Faith and community leaders gathered to energize voters to Get Out the Vote (Photo/ Karen Stokes)
By Karen Stokes
On Monday, March 10, Souls to the Polls Wisconsin, a non-partisan voter education group, hosted a ‘Get Out the Vote’ community brunch to discuss key issues on the ballot and energize voters.
Hundreds gathered at the Shriners Tripoli Temple, 3000 W. Wisconsin Ave., to enjoy breakfast and learn about volunteering opportunities and the importance of voting in the upcoming Supreme Court election.
In the upcoming April election, Susan Crawford and Brad Schimel are competing for an open Wisconsin Supreme Court seat as liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley retires. A Schimel victory would shift the court to a 4-3 conservative majority, while a Crawford win would maintain a 4-3 liberal majority.
Don Black, program director at WJMR-FM, hosted the event.
Walter Lanier, Senior Pastor of Progressive Baptist Church (Photo/Karen Stokes)
“We usually wait until election time to mobilize people, one of the things I’m proud of is being proactive instead of reactive. We shouldn’t be waiting a few months before an election, we should be doing this 24/7,” he said.
“The time to act is now, with billionaires with special interest pooling money into the race to tip the scales, we must send a clear message that Wisconsin’s democracy is not for sale,” said Walter Lanier, Senior Pastor of Progressive Baptist Church, to enthusiastic applause.
Elon Musks’ America PAC has poured in more than $6 million to support Schimel.
Greg Lewis, Executive Director, Soul to the Polls Wisconsin (Photo/Karen Stokes)
“The power is in the people,” Lanier stated. “And right now, I’m concerned about the state of our democracy. Democracy is a system of government where the power is in the people. Democracy needs protection because it’s under attack. The right to vote, the right to fair representation, and the right to justice under the law. Wisconsin is at a critical moment. The upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court election is more than about one seat, it’s the future of our rights, our communities, and our democracy.”
“We need safety nets, and I don’t want to see them taken away,” said Minister Greg Lewis, Executive Director of Souls to the Polls Wisconsin. “Don’t take away Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. Help our veterans and do something about the infant mortality rate in Milwaukee. I’m against everything that affects my freedom. We’re here today because we have a daunting, formidable, and challenging task before us in fighting for our lives. We have work to do, we must educate, inform, and strategize with one another. We’ve just been out organized, that’s why we’re here today.”
Anita Johnson, Voting Education Specialist & Community Outreach Manager, Souls to the Polls, reminded voters to make sure to have a REAL ID. It’s mandatory and needed by May. She also encouraged people to make volunteering commitments moving forward toward this Spring election.
Don Black, Program Director, WJMR-FM (Photo/Karen Stokes)
She explained the role of Wisconsin judges and introduced a video of Susan Crawford.
Souls to the Polls invited Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Brad Schimel and Susan Crawford to submit videos for the event. Only Crawford participated.
New polling released by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) on Wednesday conducted between March 9-10, shows a 47-47 split between former Attorney General Brad Schimel and Judge Susan Crawford. Five percent of voters are still undecided in the race.
Early In-person voting for the 2025 Spring Election begins Tuesday, March 18 to Saturday, March 29. The Election is Tuesday, April 1.