Obama Carries Whitefish Bay

Whitefish Bay voters sided with the rest of the state and the nation in re-electing President Barack Obama to a second term in office.

Whitefish Bay voters turned out in larger numbers and chose Obama by a slimmer margin compared to the last presidential election. Turnout measured 92.5 percent this year, compared to 89 percent turnout in 2008. More than 52 percent of Whitefish Bay voters cast a ballot for Obama this year, compared to 56.4 percent the first go-around.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, who defeated former Gov. Tommy Thompson Tuesday, also received the majority of votes in Whitefish Bay (by a six-vote margin).

Whitefish Bay leaned Republican for the rest of the ticket: Dan Sebring for 4th Congressional District, Alberta Darling for 8th District in the state Senate and — narrowly — state Rep. Jim Ott over Democratic challenger Cris Rogers in the 23rd District. Of those candidates, only Sebring lost his race, as he fell to incumbent U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore.

Ott, from Mequon, is a new face for Whitefish Bay, Fox Point and Bayside, due to new redistricting boundaries.

With such high turnout, poll workers at the village's voting locations were busy throughout the day.

At the Whitefish Bay Library, where voters in Wards 1 through 4 cast their ballots, election officials Susan Drewek and Elaine Karamus said it was busiest right as the polls opened up in the morning. The flow of voters was sporadic throughout the day, and although the inclement weather may have kept a few people away, residents managed to make their way during their free time.

“Weather might have kept some people away, but around lunch hours and after work, between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., it really picked up,” said Karamus. “It was a steady flow from then on.”

Nearly 38 percent of the Whitefish Bay electorate had already cast their ballots before Election Day through early voting, which is an increase of roughly 800 absentee ballots, said Deputy Village Clerk Kayla Chadwick.

Here's the breakdown on how Whitefish Bay voted Tuesday. Results are not official until they are canvassed.

785

More election coverage

• Election Central: A look back on the Election Day in Whitefish Bay
• Presidential race: Obama carries Wisconsin
• U.S. Senate race: It's Tammy over Tommy
• 4th Congressional District: Moore is new North Shore congresswoman
• Final Results: Area congressional and state legislative races
• Final Results: Federal races in Wisconsin
• Live Blog Replay: Revisit Patch's Election Day blog
• Problems at the Poll: Overvoting creates some headaches