Elections board predicts 35% voter turnout Tuesday

About one in three of Wisconsin's 4,352,762 eligible voters is expected to take part in Tuesday's primary and presidential preference election, state election officials estimate.

The Government Accountability Board's estimate of 35 percent is about the same as the turnout in the last Wisconsin presidential primary in 2008. The highest in a presidential primary since 1960 was that year, at 50 percent.

In Dane County, county Clerk Karen Peters said she "would like to see about 45 percent turnout," a possibility considering there is a countywide referendum and two or three hotly contested county supervisor races.

There are no statewide races for state officials this year.

Because of recent legal decisions, a photo ID is not required to vote, though GAB officials said voters with an acceptable photo ID should bring it, just in case of a last-minute court order. Voters should also be ready to sign the poll book -- another new requirement in the voter ID law that was not rejected by court orders.

(c)2012 The Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wis.)

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