Awareness is down and low voter turnout is expected, but the primary for Wisconsin Legislative elections is taking place today, Sept. 9, and the outcomes could have important ramifications.
Mike McCabe, director of the watchdog group Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said this primary is flying under the radar because there is no high-profile statewide office up for grabs.
According to McCabe, the outcome of the state Legislative election is important because control of both the state Assembly and state Senate could go to either Democrats or Republicans.
Either or both of the houses could change hands, and that has big implications for the University of Wisconsin,"" McCabe said.
He said Democrats and Republicans handle higher education very differently, and whoever gains control in this election can have a big impact on tuition and funding for university programs.
McCabe said there are a handful of races in which the winner will actually be determined in the primary because candidates from only one party are running.
Six Democratic candidates and no Republicans will appear on the ballot for the 81st Assembly district, which includes Madison, and the winner of the primary will be the district's new representative.
""It's unfortunate that people are overlooking what might be in some communities the only opportunity to influence the makeup of the state Legislature,"" McCabe said.
Election officials predicted a voter turnout of only 15 percent, and UW-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin said he thinks student turnout will be much lower.
According to Franklin, average student turnout in general elections is usually about half to two-thirds the average overall turnout, partially because students are not permanent residents and have not lived in an area long enough to become familiar with local politicians.
Franklin said the high interest in the presidential election probably takes attention away from the state elections, but voters are actually more closely affected by local and state elections.
""That's the general irony - that turnout is highest in presidential elections where things are most distant from us as individuals,"" Franklin said.
Lavilla Capener, communications director for UW-Madison College Democrats, said state elections are very important, but national elections draw most of the students' attention.
""The national races are definitely more exciting, there are more glamorous candidates, and I think students see a lot of that and don't realize actually how important some of the smaller races are,"" Capener said.
