In-person, absentee voting begins today, for those who already know who to vote for of the 10 La Crosse mayoral candidates

In-person, absentee voting begins today in the city of La Crosse.

It’s an important primary for La Crosse with 10 candidates running for mayor. Voter turnout for these February primaries, however, has been pretty terrible.

“Doing some quick looks back at February primaries in the past, we’re usually about 19 percent,” interim city clerk Nikki Elsen said Monday on La Crosse Talk PM. “That’s significantly low compared to our November 2020 (presidential election) that was 86 percent.”

But a February primary typically doesn’t have 10 candidates for mayor on it. Asked what the 2013 primary was like in La Crosse when 11 candidates were vying to fill an open seat for mayor, Elsen had a surprising answer.

“The 2013 (election) … was just over 17 percent,” she said of the election that Tim Kabat won.

For those who wish to vote in-person, absentee, city hall will be open for that from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday through Feb. 12. On Feb. 12, voting will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Absentee ballots can be requested through Feb. 11, but still must be received in the election office by 8 p.m. on election day, Feb. 16.

There is a green drop box on the north side of city hall for those ballots. But they must be dropped off by 5 p.m. Feb. 16.

Ballots can also be walked into the election office Feb. 16 until 8 p.m.

For more information go to the city’s page here or MyVote.Wi.Gov.