As the nation turns its attention to Wisconsin for one of the most anticipated elections in recent history, Milwaukee County leaders have unified in an urgent appeal for residents to turn out and vote.
During a press conference at Milwaukee County Courthouse on November 4, local officials and election administrators encouraged voters to make their voices heard by casting a ballot, stressing both the personal and collective importance of participating in this critical election.
County Executive David Crowley acknowledged the significant impact of every vote, for an election that polls showed as close. As a father of two young daughters, he reflected on the deeply personal motivation driving him to vote.
“Tomorrow is election day in Wisconsin and all across the country, and we have a historic presidential race on the ballot alongside critical local and statewide elections that will help shape the future of Milwaukee and our country,” said County Executive Crowley. “I vote because I know that voting is a means to bring change. I don’t just vote for myself, I vote for my daughters as well. I vote so they will have a world they can grow up in and live in.”
Emphasizing the rights secured through historical struggles, Crowley reminded the press and public of the hard-won fight for voting rights. He said it was easy for individuals to feel like a single vote may not make a difference, but both local and national elections could be decided by the smallest of margins. In fact, in Milwaukee County, a representative for the city of Wauwatosa won his election by just one vote.
“I vote to honor all the trailblazers and pioneers who faced discrimination and even violence to secure this fundamental right for us,” County Executive Crowley added. “Every vote matters. Beyond just numbers, voting sends a message about what people value and the kind of future they want to build for their community. Casting a ballot is a way to stand up and declare that each person matters. So please take the time to make your voice heard, because every single vote matters.”
Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson said that based on totals from early voting, she was excited to see people across Milwaukee County turn out as the nation watched. For Chairwoman Nicholson, the election held a unique meaning as both a public servant and a woman of color who had experienced firsthand the social and economic issues at stake.
“So why do I vote? I vote because I’m a former teacher, I’m a Black Latina, and I want a future where we all thrive. I cast my ballot because young girls deserve to grow up in a world where they can make their own choices and have control over their own lives,” said Chairwoman Nicholson. “I vote because everyone deserves to live in a community that treats them with dignity and respect, regardless of where they come from. And I vote because when we don’t participate, we are letting other people take our voice away and make decisions for us.”
Chairwoman Nicholson reminded the voting public that the 2024 presidential election was too important to sit out.
Following her statement, Director of the Milwaukee County Election Commission Michelle Hawley, gave a detailed explanation of the voting security process in Wisconsin. She addressed voter confidence directly, explaining why Milwaukee and the state as a whole maintain rigorous standards to ensure elections are secure, transparent, and accessible.
“I often get asked why voters should be confident in the election process in Wisconsin,” said Hawley. “Here are a few reasons why I believe Milwaukee County — and elections throughout Wisconsin — are free, fair, accessible, and secure.”
A cornerstone of Wisconsin’s process is the use of paper ballots. In Wisconsin, all registered voters mark paper ballots. Even for those who use a ballot-marking device during in-person absentee voting, that vote is still recorded on a paper ballot and verified by the voter.
“That paper record can be further reviewed after the election and post-election audits and recounts. Presidential recounts were conducted in both 2017 and 2017. in 2020 in Milwaukee County only proved the accuracy of our systems,” said Hawley.
Another safeguard involves the intentional disconnection of voting systems from the internet, enhancing security. Hawley explained that, election systems in Wisconsin are not connected to the internet.
Instead, after polls close, election workers print results directly from each tabulator. Data is then securely transmitted using cellular modems, which are verified against the paper record at over 250 polling locations in Milwaukee County.
“Absentee ballot results from the city of Milwaukee, the city of Wauwatosa, and the city of West Allis are actually going to be brought to us on election night on encrypted thumb drives. They do not have the capacity to motive their results because they use high-speed tabulators,” said Hawley. “As a result, they will download that information onto an encrypted thumb drive and bring that to our office and sign that over to me where I will read that information into our election management system.”
Hawley emphasized that Wisconsin’s election process is administered at the local level, by people who are known and trusted. Milwaukee County Deputy Clerk Stefan Dostanic echoed the importance of every vote, especially those from younger voters.
“I want to speak to the young people who are listening to this. Follow the money. Have you noticed how much money is being spent on ads to get your vote? That means it’s pretty valuable, so use your voice and vote. There are forces that are trying to prevent you from voting, and you cannot let them win,” said Dostanic. “Our election system is secure, accurate, and transparent. It has been proven over and over again. So I’m also asking young voters to please help election officials, we need you to stand up for the truth. When you hear about widespread election fraud, stand up and explain why it is nonsense.”
During an interview following the press conference, Ben Wikler, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, shared positive news about voter turnout, citing an unprecedented number of early ballots cast in Milwaukee.
“If you look at Milwaukee, where Barack Obama was just speaking, they’ve broken records for in-person early voting. And what’s most striking is that more than 13% of the people who have voted early in person in Milwaukee are new voters who registered the same day,” said Wikler. “People are coming out because they understand the stakes — for freedom, for democracy, for opportunity, for working folks.”
Wikler interpreted the surge in early voting as a testament to the importance of this election for Milwaukee residents. When asked about potential delays in counting votes, particularly absentee ballots in Milwaukee, Wikler addressed the underlying legislative issues.
“The process of counting absentee ballots only after precincts report election day totals is a Republican-created delay,” said Wikler said. “They blocked legislation that would have allowed absentee votes to be counted earlier.”
According to Wikler, the delay could create a condition known as a “red mirage,” a misleading appearance that one candidate was ahead, only for the numbers to shift as absentee ballots were counted.
“You’ll see a shift when those absentee ballots are introduced to the totals, and that may not happen until late at night or even the next morning,” said Wikler. “This delay allows misinformation to gain traction. Republicans refused to fix it in 2024 because they want Trump to be able to lie if it looks like he’s ahead.”
Polling stations in Milwaukee County will open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5. Anyone in line by closing time will still be able to cast their ballot. And in Wisconsin, residents can register at the polls on election day.
© Photo
Lee Matz
