In 1912, Wisconsin Democrat and Republican legislators, scared by recent Socialist party victories in Milwaukee, joined together to pass legislation making local and judicial races officially nonpartisan, and moved those elections to the spring. That’s why, when you look at the candidates on the ballot in tomorrow’s nonpartisan spring primary, you won’t see any party affiliation associated with them. The downside of creating a completely separate nonpartisan election cycle is that such races have historically had relatively low turnout. The Wisconsin League of Women Voters has helped voters, of all genders, turn out for elections, obscure or otherwise since 1920. Deb Cronmiller, Executive Director of the Wisconsin League of Women Voters joins us now with a preview of what to expect in tomorrow’s nonpartisan primary.
