[MADISON, Wis.] - After months of comprehensive voter education and outreach efforts across Wisconsin, the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin (LWVWI) celebrates a record high voter turnout in the recent presidential election.
“Despite the challenges the pandemic posed, Wisconsin voters were committed to making their voices heard in this election” said Debra Cronmiller, LWVWI executive director. “This could not have been possible without the hard work of clerks, election officials, local Leagues across Wisconsin, and our partners in the Wisconsin Voting Rights Coalition and the Disability Vote Coalition.”
Unofficial results from the Wisconsin Elections Commission report that Wisconsin voters cast a record of 3,296,374 votes for president, surpassing the previous record of 3,071,434 votes from 2012. This represents a 72.66 percent turnout rate of the voting age population.
LWVWI, along with our Election Protection partners in the Wisconsin Voting Rights Coalition, trained and received reports from 134 nonpartisan election observers at polling places and central count facilities across Wisconsin. In total, LWVWI and the coalition partners were able to observe elections in more than 200 municipalities.
“The League has had its nonpartisan election observer program since 2010, and our observers play a critical role as our eyes and ears on Election Day,” said Eileen Newcomer, LWVWI voter education manager. “With our Election Protection partners, we are proud to have been able to observe the 2020 General Election at this scale, and ensure its integrity, especially with the record high number of absentee ballots.”
For the first time, the League will also observe the post-election voting equipment audits in Wisconsin to ensure the accuracy of ballot tabulators. Those interested in volunteering as an observer can sign-up here.
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The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin is a nonpartisan political organization that advocates for informed and active participation in government. There are 20 local Leagues throughout Wisconsin. More information at lwvwi.org.
