Vote here. MWC file photo by Mike Leischner
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Tuesday’s primary election led to the rejection of two referendum questions seeking to give state legislators more say in how federal funds are spent in Wisconsin.
The Republican-controlled Legislature put the questions on the ballot.
Lawrence University history professor Jerald Podair says it was an important vote.
“The minute I saw it, it jumped out at me. That of all the votes on Tuesday, that was the one that was the most significant, I thought,” he said.
Podair also says it was more than just a vote on the constitutional amendments.
“It was a Republican-Democratic issue, basically,” he explained. “In a way, it was a way to vote early on the presidential election.”
Podair continued, “I thought that the margin, which was about 15 or 16 points, I think was very significant.”
In both cases, Northeast Wisconsin’s three most populated counties voted no.
For referendum question one:
- 28,938 voters in Brown County said no
- 20,866 voters in Outagamie County said no
- 18,587 voters in Winnebago County said no
For referendum question two:
- 28,878 voters in Brown County said no
- 20,854 voters in Outagamie County said no
- 18,493 voters in Winnebago County said no
Officials say this was the highest turnout statewide for a primary vote in Wisconsin in 60 years.
Podair shared what he thought got people out to the polls.
“Kamala Harris. I would say that if President Biden had stayed in the race, the turnout here would have been much lower. I think the enhanced turnout is a function of a tremendous amount of Democratic enthusiasm in the wake of Biden stepping down,” Podair said.
Emily Tseffos, chair of the Democratic Party of Outagamie County, says their campaigning technique played a part as well.
“This effort was really grass roots, in that we were talking to voters on the phone, we were knocking on thousands of doors across the county and across Northeast Wisconsin,” Tseffos said.
Local Democrats believe the turnout was a sign of what’s to come in November.
“I think that folks are tired of the anger and the fear, and I really think that the public is responding with a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm for the prospect of a brighter tomorrow for all of us.,” Tseffos explained. “That’s what, from top to bottom, our candidates are running on. I think Tuesday was a testament to that message working.”
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