Snow impacts primary, 'historically a very low turnout election'

MILWAUKEE - Turnout was expected to be low on primary election day Tuesday, Feb. 16, but even more so because of the weather, after Mother Nature brought several inches of lake effect snow through Tuesday afternoon.

CLICK HERE to view vote totals from the February 2021 primary

Election workers at Ward 138 at Riverwest Elementary School said considering the snow, turnout actually wasn't too terrible, all things considered, as voters whittled down a number of candidates for local as well as one statewide office.

As snow fell and sidewalks shoveled and cars were cleared, voters got a reprieve from the weather inside Riverwest Elementary late Tuesday morning.

"Today, we’re getting about seven people per hour," said Philip Taterczynski, chief inspector.

Despite appearances, it wasn't the lowest or slowest February primary Taterczynski has seen.

"People who are coming in are the people who are dedicated voters and they know the routine," he said.

"This is a civic tradition," said William Hogan. "We should never give up."

Not rain, nor sleet, nor snow would stop Hogan and Jo Yanish from voting, but that said...

"Well it was…terrible!" said Hogan.

"But you know, we’re going to have to shovel out our cars eventually," said Yanish. "You might as well do it today and get your vote out."

The only statewide race featured two of seven state superintendent candidates looking to advance. Meanwhile, in Milwaukee, there were five contested races for Milwaukee Board of School Directors District 4 and 5, a special election to fill Milwaukee County's District 10 seat after Supreme Moore Omokunde's election to the Assembly and a Republican primary for Senate District 13 after Scott Fitzgerald's election to Congress.

"The February election is — historically — a very low turnout election," said Meagan Wolfe, administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

The state reported Tuesday morning roughly 318,000 absentee ballots issued and 127,000 absentee ballots returned, including 9,000 cast during in-person absentee.

"So if you still have your ballot, do not mail it," said Wolfe.

In Milwaukee, officials noted lower turnout means smaller margins deciding elections.

"Because it’s oftentimes in these smaller primaries we see it comes down to a few hundred, or sometimes tens of votes," said Claire Woodall-Vogg, executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission.