The Guardian: Wisconsin recall vote: high turnout raises hopes on both sides of divide
Voters swamped polling stations across the state as both sides claim the surge is good news in vote to recall the governor
-By Rory Carroll in Appleton and Gary Younge in Milwaukee
June 5, 2012- Reports of stratospheric turnout in Wisconsin's recall election on Tuesday boosted Democrat hopes of victory in the vote to topple Republican governor Scott Walker.
Voters swamped polling stations across the state in what appeared to be a significantly higher turnout than 2010 when Walker defeated Tom Barrett, the Democratic mayor of Milwaukee now vying to replace him.
Local radio reported that parts of Madison, the state capital and a Democratic bastion, recorded turnout of 119% of previously registered voters by 4pm, with four hours of polling still to go. The extraordinary figure was attributed to a late surge in registrations by union and grassroots activists, taking the voter roll far above its previous levels.