MILWAUKEE — Candidates in dozens of Democratic and Republican primary election races are facing off in Southeastern Wisconsin on Tuesday.
Important resources:
>> Get live election results here
>> Watch TMJ4 live election coverage here
>> See county-by-county results here
- How to register to vote
- How to request an absentee ballot
- How to find your polling place
- How to become a poll worker in Milwaukee
- What to bring to the polls on election day
- What's going to be on your ballot?
The biggest races to keep an eye on: The Republican primary for governor, and the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Incumbents Gov. Tony Evers and Sen. Ron Johnson hope to keep their seats against a number of challengers, including businessman Tim Michels and former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch for governor and current Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes for U.S. Senate.
There are also a host of more local races, including the state-wide treasurer, secretary of state and lieutenant governor as well as sheriffs and members of the state Assembly in the counties and districts. Notable among the Assembly races is in the 63rd district, where Assembly Speaker Robin Vos seeks to keep his seat.
One common theme so far is the split in endorsements between candidates from former President Donald Trump and his former Vice President, Mike Pence. Trump has thrown his weight behind Michels and the candidate running against Vos, Adam Steen. Pence meanwhile backed Kleefisch.
The TMJ4 News team will be updating this election live blog with the latest information on Election Day and beyond. Make sure to bookmark this page and share it with your family and friends.
ELECTION LIVE BLOG
7:10 a.m. update:
A former state representative who says he “came up just short” in the Republican primary race for Wisconsin attorney general is urging his supporters to unite behind Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney.
Adam Jarchow issued the apparent concession early Wednesday as unofficial results showed him trailing Toney by fewer than 4,000 votes, or about 0.6% of the vote. The winner will advance to face Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul. Karen Mueller, who ran as an outsider who wants to decertify the 2020 presidential election results, ran a strong third with nearly 26% of the vote.
10:50 p.m. update: Robin Vos wins Republican primary for Wisconsin's 63rd Assembly district, TMJ4 projects
Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has defeated challenger Adam Steen in the Republican primary for the state's 63rd Assembly district, TMJ4 News projects. Vos will continue working as the state's longest-serving Assembly speaker in history.
As speaker, Vos has presided over efforts to restrict abortions, weaken unions, expand gun rights and push back against COVID-19 mandates.
Wisconsin’s state legislative districts had some of the largest pro-Republican tilts among all states during the past decade and underwent only minor changes before this year’s election.
10:30 p.m. update: Tim Michels wins Republican primary for Wisconsin governor, TMJ4 projects
Wisconsin businessman Tim Michels has defeated Republican rival Rebecca Kleefisch in the primary and will now face off against incumbent Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers in the general election in November, TMJ4 News projects.
Michels, who ran as an anti-establishment outsider, won the backing of former President Donald Trump and former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson.
A Republican governor would be able to enact a broad conservative agenda with the help of the GOP-led Legislature. Evers has made his ability to block the Republican agenda a cornerstone of his reelection campaign.
10:16 p.m. update: Amy Loudenbeck wins Republican primary for secretary of state with 47 percent, TMJ4 projects.
10:14 p.m. update: Roger Roth wins Republican primary for lieutenant governor with 32 percent, TMJ4 projects.
10:10 p.m. update: Tension while watching returns in governor's race; Milwaukee County continues counting ballots
Cheers at Tim Michels’ party as the election results show his lead widens. 73% reporting. The music is turning up and people are starting to dance. pic.twitter.com/hIaXWD5tdP
— Stephanie Haines (@TMJ4Stephanie) August 10, 2022
Live updates from the Milwaukee County Courthouse. All the cities and villages with green check marks have counted all its votes. pic.twitter.com/FVbmlDuyQG
— James Groh (@JamesGroh_) August 10, 2022
10 p.m. update: Doug La Follette wins Democratic primary for Secretary of State (63 percent), and Sara Rodriguez wins Democratic primary for lieutenant governor (76 percent), TMJ4 projects.
9:11 p.m. update: Mandela Barnes takes the stage for fans
.@TheOtherMandela takes the stage in front of supporters after being declared the democratic primary winner for US Senate race. He calls this the greatest honor of a lifetime. His top priority: rebuilding middle class through targeted tax cuts and manufacturing jobs. @tmj4 pic.twitter.com/TAN7bEzHIt
— Ben Jordan (@BenJordan3) August 10, 2022
9:11 p.m. update: Mandela Barnes' mother speaks to the press about her son's primary victory
8:53 p.m. update: Denita Ball wins Democratic primary for Milwaukee County Sheriff, TMJ4 projects
Denita Ball has won the Democratic primary for Milwaukee County's next sheriff, TMJ4 News projects, after Earnell Lucas decided to not run for reelection.
The candidates Chief Deputy Denita Ball, Captain Thomas Beal and Inspector Brian Barkow faced off in the election.
They were all internal candidates within the sheriff’s office. Each has more than 25 years of law enforcement experience and all ran as Democrats.
8:45 p.m. update: WASHINGTON (AP) — Ron Johnson wins Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin primary election. More information here.
