Early voting has begun in Wisconsin, marking the start of what could be a pivotal period in the 2024 US presidential election.
Republicans and Democrats are wasting no time. Democrats are mobilizing their supporters with an event in Madison on Tuesday featuring Tim Walz and Barack Obama, while Republicans are stepping up their efforts to promote Donald Trump in early voting.
The campaigns of both parties are urging voters to cast their ballots early, warning of both political and literal storms in November.
It is impossible to overlook Wisconsin’s importance in American politics and society. It is a cheese haven, the birthplace of Harley-Davidson, and the site of the founding of the Republican Party in 1854.
Wisconsin’s margin of victory is extremely narrow, with the state having been close in four of the last six presidential elections. The narrow margin by which Trump lost Wisconsin in 2020 – just under 21,000 votes – has led Republicans to abandon their previous resistance to early and absentee voting.
Recognizing that even a small shift in turnout could tip the balance, Vice President Kamala Harris is also encouraging Democrats to vote early.
With rising inflation squeezing household finances and the immigration debate polarising communities, Wisconsin faces a trinity of economic, immigration, and crime problems.
In this election, demographics are also changing the electoral equation. Although about 80 percent of Wisconsin is white, both parties are increasingly targeting the state’s black and Hispanic communities, which make up 8 percent and 6 percent of the population respectively.
Knowing that even small victories with these groups could make a big difference in such a close election, the Democratic and Republican campaigns are keeping a close eye on the situation.
Also Read: Why Pennsylvania Could Decide the Winner of the November Elections in the USA
