University of Wisconsin students drive record voter turnout in spring election
Voter turnout at the University of Wisconsin has hit a record high following the first day of early voting Tuesday, March 18. On the ballot are important decisions such as the Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates, candidates for the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State of Wisconsin referendum question on Voter IDs.
According to District 8 Alder MGR Govindarajan, 2453 votes were counted citywide, the highest number of early votes in Madison for a spring election. Additionally, the second highest voting location was Memorial Union with 348 votes.
Since the last Supreme Court Primary Election in 2023, Wisconsin has seen a rise in voter turnout among college students. A trend that has even been seen nationwide, according to MGR.
“When Justice Janet Protasiewicz was elected two years ago, we saw a crazy amount of students go out and vote,” said MGR. “She won with 60% of the vote in Wisconsin and 90% on campus.”
This trend continued into 2024 when another large turnout of students exercised their right to vote, according to MGR. Students are voting now more than ever due to multiple factors, including the convenience of the voting locations on campus and specific organizations encouraging students to vote, MGR said.
https://badgerherald.com/news/wisconsin/2025/03/20/university-of-wisconsin-students-drive-record-voter-turnout-in-spring-election/