Group Providing Free Rides To Polls

Souls to the Polls plans to live up to its name on election day, Nov. 8. The organization, led by a coalition of faith leaders, will provide Milwaukee residents free rides to polling sites.

“Whatever you have on your agenda tomorrow, move voting to the top,” said pastor Richard D. Shaw, leader of St. Matthew CME Church and chair of Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied For Hope, at a press conference Monday morning at City Hall.

Pastor Greg Lewis, head of Souls to the Polls, said 50 drivers will be available to get anyone to a polling site. All the voter needs to do is call 414-742-1060. The rides are being provided for free and voters do not need to identify who they are voting for.

“I want you to look at your neighbor in your neighborhood and I want you to tell them ‘we can’t sit this one out,'” said pastor Steven Tipton.

Tipton, Shaw and Lewis were part of a group of more than 15 faith leaders who called on people to vote.

“I am here to urge every citizen in Wisconsin to vote,” said Janan Najeeb, president of the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition.

The group didn’t explicitly endorse any candidate, nor even mention them by name, but many of the speakers suggested that the rights of minorities to vote were at risk with some of the candidates.

“Who said that the Constitution allowed for the views of fundamentalist Christians to be imposed on all Christians, on all Jews, on all Muslims, on atheists, on Hindus, on Buddhists, on Shiks, on everybody else?” said Najeeb. “This is not what the Constitution said when they created a separation of church and state.”

“Here we are in 2022, we are still fighting for voting rights,” said Tipton, one of several Black pastors to speak.

Pastor Walter Lanier said more than 600 canvassers would branch out across the city on Tuesday, ensuring people get to a polling place.

Lanier said anyone experiencing a threat or concern should call 866-OUR-VOTE.

The number is staffed by the national nonprofit Election Protection. Founder Barbara Arnwine spoke at the event and spoke about her work, including working to pass the 1991 Civil Rights Act with the late Congressman John Lewis. “We will fight for the right to vote. Tomorrow we will vote. The eyes of the world are on Wisconsin,” she said.

“We are getting out the vote and nothing is going to stop us, no matter how hard you try,” said Lewis.

“You can’t have a functioning democracy unless people are participants in it,” said Mayor Cavalier Johnson during a brief appearance at the event.

Not comfortable calling Souls to the Polls? Lyft and Uber are providing up to 50% off rides via their apps. Bublr Bikes is offering free rides.

Voters in Milwaukee must vote at their neighborhood polling site on election day. The state’s My Vote WI website maintains a list of polling locations and provides a sample ballot. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.