Fiserv Forum, the Milwaukee Bucks’ state-of-the-art downtown arena, will serve as an early voting site for the 2020 general election. From Oct. 20 through Nov. 1, the City of Milwaukee announced today that voters may cast their ballots in-person at Fiserv Forum for the Nov. 3 election.
“We are excited that Fiserv Forum will be designated an early vote site,” said Milwaukee Bucks Senior Vice President Alex Lasry. “The pandemic has added another barrier to voting for vulnerable communities, so this will help us make sure that everyone in Milwaukee has a safe and convenient way to exercise their right to vote. By converting Fiserv Forum into a voting location, we can make sure everyone’s voice can be heard in a safe and responsible way.”
In addition to Fiserv Forum, it was also announced today that the Milwaukee Brewers will open Miller Park for early drive through voting for the 2020 general election. Milwaukee’s NBA and MLB teams opening their facilities to the public will help meet the increased demand for early voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fiserv Forum will not only help meet that demand but will allow voters to cast their ballot indoors while maintaining appropriate social distancing to comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s safety guidelines.
“We are now fortunate to announce that not only have we found one, but we have found two locations that are absolutely fabulous for allowing more people to exercise their right to vote,” said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. “Nationally, Milwaukee has become the leader by providing both Fiserv Forum and Miller Park for early voting. I don’t know of another city in this nation that is using a major league ballpark and an NBA arena for early voting— that’s how committed we are to making sure that people’s voices are heard.”
The announcement was made today at a press conference on the plaza at Fiserv Forum by Barrett, Lasry, Milwaukee Common Council President Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall-Vogg and Milwaukee Brewers Director of Business Communications Leslie Stachowiak.
“Voting is sacred. It’s the most important thing that we as citizens do in a democracy,” said Johnson. “When we vote, we determine who is going to be the person, or people, who represent us. Not just that, we’re determining who is going to set the tone for our nation, for our city, for our state. We’re determining who is going to set the laws for our society, and that’s critically important to do.”
“Every eligible voter in this country has the right to vote and has the right to vote safely,” said Woodall-Vogg. “While voting by mail is without a doubt the safest option, it’s not the best option for every voter. We had a 3% rejection rate in April due to things like ballots not being returned on time, or not having the right signatures. Being able to cast your absentee ballot ahead of Election Day, but with my staff, ensures that your vote counts and that we don’t have a 3% rejection rate on November 3.”
Between Oct. 20 through Nov. 1, Fiserv Forum will be open to in-person early voting from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Voters within Wisconsin can register to vote ahead of time by visiting https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/. Voters outside of Wisconsin can learn how to register in their states by visiting https://www.whenweallvote.org/Bucks/.
