Turnout in Wisconsin election tops 26%, highest in 60 years for fall primary in presidential year

MADISON, Wis. — Turnout in Wisconsin’s election on Tuesday was the highest in 60 years for a presidential year. More than 26% of the state’s eligible voters cast ballots, according to unofficial results.

The election was marked by voters rejecting two constitutional amendments that would have limited the governor’s spending power and by deciding a pair of hotly contested congressional primaries. The election was also the first under newly drawn legislative maps, creating dozens of competitive races as well as other fierce contests for local office.

In the Democratic stronghold of Madison, turnout was 45 percent, the highest turnout for a partisan fall election in at least 40 years. It’s also the longest stretch for which the clerk’s office has data.

Just over 1.2 million voters cast ballots on each of the proposed amendments, which were the only statewide issues on the ballot that were open to all voters, regardless of party. That represents just over 26% of the voting age population, or about 4.7 million voters.

That is the highest turnout for an August primary in any presidential year since 1964, when nearly 28% of the eligible population voted, based on data from the Wisconsin Elections Commission. It’s just shy of the 27% turnout of the 2022 midterm primariesThat year, turnout was determined by a competitive Republican primary for governor and a Democratic race for Senate.