Voter Turnout Over 80 Percent In Caledonia

The recall elections touched a nerve for residents in Caledonia as voter turnout for the recall elections dwarfed the turnout in the November 2010 Presidential election.

More than 80 percent of registered voters in Caledonia came out to the polls during the election on Tuesday. In the November 2010 election, voter turnout was 58 percent and in the recall primary voter turnout was just over 45 percent.

Polling sites at Holy Communion Church and St. Louis Church saw the most traffic with 82 percent of registered voters turning out. The lowest turnout was 77 percent at St. Andrew Lutheran Church.

Poll workers confirmed they had an unprecedented level of first-time voters. By 2:15 p.m., the number of new voter registrations had exceeded the number in the presidential election in 2010.

Pat Isaacson, a polling inspector at Franksville United Methodist Church, said she was seeing a number of families coming out to vote.

Lori Heister, her husband Jonathan Heister, and her mother-in-law Pat Heister voted together as they have for the last few years.

Jonathan said since he’s a public worker he felt his rights were being taken away.

“The public largely thinks that public workers don’t do anything and we get paid too much, but it’s not true,” he said. “It’s been stressful.”

Lori said that no matter who won, the problems wouldn’t be going away anytime soon.

Eddie Willing said his Governor made Wisconsin conservatives proud.

“…(Walker) told the entire world that the progressive faux-democracy of the last 100 years is over!!! Thank you, Scott for being who you said you'd be. And, you're welcome, America. ;)” He wrote on his Facebook wall.

Here’s how Caledonia voted:

Total registered voters: 16,642

Number of people who voted: 13,342

Scott Walker: 7,959

Tom Barrett: 5,290

Rebecca Kleefisch: 7,863

Mahlon Mitchell: 5,283

Van Wanggaard: 7,755

John Lehman: 5,405