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Early voting in Wisconsin has kicked off with record turnout reported on the first day.

The numbers: According to officials in Wisconsin, voter turnout for the 2024 election has surged, with 97,436 people casting their ballots in person on the first day of early voting. This marks a notable increase compared to the 80,000 who voted on the first day of in-person early voting in the 2020 election.

Why Wisconsin matters: Wisconsin, considered one of the most important battleground states in the 2024 election, is crucial for both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump as they compete for the presidency. In 2020, President Biden won the state with 49.4% of the vote compared to Trump’s 48.8%. In 2016, Trump won the state with 47.8% compared to Clinton’s 47%.

Recent polling: Polling data from RealClearPolling.com shows Trump with a slight edge over Harris, averaging 48.3% for Trump and 47.9% for Harris. Attached is the most recent polling data