MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Thousands of Wisconsin voters are waiting hours in long lines outside overcrowded polling stations, ignoring federal health recommendations so they can participate in Tuesday’s presidential primary election. Thousands more are staying home, unwilling to risk their health during a statewide stay-at-home order, but complaining that the absentee ballots they had requested were still missing. The chaos in Wisconsin underscores the lengths to which the coronavirus outbreak has upended politics as Democrats seek a nominee to take on President Donald Trump this fall. As the first state to hold a presidential primary contest in three weeks, Wisconsin is a test case for dozens of states struggling to balance public health concerns with voting rights.
