Politics & Government

Election Day Diary: Beginning to End, a Historic Turnout

Muskego Patch is visiting the polls throughout the day, and gathering info there; join in the conversation to help us paint the picture of what the recall election looked like here.

on a near-daily basis since the protests began in Madison about 18 months ago (although it feels like years, admittedly).

Overall polling places reported busy early turnouts, and many new voters coming in to cast their first ballots. No issues with voting itself was seen.

If you haven't ventured out yet worth...noting.

Find out what's happening in Muskegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Today it's time to put your ballot where your mouth is, and it seems like Muskego is speaking loudly at the polls. Here's an ongoing post of what's been happening around the city:

9:00 p.m. After votes are tallied in Muskego (unofficially), with a stunning 86% turnout:

Find out what's happening in Muskegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

10,023 Walker
3,652 Barret

9,828 Kleefisch
3600 Mitchell

6:45 -7:45 p.m.: A last look-in at the polling stations revealed an amazing turnout (sorry, District 6, I did not catch you as the plan commission meeting took a bit longer than expected). Here is a recap of the stations visited and the time, along with the percentage of votes cast (based on April's numbers of registered voters). These numbers will be further boosted by 300 - 400 votes from absentees.

District 1 - 7:30 p.m., 1,864 votes/71.3%
District 2 - 7:20 p.m., 1,435 votes/66.2%
District 3 - 7:15 p.m., 1,693 votes/70.7%
District 4 - 6:45 p.m., 1,188 votes/59.2%
District 5 - 7 p.m., 1,488 votes/64.9%
District 7 - 7:50 p.m., 1,393 votes/67.6%

2:30-3:45 p.m. The midday round up revealed continued steady to heavy turnout. Here's what I recorded: District 7 - 794 voters, 38.5%; District 6 - 936 voters, 42.2%; District 4 - 761, 37.9%; District 5 - 947 voters, 41.3%; District 3 - 1,115 voters, 48.3%; District 2 - 982 voters, 45.3%; District 1 - 1,295, 50%

Important to remember: absentee votes aren't part of the above numbers, which in some districts added another 250 - 400 votes, bringing all districts to the 50 percent mark. Most poll supervisors estimated that with the supper and after work rush to come, they would see 70 percent and above turnout.

12:40 p.m. Joell Hawley Walters said via Muskego Patch on Facebook, "I went at my usual time but the line of cars was lined up on Racine Ave and the lot was full...people were even parking on Racine Ave! Needed to get my kid to school so I went back later 11:56am and I was #682."

11:40 a.m. Steven Dibb commented on Muskego Patch's Facebook page:  "#722 at the church on Martin" (District 3)

10 a.m. District 1 is the largest in the city, and is showing a robust turnout, with a full parking lot, overflow lot and lines heading out the door. Carol Stillwell, a pollworker said the lines were out the door and around the building at 7 a.m. Their 520th vote was cast while I was there, representing a 20 percent showing.

9:45 a.m. The library also sees traffic for voters coming in to cast ballots in District 2, with about 20 percent turnout already seen (447).

9:40 a.m. 440 voters have already turned out at District 3, (18 percent); lines were also long there, and pollworker Kris Huss said about 60 people were waiting as polls opened.

9:30 a.m. District 5 records a vigorous 350 voters (15 percent turnout). John Engelhardt reminded me that the absentee voters have not been a part of the machine counts at the polls, which will boost everyone's stats. He felt that 65 to 70 percent turnout would be a conservative estimate.

9:10 a.m. District 4, voter #273 (13.5 percent turnout); line of about 15 people stretching into the hallway at City Hall.

9:00 a.m. District 6 is recording the 311th voter, which is about 14 percent of registered voters for that district only two hours into the day. Pollworker Joan Slamann tells me that there was a line for at least the first 45 minutes when the polls opened.

8:45 a.m. District 7, and I'm voter #239. This is about twice the turnout, as I usually vote before 9 a.m. in most elections.


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