With the eyes of the nation firmly focused on key Wisconsin races, here’s what you need to know before polls open for tomorrow’s 2018 midterm election.
In Wisconsin, polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Wisconsin allows people to register the day of the election. The materials needed to register can be found here. Find your polling place in Madison here.
Below is a brief recap regarding the governor’s race, the U.S. Senate race, the attorney general race and the referendum on the ballot in Dane County.
Governor
Incumbent Republican Gov. Scott Walker faces Democratic challenger Tony Evers Tuesday.
Walker has been governor since 2010; if he wins the election Tuesday, he will serve until 2023.
Walker’s campaign has focused heavily on job growth, tax cuts and healthcare.
Evers is currently the Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin — a position he has held since 2009.
Evers’ campaign has focused on education, healthcare and criminal justice reform. As a member of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, he hopes to remove the UW system from state politics.
Both candidates have had big names campaign for them in the last few weeks — President Donald Trump came to Wisconsin on Oct. 24 to rally for Walker and other state Republicans, and President Barack Obama visited Milwaukee on Oct. 26 to rally for Evers and other state Democrats.
According to the latest Marquette Law School poll, and the last one before the election, Walker and Evers are tied at 47 percent each.
Evers, Walker tied in polls with less than one week to go until election day
U.S. Senate
Incumbent Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., faces Republican State Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Brookfield.
Baldwin has served in the Senate since 2013 and served in the House of Representatives from 1999-2013.
Baldwin has focused her campaign on her accomplishments thus far in the Senate, such as her work in support of the Affordable Care Act which allows people to stay on their parents’ health insurance plan until the age of 26.
Before being elected to the state Senate, Vukmir served on the state Assembly from 2002-11. Prior to that, she was a nurse. Due to her background in nursing, Vukmir has focused much of her campaign on healthcare and has emphasized her pro-life ideology.
According to the Marquette poll, Baldwin leads Vukmir 54 percent to 43 percent.
Attorney General
Incumbent Brad Schimel faces Josh Kaul.
Schimel’s campaign has focused on his background not only as the current AG but as a prosecutor as well. Additionally, he has focused on fighting the opioid epidemic.
Like Schimel, Kaul’s campaign has focused on fighting the opioid epidemic and has highlighted his time as a criminal prosecutor in Baltimore, Md. Kaul has also criticized Schimel’s handling of rape kits.
According to the Marquette poll, Schimel is leading Kaul 47 percent to 45 percent.
Attorney general candidates debate school safety, sexual assault, medical marijuana legalization
Referendum
Additionally, Dane, Milwaukee, LaCrosse and Rock counties will have a referendum on their ballots asking voters about the legalization and taxation of marijuana for personal use for those 21 years old and over.
According to the resolution approved by the Dane County Board of Supervisors to put the referendum on the ballot, existing laws regarding marijuana prevent law enforcement from dealing with more serious crimes. The resolution adds that the existing laws decrease the amount of quality control and sales regulation available for marijuana.
