BARABOO, Wis.– Both parties were anxiously waiting to see which way Sauk County would lean in this election.
Sauk County swung left for Democratic Nominee Joe Biden, according to the Associated Press.
Clerks reported a record breaking election.
Baraboo began counting absentee ballots at 7:00 a.m. when the polls opened.
Clerk Brenda Zeman said the early voter turnout in Baraboo was unprecedented.
“We’ve had record breaking numbers for absentees returns, absentee requests,” Zeman said.
Zeman said in-person voting at the polls on Tuesday didn’t seem to be as busy as past elections.
“From about 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., we had a steady stream of people. We had people lined up outside the door, but it’s been smooth,” Zeman said.
Around 4:30 p.m., the line to vote at the Baraboo Civic Center stretched from the door to around the building.
At one point voters told News 3 Now it took about 45 minutes to get from the back of the line to the building.
More and more people showing up to vote in Baraboo. The line has more than tripled in the last 30 minutes. This is a timelapse from the back of the line to the building. #News3Now pic.twitter.com/TbqBZsb2Xn
— Gabriella Bachara (@GabbyBachara) November 3, 2020
“The line is not that bad,” voter Shannon Johnson said. “It goes quickly. So, don’t leave if you see the big line.”
Voters say the process on the inside was well organized. Sauk County polling places took COVID-19 safety precautions, including mask-wearing, sanitation and plastic barriers.
“Except for the masks and the social distancing, it’s been great,” voter Dale Glaudell said. “There hasn’t been any sort of issues that I could see anyway.”
Both Sauk County and City of Baraboo clerks agree that there were no issues of concern Tuesday.
Reedsburg released results before 9 p.m. with a vote for Democratic Nominee Joe Biden.
Reedsburg finished county absentee ballots just before 7:00 p.m.
JUST IN: Reedsburg finished counting absentee ballots at 6:57 pm. The clerk says this election broke many records including early voting turnout and voter registration on #ElectionDay. #News3Now pic.twitter.com/ONNF3BRwbu
— Gabriella Bachara (@GabbyBachara) November 4, 2020
Reedsburg Clerk Jacob Crosetto said the city saw record voter turnout.
“We’re well above where we thought we were going to be, as well.” Crosetto said. “We had roughly 2,200 in 2016 and we’re almost 1,000 above that.”
Crosetto said about 60 percent of people voted each, which nearly doubled since past elections.
When the polling place in Reedsburg opened this morning, Crosetto said a line of voters was around the building.
“There was a line of about 400 people this morning at 6:15 a.m.,” Crosetto said. “For Reedsburg, that’s a lot for us.”
There was a slow stream of people for the rest of the day, according to Crosetto.
No where near as many voters in Reedsburg. The clerk said more than half of the city’s registered voters voted early. #News3Now pic.twitter.com/VMxJbnTwYe
— Gabriella Bachara (@GabbyBachara) November 4, 2020
Crosetto said Reedsburg also broke a record on voter registration today by registering between 500 and 600 people today alone.
Both parties were waiting to see which way Sauk County leaned. As a bellwether county, voters there have predicted which candidate wins for the past several elections.
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