In-person early voting in the battleground state of Wisconsin has jumped by 40% compared to the same time four years ago, elections officials announced.
Wisconsin Election Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe said Friday that voters appear to be casting in-person absentee ballots at a record-setting rate. The surge comes as former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have urged their supporters to vote before Election Day.
“The rate of in-person absentee appears to be at a higher rate than previous elections,” Wolfe said. “Of course, it’s possible that the pace may slow in the days ahead, but the first three days of in-person absentee voting were exceedingly high.”
Wisconsin, which was decided by less than 1 point in 2016 and 2020, is again expected to be close as both Trump and Harris have focused on the state.
“We knew this was a high-interest election, and so far, the absentee numbers are certainly demonstrating that,” Wolfe said. “Election officials across the state deserve enormous credit for their efficient and careful handling of the incredible rush of voters they have worked with [this] week.”
Data provided by the commission shows that, so far, 1,039,042 total absentee ballots have been requested, which is already more than the 2008, 2012, and 2016 elections. In 2020, there were around 1,968,471 total absentee ballots requested.
In the Democrat-dominated urban counties of Dane and Milwaukee, around 108,213 in-person absentee ballots have already been cast. In the traditionally Republican “WOW” (Washington, Ozaukee, and Waukesha) counties around Milwaukee, 86,244 people have cast absentee in-person ballots, according to election commission data.
The election commission reported that 112,973 mail-in absentee ballots had already been returned in Dane and 123,234 in Milwaukee.
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Both Trump and Harris are set to campaign in Wisconsin this week as they seek to win the state’s 10 electoral votes.
Trump will rally in Green Bay on Wednesday alongside NFL legend Brett Favre and will appear for a rally in Milwaukee on Friday. GOP vice presidential candidate JD Vance will make appearances in Wausau and Racine on Monday. Harris, meanwhile, has a rally scheduled at the campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison on Wednesday to appeal to young voters where she will be joined by Mumford & Sons.
Trump currently leads Harris 48.5% to 48.1% in the Badger State, according to a DecisionDesk HQ average of 67 polls.
