'This is ridiculous': Wisconsin voters had some strong words for their leaders while waiting to vote

After days of back-and-forth over whether Wisconsin would go forward with its scheduled primary, voters across the state lined up at the polls Tuesday, attempting to leave enough space between them to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Some had strong messages of disapproval for state leaders. "This is ridiculous," read one voter's homemade sign. 

Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, tried to postpone the election until June 9 and expand absentee voting through an executive order on Monday, but it was overturned by the Wisconsin Supreme Court later that day. The United States Supreme Court also ruled Monday against an extension on absentee voting along ideological lines, with liberal justices dissenting.

Democratic leaders in Wisconsin decried the decision to push on with the election, saying officials were putting voters' lives at high risk at polling locations where they would have to stand in lines and come in contact with poll workers and high-touch surfaces.

Wisconsin has seen over 2,500 cases of coronavirus and more than 90 deaths so far. 

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On Tuesday, some polling locations reported smooth operating, while others had long lines and difficulty maintaining social distancing guidelines. Many voters showed up but called out their leaders over the decision to keep in-person voting.

"It's very important to vote, and I'm kind of disappointed that our representatives are trying to suppress our right to vote by having the vote during a pandemic," said 66-year-old Michael Claus, voting in Milwaukee. "It doesn't make sense, but I have to vote."

Milwaukee voter Mike Robertson, 84, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he was a little nervous turning out to vote due to his age.

"I don't know why they didn't get together earlier and determine that they'd postpone this. They had plenty of opportunity, and they should've. So we're gonna vote today and as many people will vote as can," Robertson said.

A poll worker wore a sign asking voters to keep a 6-foot distance as they stood in line. Some voters brought handmade signs protesting the decision. Jennifer Taff, whose sign deemed the in-person vote "ridiculous," said she never received the absentee ballot she requested. Another, Torin Fendos, wore a sign that read "vote and die."

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Contributing: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel