Harris, Democrats Urge Supporters Speak Through Their Votes

Frederica Freyberg:
The U.S. Department of Justice will have election monitors in four counties on Election Day, including Milwaukee and Wausau.
Meanwhile, Kamala Harris also made her second trip to Wisconsin this week with three stops across the state today. In Little Chute, Janesville and later tonight in West Allis, where she’s holding a rally just miles from the Trump event. Midweek, Harris fired up young voters in Madison. Reporter Steven Potter was there.

Kamala Harris:
All right, Madison, are we ready to do this?

Steven Potter:
Even as they waited in line to hear from Kamala Harris at the Get Out the Vote rally, the mostly young crowd had their minds made up.

Annemarie Goncalves:
One of the biggest issues for me is her plan for middle class families and helping make housing more affordable, especially for people in my generation Gen Z.

Steven Potter:
Students like UW-Madison senior Annemarie Goncalves said they understand what’s at stake in this election.

Annemarie Goncalves:
We’re the ones who these decisions are going to affect, and we’re also going to have to deal with the ramifications and repercussions of the decisions that are made by our political candidates at the moment. So it’s super important that we elect officials that we believe are going to be making the right choices for us.

Steven Potter:
Many said that they’ve already cast their ballot for Harris. Rashawn Overton drove up from Illinois.

Rashawn Overton:
I think people like me in this country, we often feel like we don’t have the opportunity to be successful. So to hear Harris talk about building an opportunity economy and an economy in which we all get a chance just to like, do something and thrive and find fulfillment within our life sounds amazing to me.

Steven Potter:
But older generations turned out to the event, too.

Kathy Roberg:
Health care is very important. The economy of this country is really important. Coming up with a plan for immigration is important. And she’s got all those things in a policy right now.

Steven Potter:
Inside the arena, the energy was stoked by the star power and a capacity crowd.

Tammy Baldwin:
Early voting is happening right now, so make your plan. Bring your friends and get out there and vote.

Steven Potter:
The thousands of college students left with a homework assignment.

Mandela Barnes:
And if you are one of those people who has already cast a ballot, you’ve just signed yourself up to bring ten people to the polls between now and Election Day.

Tony Evers:
Call and text ten people in your life. That’s all you have to do.

Steven Potter:
Kamala Harris made a direct appeal to young voters on the issues of climate change, gun violence and reproductive rights.

Kamala Harris:
You all are rightly impatient for change. These issues are not theoretical. This is not political for you. This is your lived experience. And I see you. And let us remember that your vote is your voice, and your voice is your power.

Steven Potter:
Election Day will be the true test if Harris brought the energy and if Wisconsin voters, as they say, understood the assignment. Reporting from Madison for “Here & Now,” I’m Steven Potter.