Confusion, Drama Low At Polling Places On Partisan Primary Election Day

Low turnout has led to easy voting experiences across the state in Tuesday’s partisan primary election, according to the state Elections Commission.

Turnout is projected to be about 16 percent of the voting age population, which is typical for a partisan primary election.

Early Tuesday afternoon, Elections Commission spokesman Reid Magney said there had been “very little” confusion reported regarding Wisconsin’s Voter ID law thus far. The law saw its first real test during April’s presidential primary and remains in effect for the primary elections, despite federal court decisions striking down parts of the law.

The smooth sailing at polling places might be partially due to the nature of partisan primary voters, Magney said.

“Frankly, most of those people are ‘frequent fliers,’” Magney said. “They vote regularly, they probably have all the correct documentation.”

The commission did receive reports that some supporters of Republican Paul Nehlen were campaigning too close to polling places in Janesville and Racine County, Magney said. The supporters complied with officials and moved into appropriate campaigning areas—100 feet from polling places—when asked. Nehlen is challenging House Speaker Paul Ryan for his seat in Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District.

There have also been reports of voting machine problems in Dane County, with machines experiencing breakdowns, glitches and difficulty reading some ballots.

Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell said those issues are mostly “standard” and have been addressed. McDonell doesn‘t anticipate they will cause delays.

Polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday.