THE RULE OF LAW.
STATE-WIDE RACES COULD HINGE
ON THREE KEY NATIONAL VOTING
TRENDS PLAYING OUT IN THE
MILWAUKEE METRO AREA, WHICH IS
HOME TO A LITTLE LESS THAN
HALF OF THE STATE'S VOTERS.
SCOTTIE LEE MEYERS FROM
MILWAUKEE PBS BRINGS US THIS
REPORT.
>> DEANGELA BESTER, THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CENTER FOR RACIAL AND GENDER
EQUITY, IS ONE OF THE LEAD
ORGANIZERS BEHIND THIS VOTER
REGISTRATION PARTY AT THE
SHERMAN PHOENIX MARKETPLACE.
DEMOCRATS HOPE EVENTS LIKE
THIS COULD LEAD TO HIGHER
TURNOUT AMONG BLACK VOTERS, A
KEY CONSTITUENCY FOR THE
PARTY.
>> SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO
IS JUST, AGAIN, EDUCATE THE
VOTERS HERE IN MILWAUKEE AND
EVEN ACROSS THE STATE ABOUT
MAKING SURE TO REGISTER TO
VOTE, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ALL
THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO
REGISTER TO VOTE.
>> MILWAUKEE'S BLACK VOTER
TURNOUT WAS DOWN IN 2020.
STRICTER VOTING LAWS AND THE
PANDEMIC ARE THE TWO BIG
REASONS EXPERTS OFTEN CITE FOR
THE DECLINE.
THAT'S WHY BESTER AND HIS TEAM
ARE KNOCKING ON A LOT OF DOORS
RIGHT NOW.
>> WE'RE HOPING TO KNOCK ON
ABOUT 40,000 DOORS TOTAL IN
THE STATE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW,
WHEN WE STARTED IN AROUND JUNE
THROUGH ELECTION DAY.
WE WANT TO HAVE AROUND 15,000
CONVERSATIONS WITH VOTERS.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET, YOU
KNOW, 70% TURNOUT FOR THE
PEOPLE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE
CONVERSATIONS WITH.
>> REPUBLICANS HAVE LOOKED TO
INCREASE THEIR SUPPORT AMONG
HISPANIC VOTERS WITH A NEW
INITIATIVE CALLED OPERACIÓN
¡VAMOS!, WHICH LAUNCHED IN
SEVERAL KEY SWING STATES
INCLUDING WISCONSIN.
LATINO VOTERS HAVE TYPICALLY
FAVORED DEMOCRATS, BUT NOT
ALWAYS BY WIDE MARGINS.
THEY'RE NOT LEAVING IN DROVES
BUT THERE IS A MEASURABLE
SHIFT.
>> I KNOW THAT HISPANIC VOTERS
HAVE BASICALLY BEEN TAKEN FOR
GRANTED BY DEMOCRATS.
>> U.S. SENATOR RICK SCOTT OF
FLORIDA IS HELPING TO LEAD
THESE OUTREACH EFFORTS, WHICH
HAVE SENT CAMPAIGN WORKERS TO
KNOCK ON DOORS IN
NEIGHBORHOODS IN MILWAUKEE AND
THROUGHOUT THE STATE, TRYING
TO MAKE INROADS WITH
WISCONSIN'S LARGEST MINORITY
GROUP.
>> HISPANIC VOTERS ARE WAY
MORE INCLINED TO VOTE
THEY WANT A BETTER ECONOMIC
MARKET.
THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE
INFLATION. THEY WANT TO LIVE
IN SAFE COMMUNITIES.
IF WE TALK ABOUT THOSE ISSUES
THAN WE'RE GOING TO WIN
ELECTIONS.
>> DURING OUR INTERVIEW WITH
DEB DASSOW, THE CHAIR OF THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OZAUKEE
COUNTY, PEOPLE KEPT COMING
INTO THE OFFICE REQUESTING
YARD SIGNS.
YOU'RE PROBABLY SEEING MORE IN
THE AREA THAN EVER BEFORE.
THOUGH STILL RED, OZAUKEE
COUNTY RECENTLY SAW THE
BIGGEST INCREASE IN DEMOCRATIC
VOTERS IN THE STATE.
WAUKESH COUNTY IS SECOND ON
THAT SAME LIST. IT'S PART OF
THE PURPLING OF THE
SUBURBS.
I DO GET A SENSE THAT IT'S
CHANGING. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY
IT'S NOT A
INORMOUS SWING. BUT WE ARE
JUST PICKING UP A COUPLE
PERCENTAGE POINTS EVERY
SINGLE YEAR.
AT THE CENTER OF THIS SURBAN
SWING ARE WOMEN, WHO DASSOW
SAYS HAVE ENERGIZED THE PARTY
AFTER THE OVERTURNING OF ROE
V. WADE.
>> I HAD A WOMAN STOPPED IN
RIGHT AFTER THE DOBBS
DECISION.
SHE CAME
IN WITH HER TWO LITTLE
CHILDREN. SHE HAD ON A “MY
BODY, MY CHOICE” T-SHIRT ON
AND SHE SAID “I'VE NEVER VOTED
FOR A DEMOCRAT BEFORE. I'VE
ALWAYS BEEN A LIBERTARIAN.”
SHE WAS YOUNG.
I'D SAY IN HER THIRTIES.
AND SHE SAID, SHE GOES, “SIGN