With Election Day just around the corner, Wisconsin has already seen nearly one million people cast their votes early. The high turnout has been described as a “tsunami of voters” by UWM Political Science Professor Emeritus Mordecai Lee. Early voting locations have experienced long lines and a steady flow of voters, with many citing the convenience of early voting to avoid any unexpected events on Election Day as a reason for casting their ballot early.
According to Wisconsin Elections Commission data, 989,000 absentee ballots have been returned across the state, representing a 28% turnout of registered voters so far. In Milwaukee County, 28.6% of registered voters have already voted early, with other counties seeing even higher turnout rates.
The pandemic has played a role in making Wisconsinites more comfortable with early voting, but the excitement and anticipation of this highly anticipated election have also contributed to the surge in early voting. With Wisconsin historically being a high-turnout state, Lee estimates that this election will surpass previous years in terms of voter turnout.
Both parties are encouraging their supporters to vote early, with President Trump acknowledging the benefits of early voting. The outcome of this early vote “tsunami” remains uncertain, but one thing is clear – Wisconsin voters are highly engaged and determined to make their voices heard in this election.
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