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Photo credit: Evan Casey
Sarah Pearson, Women’s March WI cofounder and co-chair, spoke at the rally.
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Photo credit: Evan Casey
Doris Mitchell came to the rally to encourage others to vote.
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Photo credit: Evan Casey
Over 300 individuals came out to Power to the Polls rally last Saturday to learn more about the August 14th election and to encourage others to vote.
Over 300 individuals, including politicians, community activists and organizers, came together last Saturday to call attention to an upcoming election in Wisconsin. Tuesday, August 14 is the date of the fall primary elections in Milwaukee, an election that many at the rally voiced concern over.
The rally, called Power to the Polls, is a national event making stops at 10 states they believe have faced voter suppression. Organized by members of the Women’s March, the events goal was to increase voter registration and education.
“We came here to work today,” said Sarah Pearson, Women’s March WI cofounder and co-chair. “It’s in this room that’s going to change the outcome of the next election.”
Volunteers and organizers knocked on doors, made phone calls, texted voters, wrote postcards and trained a group to register voters. The August 14 ballot includes elections for the Milwaukee County sheriff race and primaries for the governor.
“We go to a lot of rallies, and we go to a lot of events, and that's great and I think we need to continue that,” said Pearson. “But this event is designed to get people working and out in the community, and taking really tangible steps to build that electoral power.”
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Khary Penebaker, Wisconsin's Democratic National Committee member, also spoke at the event.
“I firmly believe that our country and our state are better off if we have more women and people of color in positions of power,” he said. “Some people look at voting as a luxury. Let's make sure after today, we change that paradigm.”
Wisconsin had the lowest voter turnout in 20 years during the 2016 presidential election. In Milwaukee County specifically, voter turnout fell from 68 percent, to just 61 percent. This is something that Milwaukee citizen Doris Mitchell, who came to the event to participate, is hoping changes quick.
“I came out because I feel that there is a lack of people getting out there to vote,” said Mitchell. “The number of people complaining about things not changing or getting better, does not equate.”
You can register to vote and learn more about the August 14th election here: MyVote.WI.gov
