Support accessible voting for Fitchburg D1 residents
Fitchburg polling places have always been notoriously difficult to access, and all four lay outside the districts they serve. The most egregious polling place is in District 1, a district that is split by Verona Road. Many resident lack transportation options to get to their current polling place, which is not within walking distance and not on any public transportation lines.
District 1 Alders Krause and Maldonado submitted a resolution to change the District 1 polling place at the last meeting, but the mayor and staff requested to delay the resolution because of concerns about spacing in the proposed new location and budget.
Alder Maldonado has crafted creative solutions to all of the problems that arose at the last meeting.
The new proposal splits one polling place into two, one on either side of Verona Road.
The second location will be shared with, run by, and paid for by the City of Madison.
The League of Women Voters has agreed to pay for the cost of mailing a postcard to notify District 1 residents of this change.
See more info from Alder Maldonado below.
Voting is a sacred right, and everyone should have easy access to the polls. This solution solves a significant issue within District 1 and will enfranchise many voters, and it will not cost the City of Fitchburg anything.
If you agree, please register your support.
How to register your support
Attend the 8.11 council meeting at 7:30 pm and register your written support or give a 3 minute testimony telling the council where you stand. Come to city hall (5520 Lacy Road), go to council chambers (end of the hallway on the left), fill out the form (get one at the back of the room), and wait for your turn to speak for 3 minutes. Can’t attend in person? I can get you a zoom link to testify on video. Email me to ask for a link.
Send feedback and specify that you want it read at the 9.8 meeting to Council&Mayor@fitchburgwi.gov
Don’t want to write anything? Register support for R-170-20 and sign with your name and Fitchburg address to Council&Mayor@fitchburgwi.gov
Contact your alders by phone or email. Find their contact information here. Don’t know which district you live in? Check here.
FYI You can watch the council meetings live at the Fitchburg City website or watch the YouTube video posted the day following the meeting.
Information from Alder Maldonado
Thanks to support from the City of Madison, The League of Women Voters of Dane County, and two community spaces in Fitchburg, we have the opportunity to create two polling places in District 1 for the November 3rd election.
Please LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD. Write the Mayor and Common Council urging them to support Resolution R-170-20 and the establishment of two walkable neighborhood based polling sites in District 1.
The Why:
Our current polling location since 2017 sits outside of District, is up to a 40 minute walk from population centers of most of our neighborhoods, and is not on a public transportation line. With thousands of residents, many lacking transportation, this puts up a huge barrier to voting.
Creating two polling locations allows our largest two neighborhoods walkable, neighborhood based voting. It also reduces the risk of crowded polling places and the spread of COVID-19.
PROPOSED SITES
Polling site 1: Redeemer City Church (5356 King James Way) - This site is located within a block of the former Fitchburg Fire Station, which was the District 1 polling site until its closure in 2017. Redeemer would serve voting Wards 1 and 2, which include most of Fitchburg West of Verona Road and north of McKee.
Polling Site 2: Boys & Girls Club of Dane County (4619 Jenewein Road) - This site would serve voters in Wards 3 and 4, which include all Fitchburg residents north of McKee, South of the Beltline, East of Verona Road, and West of Seminole Highway, along with a few square blocks of Fitchburg West of Verona Road. It would be a shared site with Madison residents of the Allied/Dunn's Marsh neighborhood, but we would have clear process for distinguishing between voters from different cities and making sure they vote in the right city.
HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS HAPPEN?
Cost: This resolution would require no cost of the City of Fitchburg. The League of Women Voters will sponsor the cost of a maild postcard to go to all District 1 residents indicating the change of polling location. The City of Madison will be providing staff support, poll workers, and equipment to the shared site at the Boys & Girls Club.
Advertising new polling place: This amendment pays for a postcard informing every District 1 resident of their polling place. Additionally, the League of Women Voters has committed to communicating with residents and property owners of the change. Finally, the City website, social media pages, and alders will push consistent communication to ensure voters know where to go ahead of time.