Turnout remains strong on 2nd day early in-person voting

MILWAUKEE - Voters looking to make their voices heard ahead of the presidential election continued to turn out in Milwaukee on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

As the second day of early voting in Wisconsin came to a close on Wednesday, Melvin Williams joined more than one million Wisconsinites who are making their voices heard before Election Day.

"I wanted to do it as soon as possible," Williams said. "I didn't want anything to come up to stop me or hinder me from voting.

"I don't trust putting it in the mail right now, there's too many ups and downs, you know? So, I want to make sure my vote is counted."

The line for early voting outside the Milwaukee Public Library's Good Hope branch was, at one point, out the door and down the block on Wednesday.

Statewide, close to 80,000 people have taken advantage of in-person absentee voting since it opened on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

In Milwaukee, a new website was launched Wednesday in hopes of simplifying the process.

"I think it's pretty amazing we are seeing this many people voting this early," said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. "Please, please use your power at the polls to not sit this election out."

The website breaks down election details -- and deadlines -- for Milwaukee voters, no matter how they choose to vote.

"It was created to instill in voters a sense of confidence," Barrett said.

It also highlights how many of the city's 315,000 registered voters have "checked the box."

"One of the reasons for creating the barometer is to really drive voters to return their ballots and not to hold onto them until Election Day," Claire Woodall-Vogg, executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, said.

For Williams, who spent more than 45 minutes in line, the wait was well worth it.

"(I) think it's my civic duty, in order to make things better for everybody. You want to make sure you put the right person in office," said Williams.

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The Milwaukee Election Commission expects to see between 40,000 and 50,000 early voters over the next 11 days.

Nov. 1 is the last day of in-person absentee voting before Election Day on Nov. 3.