Green Bay Receives Half-a-Million in Grant Money for Improving Election Safety

Jay Phagan / CC

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Keeping voters safe amid the coronavirus pandemic isn’t cheap.

The city of Green Bay will receive another half million dollars in grant money to help keep voters safe in November.

But the source of that money, and how it’ll be used, is being questioned.

The Center for Tech and Civic Life non-profit is helping out cities across the country.

About $1.5 million in total is set aside for Green Bay, to buy equipment for polling locations and pay poll workers more.

However, a series of federal lawsuits filed today in battleground states says the money is intended to use government employees, to influence the outcome of the presidential election, by intentionally targeting Democratic strongholds to boost voter turnout in those areas only.

Green Bay city council members also questioned plans to spend $150,000 on a voter outreach campaign. Alder Jesse Brunette says it doesn’t pass the smell test.

“How will we know that this is a completely no-bias, non-partisan plan?” Brunette asked.

“Obviously, that will not be occurring?” Mayor Eric Genrich said.

“Well I beg to differ, I think we will be as a city engaging in electioneering by accepting this grant,” Brunette continued.

Alder Brian Johnson wants answers.

“What kind of assurances do the residents of our community have that we are going to attract all voters and not just those who have been publicly endorsed and for who we are campaigning?” Johnson asked.

“That’s a incredible insulting question, first of all, second of all, this effort will be strictly non-partisan,” Mayor Genrich replied.

Alder Barbara Dorff says she is sick of the roadblocks.

“Exactly what people do you not want to have information about voting go to?” Dorff said. “What groups are you so concerned about that might get extra information? I can imply things too, but I guess I won’t.”

FOX 11 asked Mayor Genrich how the city will ensure that resources are deployed in a non-partisan way.

“City staff will be working with the firm that we contracted with to make sure that these resources are deployed in a legal and strictly non-partisan way,” Genrich said.

FOX 11 also asked for more information about what that process is like, and how the voter outreach messaging will be approved.

“I don’t think we need to get into that,” Genrich said.

He says it’s a staff decision, which is how every decision is made.

Ultimately, Green Bay’s city council approved both the $150,000 voter outreach effort, and the $500,000 dollar grant for poll safety.

The city plans to have 16 polling locations open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day:

1. University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (2420 Nicolet Dr.)
2. Christ of the Bay Lutheran Church (450 Laverne Dr.)
3. Atonement Lutheran Church (2132 Deckner Ave.)
4. Bay Beach Amusement Park (1313 Bay Beach Rd.)
5. St. Bernard’s Parish (2040 Hillside Ln.)
6. Central Assembly of God Church (831 Schoen St.)
7. Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary (1660 East Shore Dr.)
8. Labor Temple Building (1570 Elizabeth St.)
9. Johnsonville Tailgate Village (1265 Lombardi Ave.)
10. NeighborWorks (437 S. Jackson St.)
11. Green Bay Metro Transit Center (901 University Ave.)
12. Property formerly known as Sears (1555 Green Bay Plaza)
13. Redeemer Lutheran Church (210 S. Oneida St.)
14. Calvary Lutheran Church (1301 S. Ridge Rd.)
15. St. Paul’s Methodist Church (341 Wilson Ave.)
16. Bridge Point Church (2421 West Point Rd.)

For more information on how you can register to vote and other election information, click here.