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FACT BRIEF

Did Dane County, Wisconsin have 88% voter turnout in 2022, tied with the 2018 midterms?

By Hope Karnopp
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NO

Dane County saw 80.3% turnout in the 2022 midterm election, according to unofficial results last updated at 5:12 a.m. on Nov. 9. 

Among 376,531 voters, 302,459 ballots were cast. All 269 precincts in Dane County have now reported results.

Due to population growth, the number of votes cast in the 2018 midterm election was lower than in 2022 — but the turnout was higher. The 2018 midterm election in Dane County saw 296,108 votes cast, an 88% turnout.

In the 2020 presidential election, turnout in Dane County was even higher: 89.3%. Turnout is generally higher in presidential election years than in the midterms.

Around noon on Election Day, Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell tweeted that the county was "projecting roughly an 85% voter turnout."

An hour before polls closed in Wisconsin, McDonell tweeted an update that turnout was "trending high, possibly 90% in some places."

But countywide, the unofficial results show turnout was below earlier estimates.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Dane County 2022 General Election Result
Dane County 2018 General Election Result
Dane County 2020 General Election Result
Scott McDonell Also at 11 am, the city of Madison reported that 47,551 ballots had been counted, which is approximately 27% of registered voters. This is an indication that Dane County is projecting roughly an 85% voter turnout.
Scott McDonell Polls in Wisconsin close in at 8 pm. Turnout in Dane County trending high, possibly 90% in some places. There are lines to vote in some communities so remember to get there before 8 pm and stay in line!
The Cap Times Dane County expected to hit at least 85% in voter turnout
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.