Dane County (Madison, etc) Clerk says turnout in county could reach 80-88% (great for dems)

Voters and public officials are reporting long lines at many Wisconsin polling places Tuesday — with Dane County Clerk Karen Peters calling the turnout "just wild" so far.

"It ranges from 28 to 42 percent already; it is a huge turnout. We could hit 80 to 88 percent," said Peters, who at midday was just fielding calls wrapping up a status report from clerks around the county.

Sun Prairie's four polling places were steadily busy, logging nearly 5,000 votes through 11 a.m., said Arrin Linzenmeyer, of the clerk's office. There were lines as the day started, the same as many polling places in the county, as voters anticipated extended waits as the day progresses.

In Madison, City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl said turnout was at 26 percent by 11 a.m., which was an orphan number because, she said, "we really have nothing to compare it to." That percentage is the 42,961 votes case of 165,312 registered.

However, she said, "typically the numbers will double from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and then double again from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m." At 11 a.m., the highest turnout was at Blessed Sacrament in Ward 62, where turnout was already at 51 percent.



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