© 2024 Milwaukee Public Media is a service of UW-Milwaukee's College of Letters & Science
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Milwaukee County Board Wants Public Assistance Agencies to Help People Register to Vote

Under the board's plan, social service offices would provide voter registration forms, assist applicants and send the forms to election officials.

The measure also requires Milwaukee election officials to let registrants know as soon as possible, whether their forms have been accepted or rejected. The program must also send automated text messages to voters, alerting them prior to and on election days.

Supervisor Khalif Rainey says the resolution involving public assistance agencies and the citizens served "hits a demographic that is frequently prone to much lower rates of democratic participation, due to insufficient information, resources, and familiarity with the voting process."  He says the plan should encourage voter turnout in Milwaukee County.

The board advanced the measure on Thursday by a 16-2 vote, sending it to County Executive Abele.

Related Content