8:30 p.m. update: Mandela Barnes wins Democratic primary for Wisconsin's U.S. Senate, TMJ4 projects
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes has won the Democratic primary election for Wisconsin's U.S. Senate seat and will now face off against incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson in the general election in November, TMJ4 News projects.
Barnes faced off against fellow Democratic challenger Wisconsin State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski.
The race in battleground Wisconsin, which Donald Trump narrowly won in 2016 but lost by a nearly equal number of votes in 2020, could determine which party holds majority control in the 50-50 Senate.
More information on Barnes' race here.
8 p.m. update: Latest count from Milwaukee Central, TMJ4's Mary Jo Ola reports.
This is Milwaukee central count. Around 7:30 staff had gone through about 28,000 absentee ballots. Roughly 36,000 went out. pic.twitter.com/APXNeJ6rmF
— Mary Jo Ola (@MaryJoOlaTV) August 10, 2022
8 p.m. update: The polls are now closed in Wisconsin! Watch the returns as they come in on TMJ4's election results page.
7:30 p.m. update: Milwaukee Central Count prepares to count ballots. Staff had gone through about 28,000 absentee ballots. Roughly 36,000 went out.
7 p.m. update: Mandela Barnes' stage at The Cooperage for his campaign event Tuesday evening.
7 p.m. update: Voters in 4 states decide on secretary of state nominees
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Voters in four states on Tuesday were determining their party’s nominees for the statewide office that typically oversees elections.
Much of the attention was focused on Wisconsin, where the secretary of state does not have any role with elections. Republicans want to change that should they win the office in November. Primaries were also being held in Minnesota, Connecticut and Vermont.
In Wisconsin, all three GOP candidates have echoed former President Donald Trump’s false claims that fraud cost him the 2020 election. They have called for dismantling the state election agency established with bipartisan support just six years ago.
6:30 p.m. update: TMJ4 sets up at Rebecca Kleefisch's campaign event Tuesday evening.
6 p.m. update: TMJ4 News at 5 p.m. has team coverage on the local races in the Milwaukee area and Wisconsin. Watch below:
5:40 p.m. update: TMJ4 News sets up at the Tim Michels' campaign location Tuesday evening.
5:02 p.m. update: Working at the polls in Milwaukee
“Really slow,” is how poll inspector Jack Gaboury describes the scene in the auditorium at Ronald Reagan High School Tuesday for the Wisconsin partisan primary. Jack has been working elections for about 25 years in the city of Milwaukee. This polling location used to be a three-ward site but since the 2020 census, it’s now a two-ward site. By 4:30 p.m., 185 voters cast a ballot at the south side poll site.
4:21 p.m. update: Jarchow, Toney vie for chance to take on Wisconsin AG Kaul
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A race between the Republicans seeking to knock off Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul is headed to voters.
Adam Jarchow and Eric Toney are the leading candidates in a Tuesday primary that hasn’t drawn as much attention as Wisconsin’s governor and Senate races, but carries big stakes.
Unseating Kaul would put the GOP in a position to sink his lawsuit against the state’s abortion ban or investigate former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. Jarchow, a former lawmaker, has carved out a more conservative profile, including criticizing transgender issues. Toney, the Fond du Lac district attorney, brought charges against five people over listing post office boxes as their address for voter registration.
4:16 p.m. update: Wisconsin primary may shape elections in key battleground
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Voters will choose a Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor on Tuesday.
Former President Donald Trump has endorsed businessman Tim Michels, a self-described outsider who has put $12 million into his own campaign, against former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, who has support from former Vice President Mike Pence and ex-Gov. Scott Walker.
Both candidates falsely claim the 2020 election was rigged, though Kleefisch has said decertifying the results is “not constitutional,” while Michels said “everything will be on the table.” The race to face Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is another proxy war between Trump and Pence, one-time partners now pursuing different futures for the Republican Party.
4:15 p.m. update: Jammin at the Polls draws Milwaukee residents to vote for the first time
Who knew voting could make people dance? Metcalfe Park Community Bridge organizers figured out a way to draw in locals for their Jamming at the Polls event on Tuesday.
The event featured free food, a live DJ, artists, and resources to help get people registered to vote.
"We gotta make it fun! We gotta jam out," said Melody McCurtis, Deputy Director of the Metcalfe Park Community Bridges Inc.
Watch and read Jessica Madhukar's report here.
4 p.m. update: TMJ4 reporters arrive at candidates' event locations ahead of polls closing at 8 p.m.
Tonight we’re at Tim Michels’ watch party in Waukesha. Polls show him in a close race with Rebecca Kleefisch. Michels team says they’re feeling good. pic.twitter.com/TETRX4jqj4
— Stephanie Haines (@TMJ4Stephanie) August 9, 2022
2 p.m. update: Voting-themed events kick off in the Milwaukee area
Registered to vote? Folks here at Metcalfe Park have found pure joy in educating their community on how and where to vote!
— Jessica Madhukar (@JessicaMadhukar) August 9, 2022
They’re at the Metcalfe Park Rising till 5PM with free food, a DJ and other educational resources @tmj4 pic.twitter.com/iJlGEPLC22
