Wisconsin Voters Cast Ballots in Chaotic Democratic Primary

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin voters began casting in-person absentee ballots Tuesday in a chaotic Democratic primary for governor, with a democratic socialist leading a fractured field and a pending lawsuit seeking to allow early voters to change their ballots after multiple candidates dropped out or re-entered the race.

The Aug. 11 primary will determine who faces Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in the November general election in one of the nation’s most critical swing states. Tiffany, endorsed by former President Donald Trump — who carried Wisconsin in 2016 and 2024 — faces only nominal opposition in the GOP primary.

According to AP News, Democrats are hoping to retain control of the governor’s office and flip both chambers of the Legislature for the first full trifecta since 2010. But the party has failed to coalesce around a single candidate, fueling anxiety about whether they could squander a winnable opportunity in November.

A Divided Field

Five Democrats are competing for the nomination. State Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist from Madison, has led in every Marquette Law School Poll this year. She is seeking to become Wisconsin’s first female governor and first Asian American governor. Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who narrowly lost the 2022 U.S. Senate race, is betting on his hometown of Milwaukee to carry him past Hong. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, endorsed by outgoing Gov. Tony Evers, dropped out July 8 but re-entered the race July 17 — the day after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez exited amid a campaign finance scandal. Longshot candidates Joel Brennan and state Sen. Kelda Roys round out the field.

Crowley and Barnes are each vying to become the state’s first Black governor.

According to the Marquette Law School Poll released July 22, Hong leads the Democratic primary field by nine percentage points. But a staggering 48% of Democratic voters remain undecided with the primary just two weeks away.

Poll Director Charles Franklin noted Hong has led in all four surveys this year but cautioned that her support remains modest. “It doesn’t guarantee she’ll win the primary, but it certainly shows that she’s had enduring strength,” Franklin told Spectrum News 1.

General election matchups paint a more complex picture: Hong and Tiffany are tied at 44%, while Barnes leads Tiffany by five percentage points — a margin that could prove decisive in a state decided by fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016.

Voters Voice Deep Divisions

Early voters interviewed by AP News reflected the ideological fractures within the party. Ian Anderson, who cast his ballot for Hong in Madison, called her “exactly the burst of energy we need.” Nicole Santos, another Hong supporter, said, “To get back on track we need to go a little further left.”

But electability concerns loom large. Retired attorney John Hawley, who voted for Crowley in Madison, said he worries Hong’s appeal does not extend beyond urban centers. “North of Madison and Milwaukee I don’t think she’ll come across that well,” he said, referring to more rural parts of the state.

Steve Wiesner, a retired physician who voted for longshot candidate Joel Brennan in Milwaukee, went further. “I would never support her or any democratic socialist candidate at this point,” he said, adding he would vote Republican for the first time in his life if Hong wins the primary.

Mario Johnson, who voted for Crowley, said he would “bite the bullet and vote for her” if Hong secures the nomination — a sentiment that captures the uneasy coalition Democrats must hold together to prevail in November.

Ballot Spoiling Lawsuit Adds Uncertainty

Compounding the chaos, a Democratic-backed lawsuit seeks to allow voters who already returned absentee ballots to cancel them and cast new ones — a rarely used practice known as “ballot spoiling.” As of Tuesday, nearly 108,000 ballots had already been returned by mail, some cast for candidates who have since dropped out or changed their status.

Dane County Circuit Judge David Conway heard arguments Tuesday and said he would issue a ruling by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. AP News reported that Rodriguez and former state economic director Missy Hughes — both of whom ended their campaigns — remain on the ballot, potentially confusing early voters.

The five Democratic candidates were scheduled to meet for their only debate Tuesday evening, a high-stakes moment that could sway the nearly half of primary voters who remain undecided. The final Marquette Law School Poll before the primary is set for release July 29.

What’s at Stake

Beyond the immediate primary fight, the race carries significant national implications. A Hong victory would test how far left voters in a battleground state are willing to go, while a Barnes or Crowley win would represent a more moderate path. The outcome could reshape Democratic Party strategy in swing states heading into future election cycles.

In-person absentee voting runs through Aug. 9. All absentee ballots must be received by the close of polls on Aug. 11 to be counted. With nearly half of Democratic primary voters still making up their minds and a judge’s ruling on ballot spoiling expected within hours, the next two weeks will determine not just a nominee but the trajectory of Wisconsin politics for years to come.