IMMEDIATE ADOPTION
Number
231226
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. CHAMBERS, DIMITRIJEVIC AND BORKOWSKI
Title
Resolution relating to voter registration and election information access within existing City services.
Analysis
This resolution directs City agencies to work with the Election Commission to evaluate ways to promote voter registration and voter participation by finding ways to provide relevant information, by facilitating a seamless transition from City websites to the state’s online voter registration system, by providing access to voter registration services, by expanding access to multi-lingual election information, and by promoting equal participation in the electoral process for all eligible citizens. The resolution directs each City agency to create a comprehensive plan outlining how the agency will promote voter registration and voter participation. It directs the Election Commission to compile a comprehensive report identifying how each agency will integrate voter registration and education into customer service interactions, and identifying service interactions that will not include voter registration opportunities. It directs that the agency and City-wide comprehensive plans be updated in even-numbered years after every general election. The resolution also directs the Department of Employee Relations to continue granting paid time off for employees who volunteer to serve as non-partisan poll workers.
Body
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee may enact legislation and take action to protect the general welfare of the public; and
Whereas, The right to vote is the foundation of American democracy; and
Whereas, Free and fair elections that reflect the will of the American people must be protected and defended; and
Whereas, Many residents of the City confront significant obstacles to exercising the fundamental right to vote, including difficulties with voter registration, lack of clear election information, and barriers to access at polling places; and
Whereas, The United States Congress, when passing the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, found that it is the duty of federal, state, and local governments to promote the exercise of the fundamental right to vote; and
Whereas, It is the City’s duty to ensure that registering to vote and the act of voting be made simple and straightforward for all eligible voters; and
Whereas, The City should serve as a model employer by encouraging and facilitating municipal employees’ civic participation; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee that all City agencies are directed to consider ways to expand citizens’ opportunities to register to vote and to obtain information about, and participate in, the electoral process; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the head of each City agency shall collaborate with the Election Commission to evaluate ways in which the agency can promote voter registration and voter participation, including, at minimum, the following items:
1. Ways to provide relevant information in the normal course of agency activities or the provision of services that directly engage with the public about how to register to vote, how to request a vote-by-mail ballot, and how to cast a ballot in upcoming elections. Engagement opportunities could include agency materials, websites, online forms, social media platforms, mailers, flyers, and other points of public access.
2. Ways to facilitate a seamless transition from City agencies’ websites directly to the state’s online voter registration system.
3. Ways to provide access to voter registration services, vote-by-mail ballot applications, and polling place locators in the normal course of agency activities or the provision of services that directly engage with the public. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
a. Providing access to the state’s online voter registration system.
b. Providing access to the state’s online polling place locator.
c. Providing access to paper voter registration and vote-by-mail ballot application forms.
d. Prominently displaying voter registration or voter education information on receipts, mailings, and other materials provided by the agency to customers.
e. Prominently displaying voter registration or voter education materials in customer waiting areas at agency offices.
f. Assisting applicants in completing voter registration and vote-by-mail ballot application forms in a manner consistent with all relevant state laws.
g. Soliciting and facilitating approved, nonpartisan, third-party organizations and state officials to provide voter registration services on agency premises.
4. Ways to promote and expand access to multilingual voter registration and election information, and to promote equal participation in the electoral process for all eligible citizens of all backgrounds.
; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the head of each City agency shall meet with the staff of the Election Commission within 60 days of the date of this resolution to create a comprehensive plan outlining the ways that the agency will promote voter registration and voter participation in accordance with the previous resolved clause; and be it
Further Resolved, That the Executive Director of the Election Commission shall collect each agency’s comprehensive plan and create a comprehensive report which contains, at a minimum, the following items:
1. An overview of the ways each agency will integrate voter registration and education opportunities into customer service interactions.
2. An identification of customer service interactions for each agency that have no planned voter registration opportunities, the reason there will be no voter registration opportunities, and a list of specific resources that would be needed to include voter registration opportunities in those customer service interactions.
; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the head of each agency shall submit an updated comprehensive plan which identifies any new opportunities to promote voter registration and voter participation and which reports progress on previously-identified opportunities to the Election Commission, by November 30 in even-numbered years, and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Election Commission shall report the results of the updated comprehensive plans to the Common Council by December 31 in even-numbered years; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Department of Employee Relations is directed to continue the policy implemented in 2020 of granting paid time off for employees who volunteer to serve as non-partisan poll workers.
Requestor
Election Commission
Drafter
Kathleen Brengosz
12/5/2023
LRB 179598