Recalls Only for "Official Misconduct" Say Wisconsin Voters

This is tea-leaf reading, of course, and how people actually voted on the recall itself won't be disclosed until polling places shut their doors at 8 pm, Central Time, but there may be some encouraging tidbits for partisans of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Wisconsin voters, according to early exit polls, think recall elections should be reserved for "official misconduct," and they generally approve of the changes to collective bargaining agreements for government workers that helped spark the kerfuffle in the Badger State.

According to CBS News:

On the issue of collective bargaining, 50 percent of Wisconsin voters say they approved of the recent changes to state law that limits collective bargaining for government workers, but 48 percent disapproved of these changes. …

More generally, 54 percent of Wisconsin voters surveyed think government should generally have a more limited role when it comes to solving problems, compared to 42 percent who said government should do more. These views are similar to November 2010.

The exit polls also showed that 60 percent of Wisconsin voters today said recall elections are only appropriate for official misconduct, while 28 percent think they are suitable for any reason. Nine percent think they are never appropriate.

On the other hand, "52 percent of Wisconsin voters in the early exit polls have a favorable view of unions for government workers," and today's voters favor Barack Obama over Mitt Romney in the presidential contest by 51 percent to 45 percent.

Actual results of today's election wll be coming to you in mere hours.