Votes and Viruses

The Coronavirus pandemic, of course, has impacted the globe. Few communities have been spared the effects of the disease. But every community has experienced the virus differently. This is especially true in Wisconsin, where the state's spring election went forward despite the threat of the disease. 

The decision about whether to hold in person voting during the pandemic was one faced by every state. With the presidential election coming in November, most states hold their primary elections in the spring. But the situation in Wisconsin was different. In addition to chosing their presidential nominees, voters in Wisconsin also elect a number of state and local representatives every spring--some whose term begins two weeks after the vote. In Milwaukee, for example, voters would be electing the mayor, the city's Common Council, and the County Exector on the April 7 election. But the most hotly contested election was a spot on the state's Supreme Court. Conservative incumbent Daniel Kelley faced a tight race against progressive challenger Jill Karofsky, which raised the election's stakes significantly. By the time the election was over, it had become a national story.

This exhibit tracks the story of Wisconsin's April 7 election. Through photographs, documents, and stories it charts what is perhaps Milwaukee's unique moment in an otherwise global pandemic.