly approaching! And even closer? The Fall Primaries for the November election. For many races, this will determine who’s on the ballot, an absolutely critical part of the process — if there’s a candidate you’d like to support in November, they need your support in September too!
First thing you need to know about the upcoming primary and election season — voting is easy! (And it can actually be quite fun.) I’ve taken a few minutes and put together a short “Voting Made Even Easier” document for you. If you have any questions or apprehensions or reservations about voting, read below and be at ease.
(If you have a question that isn’t answered here, the City of Milwaukee Election Commission has a great website where you can find answer s.)
LEARN ABOUT THE FALL PRIMARY
Getting to the polls is important, but getting there with information in hand is absolutely critical — choosing between candidates based on names or guesses is not the way to go. There are many, many places to do this, but I’d recommend starting at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Election Guide. They have a comprehensive list of what will be on the Fall Primary ballot. Also, check out the MJS’s Inside State Politics porta l, which is packed with valuable information on the upcoming election.
From there? Read up, get out to forums, listen for debates, and discern for yourself!
VOTER REGISTRATION
Voter registration by mail and at the Milwaukee Public Libraries have closed for the upcoming primary, but there are still two easy ways to register. This is important — if you have not registered yet, you can still register all the way up to the polls closing! Not sure if you’re registered? This website will let you know your status.
At this point in the game, there are two ways to register:
(1) You can pre-register in person at City Hall. Go to the Election Commission, Room 501, City Hall, 200 East Wells between Monday and Friday from 8am to 4:45pm. Just remember to bring a proof of residence ( see the bottom of this website for exactly what that means (don’t sweat — you easily have more than one of these documents)).
(2) In most convenient fashion, you can register on the day of an election! So, show up at the polls on Tuesday, September 14th with a form of identification and proof of residence, and you’re all set to register (again, see the bottom of this website for what that means).
VOTING AT THE POLLS
Now, the good part. The way you earn that bright little sticker — VOTING! This can be done in two ways:
(1) In-person absentee voting can be done between now and Monday, September 13th, between the weekday hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm in the Municipal Zeidler Building located at 841 N. Broadway, Room 102. I’ve done absentee voting before because I couldn’t make it to the polls on the day of the election, and it was remarkably easy. Plus, I felt super responsible afterwards, which was a pretty nice feeling.
(2) For in person voting — first thing you’ll need to do is determine your polling place. How? Go to this website and enter your address. That’s it. I just did it and it took about 5 seconds — plus, it gives you a list of all your elected officials at every level of government. Pretty neat.
Now, go to that polling place between 7am and 8pm on Tuesday, September 14thand vote! Bring an ID. It’s that easy. Your vote will go a long way!
Final Recap of Important Websites:
- City of Milwaukee’s Election Commission homepage
- The MJS’s Fall Primary Election Guide and Inside State Politics Portal
- Check your registration status
- Instructions on registration and proof of residence documentation
See you at the polls!