Voter registration groups will be reaching out to people in Wisconsin over the next month. One effort currently in the state is called Black Voters Matter.
Three buses of national and local activists toured a few churches in predominantly Black Milwaukee neighborhoods Sunday morning before holding a celebration outside Turner Hall downtown.
Barbara Arnwine of the Washington D.C. based Transformative Justice Coalition says there's a good reason Wisconsin is a stop on the national tour of Black Voters Matter.
"Here in Milwaukee and in Wisconsin, there's too much voter suppression going on. Too many forces trying to keep people from voting. So, we've got to do everything we can to encourage people to vote, to tell people the vote is, 'what Daryl? A celebration, not a burden!'" Arnwine said Sunday afternoon outside Turner Hall.
Standing next to her was Daryl Jones, co-leader of the Transformative Justice Coalition. He says, like all states, turnout for the midterm elections in Wisconsin is lower than for presidential contests. For example, in November 2020, almost 3.3 million ballots were cast in the presidential race here. About 2.6 million people voted in the governor's race two years before.
Jones said the Black Voters Matter tour is reminding people that state and local contests are important.
"Particularly when you talk about going through the gerrymandering and redistricting process, and how powerful is your vote, in terms of blocking [other] votes, and all the other stuff," Jones said.
