Wisconsin’s Early Voting Surge Ahead of Historic Supreme Court Election

Wisconsin sees an 80% increase in early in-person absentee voting ahead of the April 1 election for the state Supreme Court, the most expensive in U.S. history at $76 million. Notably, 86,421 residents voted early, with total early absentee votes at 193,143. Absentee ballot applications exceeded previous elections, indicating significant public interest in the upcoming election.

Wisconsin is experiencing a notable surge in early voting as citizens gear up for the pivotal April 1 election, which features the most expensive state Supreme Court race in U.S. history, with costs estimated at $76 million, according to WisPolitics. Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson has been monitoring the situation closely since early voting commenced this week.

While early voting numbers are not definitive indicators of total turnout, they reflect increased interest in this election, which has attracted substantial financial contributions from billionaires across the political spectrum. As of Friday, 86,421 residents had cast in-person absentee votes at their local clerks’ offices, marking an impressive 80% increase compared to the same period two years ago for an April Spring Election.

The overall early absentee vote count has reached 193,143, significantly exceeding the 138,800 total votes from another important state Supreme Court race in April 2023. Additionally, 455,000 absentee ballot applications have been submitted, surpassing the 453,000 absentee ballots cast in the 2023 election, which saw a total turnout of 1.8 million votes. In that election, liberal candidate Judge Janet Protasiewicz triumphed over former Justice Dan Kelly by an 11-point margin.

It is crucial to highlight that absentee ballots will only be counted on Election Day. In early voting trends, Dane County, a Democratic stronghold, leads in early absentee votes, including mail-in ballots. In contrast, Waukesha County, traditionally Republican, has reported the highest in-person voting numbers of any county in Wisconsin to date. As early voting progresses, all attention turns to Wisconsin as voters prepare to express their views in this critical election.

The surge in early voting in Wisconsin signals significant voter engagement ahead of the April 1 election, particularly due to the unprecedented financial stakes associated with the state Supreme Court race. The increase in absentee ballot applications and early voting numbers suggests a highly competitive and consequential election, with differing voting trends across political lines in various counties. As the election date approaches, the focus remains on the civic engagement of Wisconsin’s electorate.

Original Source: www.tmj4.com