MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Cold, wet weather didn't deter Wisconsin voters from turning out in near record numbers on Election Day.

Tight races for president and the U.S. Senate drew a heavy turnout Tuesday in Wisconsin. Government Accountability Board director Kevin Kennedy says it appears more than 70 percent of Wisconsin's 4.8 million eligible voters cast ballots.

That would be among the biggest turnouts in Wisconsin for presidential elections. In 2008, about 69 percent of eligible voters went to the polls. The State Journal reports top turnouts of about 73 percent happened in 2004 and in 1960.

Women and minorities helped President Obama secured Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes.

Fifty-seven percent of women and 94 percent of blacks supported the president, while Republican challenger Mitt Romney drew a slight majority of male voters.

Obama was preferred over Romney by voters under age 40 in Wisconsin, college graduates and those with family incomes under $50,000.

Romney had strong backing from voters in their 40s and those 65 and older. He had the support of voters with family incomes of at least $100,000 and Protestant and other Christian voters. As expected, Obama won big in Milwaukee County and the Madison area, while Romney was strong in the Milwaukee suburbs and the rest of southeastern Wisconsin.