Voters turnout in high numbers, similar to most recent midterm election

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - In Marathon County, nearly 62,000 people cast ballots on Tuesday, or about 76% of the county’s registered voters. Clerks from several municipalities mentioned busy polls and substantial lines at times throughout polling hours.

According to Wisconsin Elections Commission data reported Tuesday morning, Marathon County had issued more than 15,000 absentee ballots, with more than 14,000 returned at that point. More than 81,000 people registered to vote in Marathon County, with more than 60,000 ballots cast.

Wausau City Clerk, Kaitlyn Bernarde said people needed to pack their patience, as lines formed at times at the polls. She said they had a lot of people registering at the poll site, which can cause slightly longer wait times for voters. Wausau had about half the amount of absentee ballots cast than in 2020 and was able to complete the count around 9 p.m. Weston, which was the only other municipality in north central Wisconsin to have a central count, was able to complete its count just before 10 p.m.

“Oh, a great turnout today, Marathon County,” county clerk, Kim Trueblood said, “and we have made sure we can do everything possible to keep everybody’s ballot secure, and we feel really good about how the day went.”

She said there were not any major issues. The county will canvass all of the votes Monday to certify its count of all of the ballots.

“The ballots are secured,” Trueblood explained. “They’re in a locked room in my office until canvas. Actually, we don’t open ballot bags on canvas unless there is a discrepancy or if there’s a recount that we would open them. We will do some audits. Certain municipalities are mandated to be audited. We’ll find out who tomorrow probably and then we’ll open up the ballot bags and then we’ll do a hand count basically of all the ballots.”

All of the election process including the municipal canvassing of ballots and next week’s county canvas are open to public observers.

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