01.02.06 Mayor Takes Action in Response to State Elections Delay

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 2, 2006

Contact:	Paul Vornholt, Mayor's Office
	(414) 286-2200

Mayor Takes Action in Response to State Elections Delay

Milwaukee, WI -- Due to the delay in the State of Wisconsin's Statewide Voter Registration System, Mayor Tom Barrett has directed Susan Edman, executive director of the City of Milwaukee's Election Commission, to commence a purge of the Election Commission's voter registration data base in preparation for the 2006 elections.

"We have worked hard to cooperate with the state at every turn because we believed this new registration system would correlate with our need to update and clean our lists. It is necessary for Milwaukee to take its own action now because the state is failing us in holding up its earlier commitments. Milwaukee citizens deserve an efficient and accurate voting system in the Spring election cycle and we must move now to ensure that," said Mayor Tom Barrett.

It is estimated that there are 75,000 – 100,000 ineligible electors in the data base. This purge will correct poll list errors that occurred in previous elections and allow the Election Commission to maintain a more accurate record of registered voters. An ineligible voter purge had been delayed since 2003, pending the implementation of the Statewide Voter Registration System.

The Election Commission will be sending notices to those electors who have not voted since the 2000 presidential election. Those who wish to maintain their status as a registered voter will be required to make notification to the Election Commission by signing and returning their Notice of Suspension of Registration to the Election Commission. This procedure is in compliance with Wisconsin State Statute 6.50 - Revision of registration list.

The State Elections Board, under the direction of Executive Director Kevin Kennedy had targeted August, 2005, for completion of the testing. He later acknowledged that the state would miss the January 1, 2006, federal deadline. The new system is not likely to be fully operational for the April, 2006 elections.

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