Spring Break
On campus polling station approved
Jessica Stoikes
Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
UW-Whitewater students who live in certain on-campus buildings will no longer have to travel downtown to the city armory and wait in long lines to vote on election days.
The Whitewater Common Council voted 4-1 last week to locate a polling place in District 2 to the Hamilton Center, beginning with the February Primary Presidential election.
"It's about time this campus joined the 21st century," Democratic State Representative and Alderman Kim Hixson said. "Whitewater is the only four-year public university that does not have a polling location on campus."
The motion to put a polling station on campus has been in the works for years as students and city residents grew tired and discouraged due to long lines on popular election days at the Armory.
"We want to encourage the younger populace to vote," Hixson said. "This will make it a little easier."
Common council member Max Taylor, who represents students in District 2, said more than 688 signatures were collected in a petition last year in support of the new polling ward.
The resolution passed with votes from Hixson, City Council President Marilyn Kienbaum, Vice President Max Taylor, and Patrick Singer. Roy Nosek cast the only opposing vote. Jim Steward and Craig Stauffer were not present for the meeting.
"I feel this is a bad policy," Nosek said. "It will cause resentment among the populace as it looks like special treatment."
Nosek also cited the fact that the polling location is only really necessary for the larger elections and is worried about the commitment being upheld in the future.
Kienbaum, who voted for the resolution, said the polling location will eventually do the city a lot of good.
"There may be mix-ups at first, but it's just like anything else, it will take some getting used to," she said.
Only people in District 2 will be able to register and vote in the new Hamilton Center ward. The new voting station will decrease lines downtown and increase the amount of voters since it will be much easier for students to vote, aldermen said.
Last weeks meeting in the Irvin L. Young Auditorium marked the first meeting on the UW-Whitewater campus in an effort to strengthen ties between the city and the university.
*Anthony Iozzo contributed to this story.
The Whitewater Common Council voted 4-1 last week to locate a polling place in District 2 to the Hamilton Center, beginning with the February Primary Presidential election.
"It's about time this campus joined the 21st century," Democratic State Representative and Alderman Kim Hixson said. "Whitewater is the only four-year public university that does not have a polling location on campus."
The motion to put a polling station on campus has been in the works for years as students and city residents grew tired and discouraged due to long lines on popular election days at the Armory.
"We want to encourage the younger populace to vote," Hixson said. "This will make it a little easier."
Common council member Max Taylor, who represents students in District 2, said more than 688 signatures were collected in a petition last year in support of the new polling ward.
The resolution passed with votes from Hixson, City Council President Marilyn Kienbaum, Vice President Max Taylor, and Patrick Singer. Roy Nosek cast the only opposing vote. Jim Steward and Craig Stauffer were not present for the meeting.
"I feel this is a bad policy," Nosek said. "It will cause resentment among the populace as it looks like special treatment."
Nosek also cited the fact that the polling location is only really necessary for the larger elections and is worried about the commitment being upheld in the future.
Kienbaum, who voted for the resolution, said the polling location will eventually do the city a lot of good.
"There may be mix-ups at first, but it's just like anything else, it will take some getting used to," she said.
Only people in District 2 will be able to register and vote in the new Hamilton Center ward. The new voting station will decrease lines downtown and increase the amount of voters since it will be much easier for students to vote, aldermen said.
Last weeks meeting in the Irvin L. Young Auditorium marked the first meeting on the UW-Whitewater campus in an effort to strengthen ties between the city and the university.
*Anthony Iozzo contributed to this story.
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