The November General Election is upon us. Wisconsin stands as a key swing state, Dane County a key county and University of Wisconsin students a crucial voter base. The Badger Herald is providing live coverage of the presidential, Senate, 2nd District House, Dane County executive races, as well as the results of Wisconsin’s statewide referendum and Madison’s two referenda.
8:45 p.m.
Eight uncontested local legislative races have been called, including Melissa Ratcliff (D-Cottage Grove), Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison), Randy Udell (D-Fitchburg), Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison), Renuka Mayadev (D-Madison), Rep. Sheila Stubbs (D-Madison), Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) and Rep. Alex Joers (D-Middleton).
Mo. has been called for Trump, according to the Associated Press
— Reported by Managing Editor Ava McNarney.
8:39 p.m.
Mark Pocan, D-Wis., is currently leading in the House race. Pocan has 91,047 votes and Erik Olsen (R-WI) has 35,602 votes, according to Dane County.
— Reported by News Associate Editor Anja Breiehagen.
8:27 p.m.
Results for United States Senator have started coming in. Currently, Democrat Tammy Baldwin is leading Republican Eric Hovde 68.7% to 29.9% in Dane County.
— Reported by Digital News Editor Maggie Shreiner.
8:15 p.m.
The polls have closed in Wisconsin and certain precincts have begun reporting votes. Harris leads in Dane County with 67.4% of the vote — Trump with 30.7%.
— Reported by Print News Editor Anna Kristoff.
8:12 p.m.
Ohio and Texas have been called for Trump, according to the Associated Press. He currently leads the electoral vote 177-99.
— Reported by Digital News Editor Jones Millstone-Rivo.
8:02 p.m.
N.D., S.D., La. and Wyo. were called for Trump, according to the Associated Press. N.Y. was called for Harris.
— Reported by Digital News Editor Maggie Shreiner.
7:46 p.m.
Ill. and Del. were called for Harris, according to the Associated Press. Trump is still leading the electoral vote 101 to 71.
— Reported by Digital News Editor Maggie Shreiner.
7:33 p.m.
Ark. has been called for Donald Trump, according to the Associated Press. N.J. was called for Kamala Harris. Trump is currently leading the electoral vote 101 to 49.
— Reported by Digital News Editor Maggie Shreiner.
7:20 p.m.
52% of registered Madison voters have cast their vote as of 6:51 p.m., according to the City of Madison Clerk’s Office. 103,274 total ballots have been completed, including absentee ballots.
— Reported by Managing Editor Ava McNarney.
7:04 p.m.
Fla., S.C., Miss., Ala., Okla. Tenn. and W.Va. have been called for Donald Trump, according to the Associated Press. Md., Mass., Conn. and R.I. have been called for Kamala Harris.
— Reported by Digital News Editor Maggie Shreiner.
6:16 p.m.
Ind. and Ky. have been called for Trump, while Vermont has been called for Harris, according to the Associated Press.
— Reported by Digital News Editor Maggie Shreiner.
5:40 p.m.
In an interview with The Badger Herald, candidate for Dane County Executive Dana Pellebon, described her campaign as “the wildest ride” she’s ever experienced.
Whether she wins or loses, Pellebon said she is proud of the campaign she’s run and the connections she’s formed with community members along the way.
Pellebon also addressed political endorsements her opponent State Sen. Melissa Agard, D-Madison, received from Wisconsin politicians like Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis. of Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District.
“I’m sure the people that endorsed Senator Agard did so for a good reason,” Pellebon said. “A lot of these people are people that never even spoke to me. I think they supported the person that they knew, that was their friend, and had worked with them in legislative spaces.”
Pellebon said she is not a politician, and does not expect to get political endorsements.
“My endorsements come from the people, and those are the ones I care about,” Pellebon said.
Pellebon said her and her campaign have been monitoring voter activity, and are proud of Dane County for the large turnout so far.
Pellebon additionally encouraged voters to recognize the stakes of the election.
“ I hope that those who have yet to vote take a little time to understand what this position is, and take a look at the experience that is needed to make this a successful position,” Pellebon said. “I believe when they do that, they will choose Dana for Dane County.”
— Reported by Managing Editor Sami Bitat.
4:30 p.m.
In a last-minute push to energize voters ahead of the upcoming election, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Gov. Tony Evers held a rally on Library Mall at 4 p.m. Even in the rain, the event attracted a large crowd of students, marking one of the final stops in their campaign blitz across the state.
Baldwin told The Badger Herald she is thrilled by the enthusiasm she’s seen around early voting on UW campus.
“Students and young people have more at stake than any other generation,” Baldwin said. “They’re going to be here the longest. The issues that they think about are on the ballot right now.”
UW junior Ella Bindl expressed her reasoning for voting for Baldwin and Evers.
“Tammy Baldwin has promised to protect women’s reproductive freedom, which is an important cause to me,” Bindl said. “[Baldwin] was also endorsed by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, and that stands out to me as someone who grew up on a Wisconsin farm.”
— Reported by News Associate Editor Zoe Klein.
4:13 p.m.
Specific Wisconsin polling locations may start reporting results quicker than others, but total state numbers will likely be reported around 2-3 a.m. on Wednesday, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler said in an interview with The Badger Herald.
Wikler said he has been campaigning with Neighborhood Action Teams in Madison today to help knock on doors and remind people to vote. Wikler said he thinks there will be large voter turnout in Madison — especially around the University of Wisconsin campus.
— Reported by Print News Editor Anna Kristoff
3:04 p.m.
First-time voter and UW student Reilly White shared her thoughts on the Senate race. Originally from Maryland, White said that she researched the candidates’ stances on issues.
“I’m really hoping for a candidate who protects abortion access, because I’m a young woman,” White said. “I think that a candidate who supports immigration and makes it easier for immigrants to come into the country, rather than taking measures to keep them out is also really important to me.”
White said she would vote for Tammy Baldwin.
Another student, Jasmine Jimenez, talked about how her religious beliefs inform her decision to vote for a candidate, regardless of party affiliation.
“I’m Catholic, so I went for a candidate that would reflect my Catholic beliefs specifically in upholding the dignity of everybody, especially babies who have no voice,” Jimenez said.
Jimenez did not clarify which candidate would get her vote.
Both students voted at Memorial Union.
— Reported by News Associate Editor Zindzi Frederick.
2:19 p.m.
In a press call, Administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission Meagan Wolfe said Election Day is proceeding as expected, and there are no major issues to report.
“Clerks are reporting that things are running smoothly at polling locations across the state,” Wolfe said.
The WEC has been notified of a few voters that received suspicious phone calls from callers claiming that something is wrong with the voter’s absentee ballot and further personal information is needed to complete it, Wolfe said. Wolfe said election officials would never make these calls and that any voter who has received one should contact law enforcement.
— Reported by Print News Editor Anna Kristoff.
2:09 p.m.
“It’s difficult to judge turnout before polls close, especially because of all the absentee early voting that happened ahead of the election,” Madison City Communications Manager Dylan Brogan said in an email statement. “We expected turnout to be high and it has been, throughout the city.”
— Reported by Managing Editor Ava McNarney.
7:30 a.m.
There have been around 20,000 absentee ballots turned in for Dane County, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
— Reported by Print News Editor Anna Kristoff.
