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Primary Features Democratic Legislative Races in Milwaukee, Congressional Contests Across State

Bethany Clarke/Getty Images

Milwaukee voters will today settle what appears to be an unusually high number of Democratic legislative primaries. They feature Senate races pitting incumbent Sen. Lena Taylor against state Rep. Mandela Barnes and state Rep. LaTonya Johnson against Milwaukee School Board Director Michael Bonds.

The head Milwaukee's Election Commission, Neil Albrecht, expects 20 percent of registered city voters to cast ballots in Tuesday's primary, very low compared to traditional turnout for the fall presidential election when upwards of 70 percent of eligible voters exercise their right.

“The fall primary, which now occurs in August, happens at a time when a lot of people are out of town. A lot of families traveling trying to get in vacation time before school go back in session,” Albrecht says.

Democratic primaries for Assembly in which the incumbent faces a challenge include: Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa v Laura Manriquez, Rep. Josh Zepnick v Marisable Cabrera, Rep. Leon Young v Edgar Lin v Stephen Jansen v Brandy Bond and Rep. Christine Sinicki v Julie Meyer.

Across Wisconsin, only 16 percent of registered voters are expected to weigh in on Tuesday's primary. While there is no statewide race on the ballot to boost turnout, there is a Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Russ Feingold and Scott Harbach are tangling to advance to November's election for the seat Republican Sen. Ron Johnson has held for six years. He does not face a GOP primary.

One Congressional race that may draw bigger crowds than others is in District 1.  GOP House Speaker Paul Ryan faces Paul Nehlen, a candidate barely known or acknowledged until Donald Trump called attention to Nehlen's campaign.

In Milwaukee, Dem. Rep. Gwen Moore faces Gary George, a former state senator.

In northeastern Wisconsin, where Republican Rep. Reid Ribble is retiring, three GOP members are vying to represent the party in November's General Election: Frank Lasee, Terry McNulty and Mike Gallagher.

Other Congressional primaries include: Dems. Rep. Ron Kind v Myron Buchholz, Dems. Sarah Lloyd v W. Michael Slattery, and GOP candidates Rep. Sean Duffy v Donald Raihala.

The polls are open in Wisconsin until 8:00 P.M. You must present a government-issued photo ID in order to cast a ballot. People can vote only in one party's primary.

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