There are lines at nearly every polling location, but I have to say, from what I’ve heard, they aren’t as bad as I imagined. At least not yet.
This morning, I voted at the Bay View Library. I arrived just before 9 and was surprised to see a line out the door. I heard rumors of long lines but for some reason, I thought the little Bay View Library would be a quick in and out. I waited a good hour and half, and while the wait revealed my insane impatience, it really wasn’t too bad.
In Shorewood, a suburb that appears to have broken things up nicely, my sister said there was absolutely no line at 8 a.m. After voting, she stopped at the nearby Starbucks and said the line there was considerably longer. No lines to vote but a 15-minute wait for a free coffee.
The lines at Martin Luther King Library on Locust Street and MLK Drive were out the door and around the corner. Serving the Harambee neighborhood just west of Riverwest, this polling location was crowded with first-time voters still needing to register.
Likewise, every recently legal 18-year-old seemed to be waiting in line to register and cast their first ballot at UWM’s Sandburg Hall. Line length fluctuated with class schedules but for the most part, wait times weren’t too substantial.
Now, it’s just time to wait and see. Lines may get longer as the work day winds down and voters stop off on their evening commute. Regardless, you can feel the importance of this election as Americans cast aside all other priorities and make their way to the polls. Let’s hope for record turnout.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Maureen Post grew up in Wauwatosa. A lover of international and urban culture, Maureen received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
After living on the east side of Madison for several years, Maureen returned to Milwaukee in 2006.
After a brief stint of travel, Maureen joined OnMilwaukee.com as the city’s oldest intern and has been hooked ever since. Combining her three key infatuations, Milwaukee’s great music, incredible food and inspiring art (and yes, in that order), Maureen’s job just about fits her perfectly.
Residing in Bay View, Maureen vehemently believes the city can become fresh and new with a simple move across town.
