Supervisor Burgelis’ Plan to Provide Election Day Transit Rides at No Cost to Voters Headed to Committee
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County voters will cast their votes for Governor and U.S. Senator on November 8. Resolution 22-993, authored by County Supervisor Peter Burgelis will be heard by the Milwaukee Transportation and Transit Committee on September 6.
“Removing obstacles to vote will produce better outcomes for residents across our County,” said County Supervisor Peter Burgelis. “Providing better access to the polls helps us protect our sacred right to vote. I urge my colleagues to support this initiative – it will empower even more Milwaukee County residents to make their voices heard in November.”
“Milwaukee County Transit Service has the capacity to get more than 40,000 riders to their official polls on Election Day,” said MCTS Interim Managing Director Denise Wandke. “With 40-plus bus routes and thousands of bus stops, we can be sure that voting is accessible to everyone in every corner of the county on Election Day.”
In a 2016 Massachusetts Institute of Technology survey of registered voters nationwide, 14 percent of respondents who didn’t vote said that transportation was a “major factor” in their decision not to.
Compared to other communities in Wisconsin, Milwaukee County has lagged behind in turnout of eligible and registered voters, as evidenced by the 2020 turnout of registered voters: Dane County: 89.3%; Milwaukee County: 83.67%; Ozaukee County: 92.55%; Washington County: 94.66%
Many communities have in recent years expanded access to the polls to encourage higher voter turnout. No-cost Election Day transit service was offered in San Diego, Tampa, Encinitas, Los Angeles, Houston, Minneapolis, Owensboro and other communities.
The initiative has the support of MCTS and ATU 998.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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