What election problems? La Crosse political analyst says local balloting went smoothly

The spring election wasn’t a mess everywhere in Wisconsin. 

While pictures of long lines of voters in big cities have made the news, election day was more orderly in La Crosse and other smaller communities, according to UW-L political scientist Joe Heim.     

“The county clerks in the La Crosse area have done a really marvelous job,” said Heim. “They were well-prepared for this, they thought their way through it, and that’s why it was so smooth.”

County polling places were equipped with hand-washing stations, and physical protections for poll workers to guard against coronavirus. 

Heim tells WIZM’s La Crosse Talk that the state should spend more on security measures at the polls before the November election. 

While cities like Milwaukee and Green Bay only kept a handful of polling places open, the city of La Crosse had 8 polling sites, compared to the usual 13.

Heim also says the election seems to demonstrate that local Republicans were better organized in getting out the vote than Democrats were.

The retired professor says there are likely to be lawsuits filed after election results are released next week, and that’s “sad.”