MADISON, Wis. -- Voters on Tuesday elected two statewide offices and decided various school referenda and local contests in the spring election.

VIDEO: Abrahamson Wins Supreme Court Race | VIDEO: Incumbent Konkel Defeated By Maniaci

Only one-in-five of those old enough to vote were expected to cast ballots in Tuesday's election. Turnout in the February primary was just 6 percent. Polls opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

The state Government Accountability Board on Thursday predicted only a 20 percent turnout. The Dane County Clerk's office said that 76 percent headed to the polls last November.

In Madison, poll workers had to count some ballots by hand because turnout was higher than expected at several polling spots, forcing voters to use paper ballots, not the usual optical scan ballots.

"We try and judge when we're going to run out if we're going to run out, and sometimes a lot more people come in bunches and it runs us out," said Bruce Parfitt, a poll worker.

That was the case at Van Hise Elementary School and six other polling sites. Workers called for more ballots at Van Hise as early as 11 a.m. Tuesday.

In the election's two statewide contests, the favored candidates appeared to have held on for a win. In the Supreme Court race, Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson defeated Jefferson County Circuit Judge Randy Koschnick. The two were competing for a 10-year seat on the state's highest court. (For more information, click here)

Meanwhile, deputy state Superintendent Tony Evers bested virtual schools advocate Rose Fernandez in the state school superintendent race. (For more information, click here)

There are a host of local elections on Tuesday as well. Those include 16 circuit court races in 15 counties, mayoral and City Council contests, and others.

In the Dane County executive race, Kathleen Falk held off a challenge from Nancy Mistele to win a fourth term Tuesday.

Falk declared victory Tuesday night, and Mistele conceded the race. With 78 percent of precincts reporting, Falk was leading Mistele 57 percent to 43 percent.

Fitchburg residents elected Jay Allen as the new mayor. Allen, a Fitchburg City Council member, defeated former Mayor Mark Vivian 54 percent to 46 percent with all the precincts reporting.

In the Sun Prairie mayoral race, Joe Chase beat Hariah Hutkowski 57 percent to 43 percent with all precincts reporting.

In the race for Middleton mayor, Kurt Sonnentag defeated Gurdip Brar 58 percent to 42 percent with all precincts reporting.

Bob Link won the Columbus mayoral race, defeating Peter Kaland with 54 percent to 46 percent with all precincts reporting.

In the Baraboo mayoral race, Pat Liston easily defeated Michael Cone 86 percent to 14 percent with all precincts reporting.

In Milton, Tom Chesmore won the race for mayor. He beat Nate Bruce 51 percent to 49 percent with all precincts reporting.

Madison's District 2 Common Council race was highly contested. The District 2 alder represents a large part of Madison's downtown isthmus, including part of the east campus area.

Brenda Konkel was the incumbent since 2001. She has been unopposed in her most recent re-election campaigns. Her challenger, Bridget Maniaci, is a relative political newcomer. A lifelong Madison resident, Maniaci got the endorsement of the mayor and the police union. Konkel was endorsed by Rep. Mark Pocan, Progressive Dane and the Sierra Club.

Maniaci won Tuesday, 52 percent to 48 percent -- which was a difference of 62 votes.

"I'm very excited. I'm overwhelmed," Maniaci said. "I think I've been most proud because I got to run the race I wanted to run and the race I envisioned. I got to talk about the issues that I wanted to talk about."

"It's a disappointment but it is a new chapter in my life," Konkel said. "There's lots to be done and lots of roles I can play in this community. Being on City Council is a big responsibility with a big time obligation, so in many ways this frees me up to do the things I love the most, which is in some ways exciting."

Voters Decide Area School District Referenda

The Middleton-Cross Plains School District has repeatedly gone to referendum in recent years. There were three questions on the ballot in Middleton. If all three passed, it would cost the owner of a $200,000 home roughly $323 a year.

The first question asks permission to exceed the revenue limit by $1.9 million annually. That item failed by a vote of 56 percent to 44 percent with 50 percent of precincts reporting.

The second question asked to expand Kromrey Middle School, with a price tag of $33.98 million. Voters rejected that 53 percent to 47 percent with 50 percent of precincts reporting.

The third question in the Middleton-Cross Plains School District asked for $34.75 million for a new elementary school. That was voted down 56 percent to 44 percent with 50 percent of precincts reporting.

On April's ballot, there were two other districts in the Madison area with referenda questions. Both Reedsburg and Mineral Point asked voters to exceed the revenue limits.

In Mineral Point, voters approved a referendum to exceed levy limits and spend $1 million over two years by a vote of 60 percent to 40 percent with all precincts reporting.

In the Reedsburg School District, voters rejected two referenda. Residents voted down spending $400,000 annually for 4-year-old kindergarten 69 percent to 31 percent with all precincts reporting.

Residents also voted no on exceeding levy limits by spending $2.4 million over four years. That referendum failed, 59 percent to 41 percent with all precincts reporting.

Voters in the Albany School District weighed in on two referendum questions. Voters approved exceeding levy limits by spending $1.75 million over four years by 59 to 41 percent with all precincts reporting.

Albany School District voters also approved spending $2 for school improvement by 68 to 32 percent with all precincts reporting.

The Benton School District also asked to exceed levy limits by spending $965,000 over three years. Voters approved that with a vote of 58 to 42 with all precincts reporting. The Benton High School boy's basketball team won the state championship at its first appearance in the tournament this year.

The Wisconsin Heights School District also asked voters to exceed levy limits by spending $850,000 over two years. Voters turned it down last year. The school district cut 20 percent of its staff since 2001. On Tuesday, the referendum easily passed, 67 percent to 33 percent with all precincts reporting.

Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.