The Young Turks take a look at Wisconsin's recall elections.
Check back here throughout the day for news and updates on the Wisconsin recall elections (updates in EST).
-9:54 p.m.: Incumbents Cowles and Harsdorf appear to be cruising to victory, other races still too close to comment on.
-9:39 p.m.: With very early results (less than 20 percent reporting in all districts, less than 10 percent reporting in most districts), the only Republican currently losing is Dan Kapanke, the most vulnerable of the incumbents.
-9:16 p.m.: There was a machine malfunction in Fon Du Lac that caused some delays this afternoon
-9:01 p.m.: Polls are now closed in Wisconsin.
-7:43 p.m.: Fox is lying about Wisconsin unions, not surprisingly.
-Former Packer lineman Gilbert Brown did robocalls in favor of the recall.
-4:54 p.m.: Daily Kos:
Turnout is strong in Wisconsin today, but it is also not uniform:
As WisPolitics reports, city clerks in some municipalities say that turnout could be near the level of a presidential election -- though this is not true across the board, with other being closer to the hotly-contested state Supreme Court election this past April.
That is actually an enormous range. According to the article linked above, turnout in the April state Supreme Court election was 35 percent of the voting age population. However, turnout in the 2008 presidential election was 71 percent of the voting age population.
The big question is about where turnout is close to presidential levels versus where it is closer to the state Supreme Court election. If the higher turnout is skewed toward areas that favor one party, then we could end up seeing some real surprises—good or bad—tonight.
-3:01 p.m.: Uppity Wisconsin:
The fact worth noting in this right winger's analysis, which would make victory even sweeter: The seats being recalled represent 288 combined consecutive years of Republican representation. For the most part, the six seats up for election today are very GOP-heavy. Sen. Luther Olsen’s district has been represented by a Republican since 1896; Sen. Randy Hopper’s seat has been in Republican hands since 1936. Senator Rob Cowles’ seat near Green Bay was last held by a Democrat 61 years ago, in 1950. The least-Republican seat, held by Sen. Dan Kapanke for only seven years, is almost certain to go to the Democrats today.
-11:54 a.m.: Cognitive Dissonance:
I'm already receiving reports that teahadists are popping up at various polling sites and putting up handmade signs saying that an ID was needed to vote.
This is not true!!
If you have seen this, or have any other interference with your right to vote, call your election commission, and notify these folks, Wisconsin Election Protection.
But don't let these thugs intimidate you or trick you into not voting. Every single vote counts!
-11:28 a.m.: Cognitive Dissonance:
In one race rated a toss-up, Rep. Sandy Pasch (Whitefish Bay) has volunteers already lining up outside the doors this morning to challenge Sen. Alberta Darling in Senate district 8 just north of Milwaukee.
Because of the enormous outpouring, an insider this morning is now saying Pasch is likely to knock off Darling.
-7:48 a.m.: Cognitive Dissonance:
From a Fond du Lac voter this morning: "I wonder if I’m the only person who gets so upset at poll workers having to ask for picture ID. The man behind me in line, said 'Well, there’s no trouble here, but in Milwaukee (read black), there’s thousands of cases of vote fraud.' I told him that’s not true, and asked if he could even conceive of people wanting to vote so much that they would actually commit fraud (that’s not the right word anyway). I told him it’s been my experience that you cannot get people to vote easily enough. I think people just believe what they are told, don’t question anything and march in lockstep. I guess he’s a Republican."
-Darling Kills Voters Rights: Cheats for Lobbyists:
(via Cognitive Dissonance)
