Latino Early Voters Set Milwaukee Record

More than 2,000 Latino voters in Milwaukee have already voted in this year’s presidential election, a record number of voters with a little less than a week remaining until Election Day, according to Voces de la Frontera, a nonprofit organization that works with the Latino community.

During the same time period in 2012, there were 994 Latino voters who voted early.

Wisconsin had a population of 370,000 Hispanics with 156,000 eligible voters in 2014, according to the most recent data from the Pew Research Center.

It’s important to take advantage of increased early voting opportunities in the city, said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, director of Voces de la Frontera.

“It’s convenient,” Neumann-Ortiz said. “But you also want to make sure that your vote is counted. This is an election where there is a lot at stake, and it really is important that people turn out.”

Neumann-Ortiz said said they knocked on about 42,000 doors to spread the word. She said their vote is especially crucial in a state like Wisconsin.

“The Latino vote can have an impact on the state elections in a swing state,” Neumann-Ortiz said. “So in Wisconsin, there’s a small margin historically between the two main political parties.”

Neumann-Ortiz said the placement of an early voting location on the city’s south side has contributed to the record turnout so far. Early voter turnout has been breaking records across the state this election.

Early voting in Milwaukee ends Saturday.