Early voting turnout in 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court race to gauge enthusiasm on both sides
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin voters began casting ballots on March 18 in a state Supreme Court election that has become a proxy for the nation’s political battles while attracting a massive amount of spending, led by groups affiliated with Elon Musk and other billionaires.
Voters at the polls on the first day of early voting said they were motivated by the role the court will play in issues such as abortion and immigration. Some also mentioned concerns about how national money and influence could sway the outcome of a race that will determine whether the court remains under liberal control or flips to a conservative majority.
Republican-backed Brad Schimel and Democratic-supported Susan Crawford are running in the April 1 election for an open seat on a court that faces cases on abortion, public sector unions, voting rules and congressional district boundaries. Who controls the court also could factor into how it might rule on any future voting challenge in the perennial presidential battleground state — raising the stakes for national Republicans and Democrats.
Retired electrician Maggie Freespirit, 58, was among the first to vote at a polling site in downtown Madison, the heavily Democratic state capital. She said she voted for Crawford because she knows the Democratic-backed candidate will support abortion rights. But she is nervous about Crawford’s chances.
https://pbswisconsin.org/news-item/early-voting-turnout-in-2025-wisconsin-supreme-court-race-to-gauge-enthusiasm-on-both-sides/