CEDARBURG, Wis. — Ozaukee County voters bucked the trend of low turnout in non-federal election years, with nearly half of registered voters casting a ballot on Tuesday.
More than 30,000 voters participated in the election, pushing the county's turnout above the state average of just under 42 percent. Unofficial county results show only five of 48 total precincts fell below the state average, and all three of Ozaukee County's cities (Mequon, Cedarburg and Port Washington) performed well above it.
Voters across the county cited important local races, such as school board elections, as a primary reason for heading to the polls this week.
"We had a school board election, so that was important for me," Emily Turner said. "We like to get out and vote. Our community is important to us."
"The school board was important because our children were important," Christine LeGrand said.
In Port Washington, voters weighed in on a petition regarding future tax increment-funded developments, a move thought to be the first of its kind in the nation.
"We show up for Democracy," Doug Stringer said. "I think there are a lot of people who want to make sure their voice is heard."
While turnout in the county was higher last year as the state saw record turnout, the county clerk said Ozaukee County consistently performs above the state average.
"If we don't vote, that affects our community," Turner said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
