MILWAUKEE — Midtown Center, Milwaukee’s busiest early voting site, welcomed thousands of residents to cast their ballots for more than 7 years.
"It's such a convenient place and people were used to being there,” said Rev. Greg Lewis, Executive Director, Souls to the Polls WI.
Last month, new ownership of Midtown signed a new tenant to move into the space the city typically leases.
Since then, City of Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall says her team has been focused on finding a new place within the community.
“We were scrambling to find the right location because Midtown is our busiest early voting site and extremely central to all of the aldermanic districts in this area. It’s kind of is at the border of three different districts, so we wanted to make sure we could find a spot that would be large enough to accommodate our needs for next year,” said Woodall.
By all accounts, it looks like they have.
In the heart of the city's Northside sits the former Midtown Bank.
Right at 60th and Capitol, several major transit lines go straight to it, and it's just across the street from the old site.
“We looked at other smaller spaces within the Midtown Center. We worked with churches to view their spaces, other vacant property. We literally were looking at anywhere within a mile radius of Midtown Center and then the owner of this property actually came to us to suggest it,” said Woodall.
Greg Lewis with Souls to the Polls was one of the driving forces behind trying to keep the original location open, getting more than 500 people to sign a petition in support of it.
“We really tried to fight to stay at Midtown for a significant reason because that was the place where most folks came out to vote in Milwaukee early. And now, we have a place that's right in the area, where we can just come right down the street and do the same thing but even better,” said Lewis.
The Election Commission will send mailers out at the end of January to voters in the area to make sure they know the new location.
“Any time there's change, we don't like change. We don't want anyone to feel frustrated and feel like they didn't get the information that we’ve moved. But as far as moving, I think this is the closest spot. It's the largest spot and it's going to accommodate the voters best,” said Woodall.
Common Council could approve the new lease by the end of the month, ensuring this spot is ready to go by the 2024 elections.
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