RISE hosted its Early Voting Block Party on Tuesday at Library Mall, marking the beginning of early voting in Wisconsin. This non-partisan celebration was meant to bring together students and organizations to promote civic engagement through a day filled with food, games and educational activities.
RISE, the organization leading the event, is a non-profit dedicated to mobilizing young voters, RISE Field Organizer AJ Dehnke said. RISE is a non-partisan, non-profit organization on campus aiming to mobilize youth voters by providing them with the necessary information and resources to make informed voting decisions aligning with their values, Dehnke said.
“We don’t tell people how to vote — we just want to ensure everyone has the information and resources to make informed decisions that reflect their values,” Dehnke said. “Voting is important because it’s your voice. If you don’t vote, you lose your voice in our democracy.”
The event featured an array of activities like inflatables, yard games and pumpkin painting.
Students and Madison residents attending the event could receive tickets by visiting various booths, partaking in activities and learning about their ballot in the 2024 election. Those tickets could then be traded in for sandwiches, chips, cookies and drinks.
Different campus organizations were stationed around Library Mall with prizes and interactive booths, including Fuego Dance Crew, Amnesty International, African Students Association, The Wisco Project, Swim Club UW, Sex Out Loud, Nordic Team, Student Voters Union, WSUM Student Radio and Pi Lambda Psi.
President of the Student Voters Union Amanjot Kaur said their work as a non-partisan organization is to promote civic engagement among students and advocate for voting rights in an inclusive environment.
“RISE got a bunch of student organizations on campus to come together and excite people about early voting, since it starts today, and get them to turn out for this important election that we have going on right now,” Kaur said.
In-person absentee voting will continue for the two weeks leading up to Election Day on Nov. 5. City of Madison residents can learn more about voting site locations and availability through MyVote Wisconsin.
