Wisconsin is witnessing a robust start to early voting as residents prepare for the April 1 election, which features the most expensive state Supreme Court race in U.S. history, estimated at $76 million, according to WisPolitics.
Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson has been closely following the developments since early voting began this week.
While early voting figures do not predict overall turnout, they indicate a heightened interest in this pivotal election, which has attracted billionaire donors from both sides of the political spectrum.
As of Friday, 86,421 residents had voted in-person absentee at their local clerks' offices, a process that began on Tuesday. That's up 80% compared to this time two years ago for an April Spring Election.
The total number of early absentee votes reached 193,143, significantly higher than the 138,800 cast during another notable state Supreme Court race in April 2023.
Watch: Early in-person voting up 80% for a Spring Election and state Supreme Court race
In addition to this surge, 455,000 absentee ballot applications have been filled out, surpassing the total number of absentee ballots-453,000-from the 2023 election. That election saw a total turnout of 1.8 million votes, with liberal candidate Judge Janet Protasiewicz defeating former Justice Dan Kelly by an 11-point margin.
It is important to note that absentee ballots will not be counted until Election Day.
In terms of early voting trends, Dane County, a Democratic stronghold, has recorded the highest number of early absentee votes, which include mail-in ballots. Conversely, Waukesha County, which leans Republican, has reported more in-person voting than any other county in the state thus far.
With early voting in full swing, all eyes are on Wisconsin as voters prepare to make their voices heard in this critical election.
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