County voters buck outcome of high court race

Ozaukee County voters bucked the state in voting for the state supreme court.

Janet Protasiewicz was projected to win a seat on the Supreme Court, defeating Dan Kelly, 56% to 45%.

However, Ozaukee County voters opted for Kelly over Protasiewicz, 52% to 48%. Kelly received 20,341 votes to Protasiewicz’s 18,528.

But, like their counterparts throughout the state, county voters approved three state referendums — two of which dealt with expanding judges’ power in setting cash bail and the third affirming the belief that able-bodied adults should be required to look for work as a condition of receiving “taxpayer-funded welfare benefits.”

County voters approved the bail questions by almost identical margins — 73% to 27% — and the welfare question 83% to 17%.

Turnout in Ozaukee County was strong Tuesday, with 60% of registered voters casting ballots.