Vote Early at Fiserv Forum, 13 Other Sites

Milwaukee voters will be able to cast their ballot in the upcoming election at Fiserv Forum.

The Milwaukee Bucks and the City of Milwaukee are partnering to make the arena one of 14 early voting sites in the city. Voters from anywhere in the city can cast their ballot or return an absentee ballot at any of the early voting sites.

“This is a convenient way to vote for the residents of Milwaukee. We encourage every eligible voter to cast their ballot,” said Bucks President Peter Feigin at a press conference Tuesday morning. “As Milwaukee residents, I can tell you my wife and I will be casting my ballot here.”

“I want every eligible person in Milwaukee to vote in the upcoming election,” said Mayor Cavalier Johnson. “I want Milwaukee’s voice to be heard at the ballot box.” The mayor said he also intends to vote at Fiserv Forum.

From Oct. 25 through Nov. 5, at least seven early voting sites will be available daily across the city (listed at the end of this article). Voters who elect not to take part in early voting can vote at their local polling place on election day, Nov. 8.

“As we chose our early voting locations we really reflected on what has been working and working well over the years,” said Milwaukee Election Commission director Claire Woodall-Vogg. She said that was central, familiar landmarks. That includes Midtown Center, the Zeidler Municipal Building and libraries. And now it includes the arena.

“Fiserv was a very easy decision,” she said.

Fiserv Forum will be open for early voting on six days – Oct. 25, 27 and 29 and Nov. 3, 4 and 5. On the weekdays (Oct. 25, 27 and Nov. 3) it will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. On the two Saturdays (Oct. 29 and Nov. 5) it will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Voters seeking to vote at Fiserv Forum should enter at the Johnson Controls entrance on the northwest corner of the building at N. 6th St. and W. Juneau Ave. Free on-street parking is to be provided on W. Juneau Ave. and curbside service is available.

State statute allows municipalities to host early voting (in-person absentee voting) for up to two weeks before an election. But voters cannot register to vote or change their address on the weekend before the election and the municipalities cannot host early voting on the Monday before the election.

Voters can also return absentee ballots at each early voting location while it is open. A Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling prohibits the use of unstaffed drop boxes, but the staffed voting sites can accept absentee ballots.

More information on early voting, registration and election day voting is available at milwaukee.gov/election.

Voters looking for an excuse not to vote won’t have the Bucks and NBA to blame. All 30 teams will play the night before the election with pro-voting messaging expected. On election day, Nov. 8, there will be no games played. A number of other arenas are also serving as polling locations.

Avoiding Legal Challenges

Similar to the 2020 presidential election, Milwaukee will offer 14 early voting sites. But unlike the 2020 contest, Woodall-Vogg doesn’t think there is a threat of a legal challenge over the sites.

The Common Council approved a list of 28 potential sites early in the summer.

“We learned our lesson in 2020 when we didn’t list every site we ended up wanting, such as Fiserv Forum,” said Woodall-Vogg in May to members of the Judiciary & Legislation Committee.

With just a couple of hours’ notice, the Common Council called an 11:30 p.m. special meeting in June 2020 to satisfy a state statute to legislatively approve a list of 16 early voting sites. No one would speak on the record about why the meeting was called, but multiple sources hinted at a potential legal challenge.

Then in July 2020, city officials held a press conference at Fiserv Forum to announce the arena and American Family Field would be early voting sites, only to cancel the sites in October for fear of a legal challenge because the two facilities weren’t on the June list.

Half of the 2022 approved sites will not be used, including Gee’s Clippers and Coffee Makes You Black. Woodall-Vogg said that is a result of partnerships not coming together or the desire to consolidate staff and marketing on fewer, popular sites. “For us it’s where are we best utilizing our resources,” she said. The number of early voting sites (14) is still up from the eight used in 2018 and three used in 2016.

Poll Workers Needed

Milwaukee still needs poll workers. Woodall-Vogg said the city is ready for early voting, but could use approximately 350 more people to work the more than 150 sites on election day. Workers are paid $220 for a full-day shift or $113 for a half-day. Workers receive an additional $30 for attending training and $15 for being bilingual. City of Milwaukee poll workers only need to be a resident of Milwaukee County. More information is available on the city’s website.

Early Voting Sites

Starting Oct. 25, the following locations are open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Nov. 5.

• Midtown Shopping Center (5740 W. Capitol Dr.)
• Zeidler Municipal Building (841 N. Broadway)
• American Serb Hall (5101 W. Oklahoma Ave.)
• Good Hope Library (7715 W. Good Hope Rd.)
• Washington Park Library (2121 N. Sherman Blvd.)
• Flores Hall (2997 S. 20th St.)
• Clinton Rose Senior Center (3045 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.)

Week Two Additions

Starting Oct. 31, the following locations are open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Nov. 5.

• East Library (2320 N. Cramer St.)
• Mitchell Street Library (906 W. Historic Mitchell St.)
• Tippecanoe Library (3912 S. Howell Ave.)
• Villard Square Library (5190 N. 35th St.)

Bonus Locations

The following locations will serve as early voting sites, but have limited hours.

• Fiserv Forum (N. 6th St. and W. Juneau Ave.) – Oct. 25, 27, Nov. 3 and 4 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 29 and Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Social Development Commission (1730 W. North Ave.) – Oct. 31 – Nov. 4 – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• UW-Milwaukee Student Union (2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.) – Oct. 31 – Nov. 4 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.