Many voters expected to cast absentee ballots
Voters throughout Walworth County will have just one race to decide in the Tuesday, Aug. 11, primary election and that takes place on the Democratic side of the ballot, which is unfamiliar territory in the decidedly Republican county.
That race is in the 1st Congressional District where Josh Pade faces Roger Polack with the winner advancing to face Republican incumbent Bryan Steil, who has no primary opponent.
Pade, 40, is an attorney and businessman who lives in Bristol. Polack, 37, is a lawyer and national security expert who lives in Racine.
The only other contested race on the ballot is for the state Senate seat in the 28th District, which serves a portion of the Town of East Troy in the extreme northeast corner of the county.
In that primary five Republicans – Steve Bobowski, Franklin; Dan Griffin, Greendale; Jim Engstrand, Milwaukee; Julian Bradley, Franklin; and Marina Croft, Franklin – are competing for the seat currently held by David Craig of Mukwonago.
Craig, who served in the Senate since 2016 and was a state representative for five years prior to that, announced in May that he would not seek another term.
All other offices that appear on the ballot in Walworth County next Tuesday are uncontested.
These include three state Assembly districts (31, 32, 33) that currently have Republican incumbents – Amy Loudenbeck, Tyler August and Cody Horlacher, respectively. The Democratic hopefuls for those three districts are, in order, Elizabeth Lochner-Abel, Katherine Gaulke and Mason Becker. They are also unopposed in the primary.
The list of uncontested primary seats also includes a slate of Republican county officials who are seeking re-election: District Attorney Zeke Wiedenfeld; Clerk Kim Bushey; and Treasurer Valerie Etzel.
Incumbent Register of Deeds Cairie Virrueta, a Democrat, is on track to face Republican Michele Jacobs in the Nov. 3 election. Neither candidate has a primary opponent.
Local polls are scheduled to open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Tuesday for in-person voting. Area clerks are anticipating heavy absentee voting due to concerns about COVID-19. All absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. Tuesday to be counted. Early voting is available in many municipalities through Friday. Voters should check with their local municipal clerk for information on availability and hours.
