More than 289,000 absentee ballots have already been submitted in advance of the potentially historic Nov. 4 midterm elections, according to numbers released by the Government Accountability Board Monday.
“We have easily surpassed all absentee voting for the 2012 recall,” GAB director Kevin J. Kennedy said in a press release, noting that the absentee ballots represent 11 percent of the projected 2.5 million Wisconsin voters.
The projected turnout of 2.5 million voters—56.5 percent of the state population—would represent a record for a November gubernatorial election.
The gubernatorial election could have historic implications for the state, as incumbent Republican Gov. Scott Walker squares off against Democratic challenger Mary Burke.
If elected, Burke, a former Trek Bicycle executive, would become the first female governor in Wisconsin history. Walker has a seven—point lead over Burke in the most recent Marquette University Law School poll.
The state attorney general race is closer, as Republican Brad Schimel holds a four point lead over Democrat Susan Happ in the most recent Marquette poll. With 14 percent of voters undecided, the race to replace current Attorney General J.B Van Hollen is up for grabs.
Three open state senate seats make Wisconsin one of the few states in the country to have a senate that could change party hands. While Republicans currently hold the senate, competitive races in three districts give Democrats a small chance to control the upper house.
The three districts that could change party hands are the 9th Senate District where Republican Devin LeMahieu faces Democrat Martha Laning, the 17th Senate District between state Rep. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, and Democrat Pat Bomhack and former state Rep. Roger Roth, R-Appleton, and state Rep. Penny Bernard Schaber, D-Appleton, facing off in the 19th Senate District.
Polls are open Nov. 4 between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.; those who are in line at 8 p.m. will be able to vote. Those who are not registered to vote can do so at the polls by providing proof of residence and either a valid Wisconsin driver’s license or the last four digits of their Social Security number.
