The Democratic Party had a historically good election, in Wisconsin, and here in Richland Center. City Clerk Amanda Keller states voter turnout was strong throughout the day yesterday, with more than 100 new voters registering at the polls. In all,1,729 votes were cast in the city, a turnout of about 62%.
In the race for Governor, Republican Tom Tiffany carried Richland County by more than 300 votes, but in the city of Richland Center, Democrat David Crowley outpaced Tiffany by a count of 948-760. This race reads as a classic urban/rural split with Crowley thoroughly dominating both Dane and Milwaukee Counties, winning the two by a combined total of 375,032 votes, while winning the State count by 217,053, showing a clear edge for Tiffany in the state’s more rural areas.
In the race in Wisconsin State Assembly District 41, incumbent Republican Tony Kurtz won Richland County by 1,091 votes, while Kurtz led in Richland Center by just 47 votes over challenger Zach Commons.
In Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, incumbent Republican Derrick Van Orden was unseated by Democratic Challenger Rebecca Cooke. District-wide, Cooke led by 21,885 votes, and in Richland County, Cooke led by a count of 3,435 - 3,362, with Richland Center providing the margin, coming in at 994 - 699 in Cooke’s favor.
In regional races, incumbent Republican Howard Marklein of Spring Green was defeated in Wisconsin’s 17th Senate District by Democratic challenger Jenna Jacobson, of Oregon. Jacobson received 53.8% of the vote, winning comfortably in Dane, Green, and Iowa counties, while Marklein did well in Crawford, Grant and Lafayette Counties.
In the Wisconsin State Assembly, in addition to Kurtz, Republican incumbent Travis Tranel was re-elected in District 49, Tranel received 56.8% of the votes cast. In District 40, incumbent Democrat Karen DeSanto was re-elected, defeating challenger Julie Helmer by a count of 15,372 - 11,139. In District 51, Republican incumbent Todd Novak, of Dodgeville lost his bid for re-election, losing to Democrat Ben Gruber of Arena, by a count of 14,863 - 11,907.
Richland County Sheriff Clay Porter, and Richland County Clerk of Circuit Court Stacy Kleist, both unopposed, were easily re-elected.
In the Sauk County Sheriff’s race, Republican Matt Burch defeated Ryan Jesberger by 1,357 votes.
School District Referendum’s were successful in Dodgeville, Viroqua and Wonewoc-Union Center, while the Hillsboro School District Referendum failed.
Two referendum questions in Lafayette County, one to build a new nursing home, and one to raise the tax levy to fund maintenance and operation of the existing nursing home, were both rejected.
In the race for Richland County Coroner, there were no candidates on the ballot, and since there were no registered write-ins, when the Board of Canvassers meets next Monday, they will go through the write-ins and determine the winner.
There were three proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot, Wisconsin voters approved an amendment that will prohibit state and local governments from discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to any groups based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration.
Voters said no to an amendment that would have prohibited the government from shutting down places of worship during a state of emergency.
An amendment limiting the governor’s veto powers narrowly passed, with less than 51% of voters voting in favor, according to the Associated Press.
Todd Coppernoll oversees local news for WRCO and WRCE radio in Richland Center. Having served Richland Center as Mayor for three terms, Todd brings a unique perspective, and a familiar voice to the news. The focus is local, and so is the reporter.
More from Todd Coppernoll
Adam Hess has been involved in radio broadcasting since 1990, with many of those years spent on the air at WRCO FM in Richland Center. Currently, Adam hosts the Weekend Wake-up and Prime Mover Saturdays on WRCO FM, jumps in and helps out with news duties, handles Social Media duties for WRCO and WRCE, and is the Director of Technology at a Southwest Wisconsin School District. Reach him at adam.hess@civicmedia.us.