Politics & Government

Tosa Gets Out the Vote on County, Court Contests

Expected high turnout is developing at polling places.

City Clerk Carla Ledesma spent all morning visiting every polling place in Wauwatosa, and even before Election Day was half done, she felt sure that her predictions of an unusually strong turnout would be valid.

"There was lots of activity," she said. "It was quite brisk – brisk and steady. Poll workers were all saying the same thing. The state as a whole was projected at 20 percent. Tosa is going to be much higher. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say 40 percent."

Ledesma said that despite the heavy turnout, polls and workers were well prepared and she had received no reports of any problems.

Find out what's happening in Wauwatosawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"It was going smoothly," she said, "which is what you want if you're going to throw an election. There were some reports of people collecting recall signatures, but that doesn't affect much of Tosa, only a couple of (state Sen.) Lena Taylor's districts."

Later in the day, between 4 and 4:30 p.m., Ledesma's prediction was being born out and perhaps topped by voters in District 4, wards 11 and 12, at , 6927 Maple Ter.

Find out what's happening in Wauwatosawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Turnout has been excellent for a non-presidential election," said Ward 11 poll worker Jill Gaertner. "We are close to 35 percent and we still have three hours to go. And I believe Ward 12 is even higher."

Voter Christina Gianaras said she always votes, but one race really prompted her this time.

"County executive," she said, but declined to reveal her choice.

"I just think people have not been exercising their right," she said of the high rate of voter interest, "and I want to exercise mine. And I was nagging people at work."

Julia Murphy is another regular at the polls.

"I rarely have missed an election," she said, "and certainly the county executive and the Supreme Court races have gotten a lot of people's attention.

"The thing is, I'm not really thrilled with any of the candidates, and that's too bad.

"It seems like we're all saying something about the governor."


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