I feel bad but I don't understand local politics around here(WI)

[Nikia]

In our area of Wisconsin, there will be local elections next Tuesday. I think that is strange because we had the presidential primary not too long ago. Evidently in some towns where there were multiple candidates, there was an open primaey at that time. We will be electing local officials. They will be on this ballot, not the November ballot.
I barely know anything about the candidates. There were quick blurbs about them in a larger nearby cities local news section. Strangely, it did not say what their political affiliation was. There are no political signs in our neighborhood or the rest of the city from what I can see.
I have only lived in this city (really small town) for two years and have missed a couple of these elections at what I consider to be odd times. Two years ago, it was November election day (our first in the city) and my husband called the city offices and they said that there were no elections on that day.
In Ohio, where I grew up and had family on both sides (and both parties) involved in local politics. There was a partisian primary in the spring which local, state, and national candidates were voted upon. The there was a November election on election day where local, state, and national candidates were voted upon. The county fair,in the summer, at which both parties had booths was the big kick off for local campaigning. Both parties gave out literature, signs, balloons, pens, ect. The Labor Day and Halloween parades usually had local candidates in it, sometimes handing out more literature. By the beginning of October, there were signs everywhere. Even if we didn't attend public events, the candidates had distributed literature to every home either by mail or going door to door (themseleves or volunteers). News articles about candidates were on the front page and always identified party affiliation too.
So what's up with Wisconsin. Why don't they have local elections with the other elections? Why don't they make a big deal about the local races? Why isn't party affiliation revealed in the press? Why don't the candidates really campaign? I am confused.
I'd like to get involved with the local party, but I don't see the local party.

[Nikia]

1. Well does anyone know about Wisconsin politics?

Maybe, I should have posted this is the Lounge instead.

[Ysabel]

2. ah - found it...!

sorry - didn't see this before...

WISCONSIN 2004 ELECTION SCHEDULE:

POLLING HOURS: 7:00 A.M. TO 8:00 P.M.

Spring Primary Election - February 17, 2004

Spring Election - April 6, 2004

Fall Primary Election - September 14, 2004

General Election - November 2, 2004

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Noting - yes, it can be confusing - i've lived here nearly 20 years and it still confuses me sometimes... :)

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here are a some links for more information:

http://www.wisconsin.gov/state/home/app?COMMAND=gov.wi.state.cpp.command.LoadPortalHome

http://www.wisconsin.gov/state/core/wisconsin_cities_towns_and_villages.html

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/

[Nikia]

3. Thanks

Do you know why it is done this way? Also, there weren't any local candidates on the primary ballot when I voted. They automatically advance to the general election? (In Ohio candidates were on the partisian primary ballot whether or not they had a challenger.) Are local primaries partisian at all or is it just the two top vote getters regardless of party affiliation? Are local candidates not suppose to be partisian (As I said, their party affiliation was not mentioned in the paper.)? Doesn't the short time between the primary and election limit campaigning? Is that the idea?

[htuttle]

4. I think most (or at least many) local elections are non-partisan

I know they are here in Madison, and I think that is also the case even with Milwaukee (at least with regard to the mayoral elections). For example, the whole time I lived in Milwaukee, I was never sure if Norquist was a Republican or a Democrat (I think he leans moderate Democrat...).

It means you have to learn more about the actual candidates, however. Here in Madison, there are also 'coalitions' that endorse local candidates, such as Progressive Dane. They are sort of like parties, but are not official.

I guess how lively your local elections are depends on where you are. Here in Madison, local politics are everything -- often to the exclusion of paying attention to state politics, unfortunately. In the small town I grew up in in SE Wisconsin, the local elections were generally pretty quiet, with a couple of exceptions when certain issues came to a head.

I think, generally, all you have to do to get on the local ballot in most places is get enough signatures. We had something like 7 mayoral candidates last time in Madison, so they had a 'run-off' election to narrow the field to two. If there had been fewer candidates, they may not have done the run-off.

I think the idea is in fact to limit the time between a possible run-off and a general election. I'm not sure if this is the reason, but it does sort of neutralize negative campaigning (less time to focus on a single opponent, so it's better to just campaign positively all throughout).

[Ysabel]

5. you're welcome...

and i see that htuttle is posting in this thread also - he knows more than i do about it... :)

[Ysabel]

6. ooops...

ooooooops oooooops - posting troubles - mental wackiness...

:p