11:37 AM: Election Officials Say Elections Going Smoothly, Slow
Milwaukee Election Commission assistant director Neil Albrecht said the spring election is going "very well" there, but there's been fairly low voter turnout thus far.
Dane and La Crosse county officials also said things were going slow there, but Washington County officials say they've had to print more ballots to meet demand.
Albrecht blamed the low turnout on the weather, which was the worst during the normal push of pre-work morning voting, with some streets and sidewalks flooding during a thunderstorm.
Albrecht said he expects many to come in and vote after work, though. He also said things are running smoothly in the 6th District Alderman recall election.
Brown, Dane and La Crosse County clerks offices said they have not received reports of troubles so far during the election, and the offices in Brown and Dane County noted things are even a little slow.
Brown County clerk Darlene Marcelle said she the top-end of voter turnout expectations could reach around 25 percent to 30 percent.
Washington County Clerk Brenda Jaszewski said the additional ballots were needed to keep up with heavy voter turnout, which has been higher than usual for April elections. She declined to make a prediction on what overall turnout would be.
In addition to the Supreme Court race -- featuring Washington County Judge Annette Ziegler and Madison attorney Linda Clifford -- and a number of municipal elections, county electors are also voting on an a land preservation program through which the county would spend $800,000 annually to purchase development rights.
The balloting has been going smoothly overall, Jaszewski said, however, a touch screen voting machine in one polling location suffered from a programing error that only allows electors to vote in one of three school board races that can be voted on there. Most people, however, vote by paper ballots, Jaszewski said, and noted that the machine is working for the Slinger school board race, which is expected to have the heaviest turnout.
-- By Matt Dolbey and David Wise
Labels: 2007 spring election, Turnout