If you live in the northern third of Milwaukee County, you might have a special election today.
There's a primary election on July 2 for the 4th Senate District between two Democratic state representatives — LaKeshia Myers and Dora Drake.
The special election is being held to fill former Sen. Lena Taylor's seat, who left the state Legislature when she became aMilwaukee County circuit judge.
The primary winner advances to the July 30 special election, though there are no other candidates in the race, so the primary effectively determines who wins the seat.
However, the winner only serves the rest of Taylor's term, which concludes at the end of 2024. Both Myers and Drake are also running for a full four-year term. That primary election is Aug. 13 and the general election is Nov. 5, like all other state lawmakers.
Here's what to know about the candidates, whether this special election applies to you and what you need to bring to the polls.
More:What to know about the July 2 special primary election for a Milwaukee-area state Senate seat
Do I have a special election today?
You can type your address into thismapof the 4th Senate District to figure out if the special election applies to you.
The district includes much of the northern third of Milwaukee County, with some carveouts like Brown Deer, Fox Point and Whitefish Bay.
The districtdidn't change boundariesunder the new maps, unlike others in the Milwaukee area. So, if Taylor was most recently your state senator, you're still included in the 4th Senate District.
Where is my polling place, and when can I vote?
Polls are open between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. As long as you're in line by 8 p.m., you'll be allowed to vote.
You can visitmyvote.wi.govto find information like yourpolling place. If you enter your address into "What's On My Ballot" and a sample ballot for the special election comes up, you'll know it applies to you.
More:Here's who's running for state Legislature in Milwaukee, suburbs in Wisconsin 2024 election
What do I need to bring to vote in Wisconsin?
To vote, you need to bring a current photo ID that has your name on it. The Wisconsin Elections Commission's website has alist of accepted forms of identification.
You also can register to vote at your polling place, or re-register if you've changed addresses since the last time you voted or if you haven't voted in the last four years. In that case, you'll need to bring a document that shows proof of residence.
A driver's license or ID card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles counts as proof as residence, if it shows your current address. Or, you can bring documents like a lease, utility bill or bank statement that has your new address.
What do I do if I still have an absentee ballot?
If you still have an absentee ballot, the Milwaukee Election Commission must receive it by the time polls close, so it's too late to mail it back.
You can bring your absentee ballot to your assigned polling place today. Or, you can drop it off at the Election Operations Center at 1901 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Why did I get two absentee ballots?
Voters in the 4th Senate District who requested absentee ballots will have received two ballots for two different elections with a few weeks of each other. That's due to the timing of the special election and a federal deadline.
The two ballots have the same candidates for Senate District 4 — that's because Myers and Drake are running both to finish Taylor's term that runs through the end of 2024, and a full term that begins in 2025.
The Milwaukee Election Commission is using bright green mailing labels for the special election ballots, so use those ones for the July 2 and July 30 elections.
The ballot without a bright green label is for the Aug. 13 election. That ballot will still arrive in time if you send it in the mail.
The commission says anyone with questions about their ballot can call 414-286-8683.
Who is LaKeshia Myers?
Myers hasservedin the state Assembly since 2018, and she has a background in education. In an interview, Myers said her top issues include state education funding; addressingproblems in the state's prisons, with a focus on rehabilitation; and curbing reckless driving.
Myers said she wants a "real, robust discussion" about the ability of municipalities to have policies like red-light cameras and aircraft enforcement. She also said stakeholders like district attorneys, judges and the public need to be on the same page about using the current statutes.
Myers said she's interested in joining the Senate to be a more effective legislator: Being in the upper chamber means more staff, more variety in committee assignments and a tighter group of colleagues.
She cited her past work on passing alawaddressing sexual assault by a police officer. Myers has also worked on theCROWN Actin Wisconsin to prohibit discrimination based on hairstyle or hair texture.
On theissues facing Milwaukee Public Schools, Myers said she wants to see the results ofauditsfor insights about how to effectively use the budget to serve families better. She's concerned about disparities in programming between schools, like some not having a librarian or art teacher every day. She also said there should be a student member on the school board.
"I'm an MPS graduate, my parents both retired from Milwaukee Public Schools, I went back to teach at Milwaukee Public Schools," Myers said. "I have a vested interest in Milwaukee Public Schools surviving and doing well."
Myers was working as a dean of students within the Wauwatosa School District but left under unclear circ*mstances earlier this year. Her departure came after the district suspended her, though Myers said she resigned on her own. Many lawmakers have a second job, but only a few work in two government-paid positions.
"I think Wauwatosa has been the fourth school district I've worked for in my career, out of 17 years. In 17 years, I had never had issues until I got to Wauwatosa," Myers said. "I think there was some consternation among folks in the district who did not like that I was a state representative and that I worked in Wauwatosa as an educator."
Here's alink to Myers' campaign website.
Who is Dora Drake?
Drake hasservedin the state Assembly since 2020. She has a background in social work. Her top priorities include public safety, mental health and issues that affect the workforce like child care, she said in an interview.
On reckless driving, Drake said she wants to look at models of other cities and doesn't want to just introduce legislation that increases penalties. Drake said she supports red-light cameras. She also cites her co-sponsorship of abipartisan law that created a grant programto help low-income students pay for driver's education and wants to see that program expanded.
Drake said she wants to work on the state's laws for extended supervision and the process for responding to a mental health crisis, and have an intergovernmental response to mental health.
"I know that there is a lot of unspoken trauma that's happened in our community, whether that's gun violence, whether that's just people needing to speak to someone," Drake said. Moving up to the Senate "would allow me the time to really work on that the way I want to, meaning that I want to have community input. I want to make sure residents are part of the solution."
Drake cited her past work creating the first regulations around vaping in the state, and she supports banning flavored menthol and tobacco products. She also referenced a police accountability law that requires transferring employment files if an officer moves departments.
On MPS, Drake said she supports an independent audit to learn the extent of the situation. She said political agendas have to be set aside.
"There needs to be a way to support our teachers in the classroom, and most importantly, making sure that (the children) have the resources they need to have a quality education," Drake said. "Moving forward, we should always strive towards accountability and transparency when it comes to our school system."
Myers challenged Drake's nomination papers for the election, but the Wisconsin Elections Commissionkept Drake on the ballot. Drake had supporters sign the form for nonpartisan offices, such as judge, instead of the one for partisan positions, such as legislator. Her nomination papers did, however, have the phrase "Democratic Party" typed on the form. Drake called the challenge "frivolous."
Here's alink to Drake's campaign website.
