Voter turnout topped many expectations during Tuesday's Wisconsin primary. Experts had predicted a 40 percent turnout statewide. Unofficial reports last night put the statewide turnout at 47 percent as reported by Wheeler News: Forty-seven-point-four percent of Wisconsin adults voted Tuesday, a much-higher turnout than what the state projected. Two-point-one million votes were unofficially counted in the presidential contests. If the figure holds up, it would be the highest turnout for a Wisconsin primary since 1972 -- when the nation was at war in Vietnam and Democrat George McGovern was put up to run against President Richard Nixon. The turnout for that primary was three-tenths of one-percent higher than yesterday (Tuesday). About 350-thousand more people voted than one-point-seven-five million predicted last month by the state Government Accountability Board. The state's turnout percentage was second only to New Hampshire in this year's primary season. Two counties in the Northwoods saw much higher turnouts than that. In Vilas county, the Clerk's office reports a turnout at 64 percent, with the turnout in Oneida county just a percentage point less at 63 percent. Statewide, Ted Cruz easily outdistanced Donald Trump to win the Wisconsin Republican Presidential Primary Tuesday.
On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders continued a strong push, defeating Hilary Clinton.
In the state Supreme Court race, incumbent Rebecca Bradley defeated JoAnne Kloppenburg for a ten-year seat on the state highest court.
Rhinelander voters have overwhelmingly passed a half-cent on a dollar sales tax increase for tourist-related businesses to improve city roads. Called the Premier Resort Area Tax, that passed 1895 yes, 521 no. Mayor Dick Johns said the passage gives the city an avenue to help rebuild crumbling city streets, probably in 2017...
No official numbers were delivered to WXPR, but reports indicate Antigo School District voters rejected a roughly $25 million dollar referendum proposal. In Goodman-Armstrong Creek, that school district passed by 100 votes to exceed revenue caps $550,000 for three years. Two advisory referendum questions were before town of Arbor Vitae voters. Voters said yes to having ATV on town roads, and overwhelmingly supported staying with the Minocqua library.
In Rhinelander, former Alderperson Dawn Rog is returning to the city council. In Antigo, a write in campaign saw Bruce Kommers win a city council seat with three votes over 9 other people. Tim Kassis won ward 3. Steven Taskay won the mayor's job in Tomahawk.
In school board results, at M-H-LT school, the winners were Christy Seidel and Lynn Redenbaugh. At Lakeland Union High School Ed Schaub and Jonathan Berg were the top vote getters. Results from the town of Newbold were not in early today, so the outcome of the Northland Pines school board races found Jim Mulleady the winner of one seat. All results are unofficial.
