In a state that can be felt throughout the campaign season, Wisconsin voters returned to the poll again Tuesday to vote for a nearly $100 million race to control the state Supreme Court.
As dozens of voters in and out of the Lutheran Church in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin said, they say that there are far more votes than candidates’ names. There is a closely watched local referendum that pumps more money into public schools in Racine County, one of many similar questions raised by community voters across the state. There is a measure to incorporate voter status laws into the state’s constitution.
Then there is Elon Musk, a tech billionaire and White House adviser who has invested millions of dollars in advertising and canvassing. Mr. Musk, who has gained full power over the administration through President Trump, has become a highly polarized figure in Wisconsin — many of whom say they want to see him stay away from business.
“Does my face say everything?” said Lydia Vela, a 54-year-old banker, who said to Mr. Musk's name. “He's scary.”
Ms Vela, a Democrat, said she hopes the victory of Liberty State Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford, against conservative contender Brad Schimel, would send a message that billionaires like Musk should not play a role in local politics.
Election officials said the turnout for early votes exceeded 600,000, indicating that the total turnout could exceed 2 million. In the 2023 Supreme Court election, about 1.8 million people voted.
Judges Crawford and Cialis were both voted Tuesday morning. In the residence of the elderly on the far west side of Madison, Wisconsin, Judge Crawford completed her vote with his left hand, gave it through a voting machine, and then made a more important decision: Which voting sticker to choose?
She chose someone who said “every time to vote” – skip the traditional “I vote” option – and secured it to the lapel of her jacket.
“I think these are designed by kids,” she said. “I think that's good.”
On Tuesday, some Wisconsin voters, Democrats and Republicans spoke of growing dissatisfaction with the state’s Supreme Court, which is now under control of a slim liberal majority.
Truck driver James Wampole, 61, said he decided to support Mr. Trump in November but decided to storm and vote on Judge Crawford on Tuesday. “I like what she means,” he said. “She seems to be the only person who has something in her mind.”
Scott Korslin, 47, retired from the Navy and owns his own delivery business, said he usually voted for the Republican Party and supported Mr. Trump in November. Mr. Trump is 7 percentage points higher than Vice President Kamala Harris.
He said Mr. Colesling was ideologically different from Judge Crawford, especially in her support for the rights to abortion and voted in favor of Judge Schimer on Tuesday.
He said he believes the federal government should be smaller, larger and more efficient. But he is concerned about the way the Trump administration lay off employees.
“I think they should use scalpels instead of axes,” he said.
Mr. Cosling was dissatisfied with the direction of the court and American politics.
“It’s too much for me in terms of politics on both sides,” he said. “They just keep getting further and further.”
Kitchen manager Danny Christoforos, 60, left the poll after a vote on Judge Crawford.
In November, Mr. Christopher Ross, dissatisfied with the president's choice, wrote his name on the ballot.
“I don't like the way the money spent on elections,” he said during his criticism of Mr. Musk's participation in Wisconsin competition. “He should stay away from it. He's an outsider.”
