With Wisconsin’s partisan primary just around the corner, today Ali spends the hour talking voting rights, voter access, and getting out the Black vote this year during the pandemic with two of Wisconsin’s prominent voter advocates, Anita Johnson from VoteRiders and Minister Gregory Lewis with Souls to the Polls in Milwaukee.

Anita Johnson is the Wisconsin Voter ID Coalition Coordinator for VoteRiders, a nonprofit committed to voter ID education and assistance. Previously, she spearheaded the election administration program at Citizen Action of Wisconsin and worked as the Wisconsin Election Protection State Coordinator with People For the American Way.

Minister Gregory Lewis is the founder and president of Pastors United and executive director of Souls to the Polls, an organization that unites ministers and their congregations in Milwaukee to strengthen the voting power of the Black community. He is assistant pastor at St. Gabriel’s Church of God in Christ.

Voting Information for Wisconsin’s August 11 Primary

* Voters may verify their registration, polling place, sample ballot, and absentee ballot status at My Vote Wisconsin.

* The deadline to register at the municipal clerk’s office is August 7 at 5:00 PM. Voters can register in-person at their polling place on election day (Tuesday, August 11).

* Absentee ballots must be requested by Thursday, August 6 at 5:00 PM.

* List of absentee ballot drop-off sites for Madison voters is available here. (Open at various locations and times until Saturday, August 8 at 4:00 PM.)

* A list of in-person absentee (early voting) times and locations for Milwaukee voters is available here. (Open at various locations and times until Sunday, August 9 at 3:00 PM.)

* Ballots must be returned to the drop-off site, polling place, or clerk’s office by 8:00 PM on election day (Tuesday, August 11).

* For more information, Milwaukee voters can reach out to the City of Milwaukee Election Commission, Dane County voters can contact the Dane County Clerk, and Madison voters can direct questions to the city clerk’s office.

Cover photo by visuals on Unsplash