It is no secret that we are living through unprecedented times. Our country is only a few months away from electing either a 34x convicted felon, or our nation’s first ever woman president, not to mention first ever Black and Asian woman president. We recognize what is at stake. Not just who is on the ballot, but what they represent. Our freedoms are on the line, and American democracy is on the ballot this November. The freedom to vote, to make a living wage, to live safe from gun violence, to help our families grow and prosper, to access affordable housing, to have clean drinking water, and to benefit from quality health care is at stake. And although American democracy has not always recognized, protected, or given Black Americans a fair voice, we are the ones who are on the frontlines defending it. Because, as Nikole Hannah-Jones wrote in her 1619 Project essay, “Our democracy’s founding ideals were false when they were written. Black Americans have fought to make them true.” It is up to us and our communities, once again, to save democracy.

So, what is being done to educate and empower every voter to get to the polls this November?

Our organization, Souls to the Polls Wisconsin, is focused on this question in Milwaukee’s Black, Brown, and working class neighborhoods. We are a non-profit, non-partisan voter education and advocacy organization that believes voting is our collective power—a tool we can use to build stronger, safer, and more supportive communities. Since our founding in 2013, we have united Milwaukee faith leaders and their congregations to strengthen the voting power of the Black community. We know a strong voting bloc is key to pressing state and local leaders on issues that matter: issues like affordable housing, education, health care, climate change, economic development, gun violence, and governmental transparency. Even as the political landscape around us changes, our mission and work to engage our communities 365 days a year remains the same.

At the core of our efforts is a message of hope: your vote is power. Reverend Greg Lewis, executive director of Souls to the Polls Wisconsin, always says, “If your vote didn’t matter, if your vote didn’t have power, why would they be working so hard to take it away?” He’s right. Just look at what is on the books in Wisconsin: a history of racially gerrymandered maps, restrictive voter ID laws, banning ballot drop boxes, changing polling places, and putting confusingly worded referendums on spring and primary election ballots. A WEC Commissioner (see Bob Spindell) who acted as a fake elector to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and voter intimidation tactics like the GOP’s 2020 scheme (known as “Operation Rat F*ck”) to suppress Black and Brown votes by inundating Souls to the Polls’ free rides to the polls hotline number. The list goes on.

But, when we show up and make our voices heard, we can win big with victories like expanded early voting, fair maps, and an increased investment in the future of our city, state, and country. That is why we have been building power for over ten years here in Milwaukee. We are prepared for this moment, and it is true that this year, the stakes are higher. We are committed to getting out the vote like we never have before. We’re expanding the bloc, organizing in faith communities and beyond to make sure that every voice is heard and every vote is counted.

Over the past few election cycles, we have worked to expand the bloc to include Latinx voters, young voters, women voters, and more. In the 2024 election cycle, we are planning to implement several voter education and voter service programs, new and old, to get out the vote. Our hallmark free rides to the polls program will be a service available to Milwaukee voters this November, during early voting and on Election Day. Our poll driver and virtual call center volunteers who operate the free rides hotline number (414-742-1060) testify to the impact of our program on helping voters who would not otherwise be able to get to the polls make their voices heard. And our voters, similarly, praise the convenience of the program and the kindness of the volunteers who help make sure their votes get counted.

“I love the convenience. Just being able to get to the polls because without you, I wouldn’t be able to do it. Please keep me in mind for the next election.”
—Barbette, Milwaukee voter

This year, we are launching a few new programs to get out the vote. For example, our new “100 Women on the Move” initiative is a coalition of organizations, including Tikkun Ha-Ir of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign, MICAH Milwaukee, and Souls to the Polls, that is focused on engaging Milwaukee women in the political process. 100 Women on the Move is building an informed and engaged electorate for today and generations to come. Through empowering supporters and volunteers, this new program is showing up in full force to take action through voting, advocating for rights, and holding stakeholders and policymakers accountable. They have already been out in the community, canvassing Black and Brown neighborhoods, and talking to voters about how their everyday lives will be impacted by this election.

Another new program on the books this year is the MATC Voter Project, our notable partnership with the MATC Local 212 Fast Fund that focuses on engaging BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities, youth, and students at the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC). MATC is a two year technical college whose student body is largely BIPOC. For example, the MATC student body is 29.8% Black or African American and 19.4% Hispanic or Latino (Data USA). Additionally, though 34.8% of the student body is 18-21 (the typical college student age range), the majority of students are over the age of 21, and 20% of the students are age 35 and older (College Factual). This means that our partnership with MATC and the Fast Fund is aimed at engaging a diverse age demographic including young voters (18-35), and voters who may already have many years of experience in the workforce and families of their own. Engaging this diverse demographic is crucial for several reasons. It ensures that diverse Milwaukee communities, including BIPOC individuals, are represented in local, state, and national decisions; that advocacy for policy change, such as the funding of certain social services, is coming from real people, as well as affected communities in Milwaukee; and that Milwaukee voters are empowered to influence their own futures and the futures of their communities.

At Souls to the Polls, we believe in meeting voters where they are at. We have met them in places of faith, in community centers, and this year, we are also meeting them on campus and online. Significantly, MATC is set to have their own voting site this November. Because of this, partnering on a voter project and get-out-the-vote campaign with students at the technical college presents a unique opportunity to share messages about the importance of the upcoming election, and provide critical information on where, when, and how to vote right on campus. Efforts to engage the student body include conducting educational workshops and seminars, and activating a peer-to-peer influencer strategy. Digital advertisements will also be a critical component of this campaign, as the ability to geo-target the three different MATC campuses and neighborhoods where students are from can help raise civic awareness and engagement in the social media and digital space. MATC student influencers will also create engaging digital content to encourage their peers to vote, and participate in phone and text banking initiatives.

We are excited about our new programs and the opportunity to engage on a deeper level with a wider range of voters. We are also committed to organize in the way we know how: phone banking, canvassing, and organizing faith leaders to get their congregations to show up at the polls, because we know that when we talk to our community about what matters to them, we make significant strides. And, when we show up, we have the power to win. As Reverend Lewis says, “Milwaukee: you are the most important city in the country right now. And you know what? We are not going to let our people fail.”

We could not do this work without our amazing staff, local and national partners, volunteers, and generous supporters from all over the country (and even around the world). Thank you for your belief in our mission of building a mulitracial voting bloc, and for your generous contributions to our communities.

Learn more about how to volunteer, virtually or in-person, with Souls to the Polls, or donate today to save democracy: https://soulstothepollswi.org/get-involved.

Written by Kiana Stockwell