Election Day is Tuesday, April 7th: How many voters are expected at the polls?
MADISON (WITI) -- The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board is predicting voter turnout of 20 percent for the Spring Election on Tuesday, April 7.
A photo ID is not required on April 7 for voters to receive their ballots, but one will be required for future elections, including special elections in 2015.
Wisconsin’s voters will choose among 10,689 candidates for 7,628 state and local offices, as well as vote on one state constitutional amendment and 113 different local referenda.
The constitutional amendment asks voters whether the chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court should be elected for a two-year term by a majority of the justices. Currently, the most senior justice serves as chief justice. More information about the referendum is available on the G.A.B. website by CLICKING HERE.
Local races on the ballot include elections for two court of appeals judges, 62 circuit court judges and thousands of city, village, town and school district officials. There is also a special election to fill a vacant seat in State Senate District 20 in all or parts of Calumet, Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Sheboygan and Washington counties.
There are 61 school district referenda on the ballot. Other local referenda range from advisory questions about whether all-terrain vehicles should be allowed to use town roads to incorporating as a village.
On March 23, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for Wisconsin’s voter ID law. The Attorney General’s office has advised that photo ID cannot be implemented in time for the April 7 election, but that it will be in effect for future elections, including special elections in May. The next regular election when photo ID will be required is February 16, 2016.
To find out which candidates and referendums they will see on the ballot, voters should visit the MyVote Wisconsin website: myvote.wi.gov. Registered voters can put in their name and date of birth to see what is on their ballot. Voters planning to register at the polls on Election Day can use the Address Search feature to find their polling place and see sample ballots for their city, village or town.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Haas reminded voters and clerks that the G.A.B. will be open for extended hours for the election. On Friday, April 3 and Monday, April 6, the agency will be open until 6 p.m., and on Election Day from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Voters can call 1-866-VOTE-WIS (866-868-3947) or 608-261-2028.
Wisconsin has an estimated voting-age population of 4,416,501 adults. Voter turnout and current voter registration statistics are available at: http://gab.wi.gov/elections-voting/statistics.