The City of Rhinelander saw strong voter turnout Tuesday.
During the last State Supreme Court Election in 2023, roughly 1,700 voters cast ballots in Rhinelander. 2,347 people voted in Rhinelander this election.
That’s still below turnout for November’s presidential election when the city saw 90% voter turnout as 3,900 voters cast ballots.
“Turnout has exceeded wildest expectations. I feel like I say that with every election in the City of Rhinelander, but that's a great thing to have, that people are really paying attention and want to be civically involved,” said Rhinelander City Clerk Austyn Zarda.
Vilas County reported 63% voter turnout. Price county reported 54% voter turnout.
Rhinelander was one of several polling sites in the Northwoods that had to switch locations because of storm damage and power outages.
Zarda says a few people showed up to the Hodag Dome first to vote, but most people showed up to the James Williams Middle School as they were meant to.
“In all honesty, it was a pretty seamless transition just moving from the dome over here across the street,” said Zarda.
Among the races drawing voters to the polls in Rhinelander were a packed school board race and an operational referendum question.
The referendum passed with 53% of voters approving it.
