Wisconsin early voting surges for April Supreme Court election
Early voting in Wisconsin for the upcoming Spring Election is experiencing a significant increase. The election is set for April 1 and includes a crucial state Supreme Court race, which is gaining national attention due to high campaign spending. As of Wednesday, over 85,600 voters had cast their ballots through in-person absentee voting or by mail. This is a 50% rise compared to the same period in 2023, when about 56,800 absentee ballots were submitted two weeks before the election. The race features Dane County Judge Susan Crawford and Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, both vying for a 10-year term on the court. Their decisions could greatly impact the future direction of the court. The first day of in-person absentee voting saw 34,036 voters show up, which is a 120% increase from last year's figure of 15,435. Ballots will not be counted until Election Day, but many are eager to participate. The largest counties in Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, Dane, and Waukesha, are showing the highest early voting numbers. Milwaukee and Dane counties are traditionally supportive of Democrats, while Waukesha County tends to favor Republicans. In the 2023 April election, more than 1.8 million voters participated.