Tuesday, February 19, 2013
1:07 PM
Weather hampering turnout in spring primary
The wintry conditions that swept across Wisconsin this morning weren't helping turnout for the spring primary, clerks said.
Waukesha County Clerk Kathleen Novack said turnout was low at the polling sites she checked this morning, but noted the blowing snow had eased up by late morning. There is a five-way GOP primary in the 98th AD there to fill an open Assembly seat.
"It may pick up," Novack said.
Turnout in the city of Madison was 2.5 percent by late morning. Traditionally, that number doubles by 4 p.m. and then doubles again by the time the polls close, suggesting turnout will be around 10 percent.
In Green Bay, where it was still snowing after noon, turnout was 1 percent by late morning.
Milwaukee Election Commission executive director Neil Albrecht said voting was picking up by late morning after the weather subsided and he still believed the city would fall in the 5 percent to 10 percent range for turnout.
The GAB predicted ahead of Tuesday that turnout would be less than 10 percent.
-- By JR Ross
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