The opportunity to submit a name (or names) for the Streets and Engineering Division snow removal equipment is over. The opportunity submit names ended at 4:00pm today, Friday, January 13, 2023.

Staff will take the next week to decide on the 10 finalists for each piece of equipment from the over 1,000 submissions turned in. With so many great suggestions, undoubtedly some good ones will be left behind.

The Streets and Engineering Divisions are both very grateful for the participation so far, and look forward to the election.

The Election Process
On January 23, 2023, Wisconsin Salt Wise will open the election so you can vote to choose the names. The election will close on February 3, 2023.

This will be a ranked choice election. While similar to how we named the electric compactors in 2022, the way the winners will be determined is different.

Like with the electric compactors, when you vote, you will rank the finalist names by your order of your preference. The finalist name you like most will be your 1st Choice, your next favorite will be your 2nd Choice and so on.

Instead of a point system, the winning name for each equipment will be the one that has earned a simple majority of the votes cast.

There are many helpful videos that show how ranked choice works to determine who received a majority of the votes. Minnesota Public Radio, the Board of Elections New York City, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are some examples that provide a clear, visual, and brief explanations of this process.

About Wisconsin Salt Wise
Wisconsin Salt Wise is a coalition of several organizations with the goal to reduce salt pollution in our water. Their website has numerous resources for both homeowners and winter maintenance professions to be sure you are using salt correctly in the winter months. Their web address is www.wisaltwise.com.

Additional Information
Photos and descriptions of the vehicles are available on the Streets Division’s “Name These Plows” website.

More information about City of Madison winter operations can be found at www.cityofmadison.com/Winter.

 

Contacts