I shut the live blog down early this morning when AP stopped updating results, our news stations stopped live coverage and updating, and there was nothing new to report. My thanks to everyone who hung in there until after 2 AM CDT (I got a scolding message about my use of the abbreviation CST which was incorrect).
The last update I had was that Joanne Kloppenburg was behind less than 400 votes. This morning, after refreshing sleep, I find she's ahead, but not by much:
99% reporting statewide - Kloppenburg 50% (739,379) Prosser 50% (739,043)
Only 1 precinct in Jefferson County has still not come in.
Here's some light reading and information to start your day.
You don't get much closer than this. 336 votes have Kloppenburg as the winner. Well within the necessity for recount. She's ahead and that makes Republicans very, very nervous.
Remember that a mere few weeks ago you could have bet the farm on a Prosser win. The fact that this race was even close can be considered a major win. A Kloppenburg win would be huge! It would also change the 4/3 RW Wisconsin Supreme Court into one where the law, and not ideology, would prevail.
We use optical scanners here, so there is a paper trail. In some areas, when ballots ran out, hand count ballots were used and led Eau Claire, for example, to be very late in their report due to the time it took for the hand count to be done.
While this race is still out, we won the others!
Milwaukee County Executive (Scott Walkers old job)
Chris Abele blew out his RW opponent State Representative Jeff Stone (R):
100% reporting in Milwaukee County - Chris Abele 61% (134,848) Jeff Stone 39% (87,913)
Snivelling child Jeff Stone appeared for his concession speech before he bothered to call Chris Abele. He blamed campaign spending for his loss and discounted this as a "message" to Scott Walker.
Milwaukee County Supervisor District 14:
This was State Senator Larsons old seat (he's one of the Wisconsin Fab 14) and Republicans were smacking their lips trying to get it. Fail!
Jason Haas, labor endorsed (I phone banked this one, too) won 56% to 44%.
Milwaukee County Judge Branch 18
Labor endorsed incumbant Pedro Colon won 51% to 49% to a well-funded opponent. I don't like the idea of electing judges (it allows for the entry of politics and ideology into our judicial system, but it's the way it's done here).
Dane (Madison) County Executive:
Joe Parisi won easily.
My take:
I think we sent a message to the Republicans in FitzWalkerStan. Loud and clear. They thought they won everything in November 2010 including the future. Their candidates for the spring elections touted their connections to Walker. Jeff Stone promised to follow in the footsteps of Scott Walker. David Prosser, running for another 10 year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court highlighted his Walker connections and said he would serve "as a complement to Walker".
Then the Republican ego took over in Madison and they went crazy. With huge majorities and a comatose citizenry, they assumed they could do whatever they wanted. They had both chambers of the Wisconsin Legislature with such huge majorities that they needed only 1 live Democrat in the State Senate to achieve quorum (they had no such need for any Democrats to achieve quorum in the Assembly). They had the governors office. It would be their way or the highway.
Hubris. It gets Republicans every time.
Citizens woke up and smelled the fascism. Thanks to the Fake Koch phone call, the naked agenda of the Republicans was exposed for all to see. In their rush to ram through legislation, they broke the law. They closed the Peoples House in Madison for the first time ever. They lied over and over.
The people kept coming. And yesterday they came to the polls and sent another message. Loud and clear.
We're not done here. We'll have a recount for State Supreme Court. We have recalls to finish, then recall elections. In November we start recalls of the Governor and those others elected in 2010 who stand in the way of the people.
For today, though, let's celebrate victory.
Update #1: Kloppenburg Wins! 2:20 PM CDT
Final numbers are now out. All precincts are in.
100% reporting statewide - Kloppenburg 50% (740,090) Prosser 50% (739,886)
Kloppenburg ahead 204 votes. Whoooohooooo!
Update: Government Accountability Board News Conference Edition:
Note: This is a non-partisan state agency.
Kevin Kennedy is speaking live now on how they blew it with their voter estimate. They estimated 20% turnout with a 40% actual turnout. They based the estimate on past history of spring elections and admits they got it wrong.
The last recount was 1989 on a constitutional amendment when they had punch card and lever machines. He said every recount is a learning opportunity.
He said they got some complaints about recallers near the polls (this was the agency that approved recallers being as close as 10 feet away from the polls). He mentioned the worst incident where there was physical violence and the destruction of a petition which is being investigated by local authorities. There was also confusion about the need for photo ID at the polls. The GAB sent information to every voting district that the Voter ID Bill was not passed and photo ID was not required to vote.
The GAB is looking to ensure the accuracy of the vote. He has instructed municipal clerks to have their paperwork and ballots ready by 4 PM CDT today for delivery to the county clerks. Starting at 9 AM tomorrow, everything will be reviewed by the Board of Canvassers. There will be 72 county results which will be the official number and those are due by April 15.
He says that the results we have now are unofficial. After the official results are in, that will be the time to request recounts. He expects a recount to be requested.
Recounts can be requested statewide or individual districts, but his expectation is for a statewide recount. He stresses that we have a paper backup for every vote that is cast even for the touch screen machines that were in use.
The news conference is still going on, but it's questions and answers from the media. I'll update further if something newsworthy gets discussed.
Update: Kloppenburg Declares Victory Edition:
Joanne Kloppenburg has stated that she looks forward to taking her seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court August 1. When asked how she feel confident with such a narrow victory, she said that she was confident that the recount would certify her win. Until then, she will return to her job as an Assistant AG.
While thanking David Prosser for his service, JoAnne Kloppenburg has declared victory in the election.
Update #4: Walker Goes All WATB on Us Edition:
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has whined spoken. He blames Madison and Milwaukee for Republican losses:
"You've got a world driven by Madison, and a world driven by everybody else out across the majority of the rest of the state of Wisconsin," Walker said at a press conference in the Capitol.
Walker said he didn't believe the election was a referendum on his policies, saying the results reinforce Wisconsin's status as a "purple" state. He attributed other victories by Dem-backed candidates outstate to local factors...
Walker added that Justice Prosser's performance in many parts of the state bodes well for GOP senators who may face recall elections later this year.
As I commented below, if Scott Walker needs someone to blame for these election results, he only needs to look in a mirror.
Update #5: I am Sometimes a Moran Edition:
In my total enjoyment of victory and final results from the State Supreme Court election, I completely forgot to thank Seneca Doane for leading the efforts for phone banking from out of state. Additionally, I would like to thank all the Kossacks who gave their time and effort in making those calls. You guys made a difference.
Prosser had robo calls and great big yard signs planted all over. He had a million bucks in attack ads. He had a compliant media. We had people!
Thanks again.
Update #6: Kloppenburg Press Conference Edition:
Joanne Kloppenburg held a live presser. She said that she looks forward to taking her seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court on August 1. She credits her win to a rejection of political ideology and acrimony on the current court. She was asked about how she can claim victory with such a small amount of votes and indicated that she believed that the vote certification would verify her vote numbers.