1980 Wisconsin Supreme Court election
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The 1980 Wisconsin Supreme Court election was held on April 1, 1980, to elect a justice to the Wisconsin Supreme Court for a ten-year term. Incumbent justice Connor Hansen did not seek re-election. Donald W. Steinmetz narrowly defeated Louis J. Ceci in the general election. Preceding the general election was a nonpartisan primary held on February 19, in which the two had advanced from over P. Charles Jones.
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April 1, 1980
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Steinmetz: 50–60% 60–70% Ceci: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||
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Primary election
Candidates
Advanced
- Louis J. Ceci, Milwaukee County circuit court judge
- Donald W. Steinmetz, Milwaukee County circuit court judge
Eliminated in primary
- P. Charles Jones Dane County circuit court judge
Result
The general election result was very narrow.[1] As of 2026[update], no subsequent election the court has been won by a narrower vote-share.
The general election coincided with presidential primaries in Wisconsin.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan primary (February 19, 1980) | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Louis J. Ceci | 142,702 | 46.15 | ||
| Nonpartisan | Donald W. Steinmetz | 90,286 | 29.20 | ||
| Nonpartisan | P. Charles Jones | 76,253 | 24.66 | ||
| Total votes | 309,241 | 100 | |||
| General election (April 1, 1980) | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Donald W. Steinmetz | 663,378 | 50.18 | ||
| Nonpartisan | Louis J. Ceci | 658,605 | 49.82 | ||
| Majority | 4,773 | 0.36 | −29.89 | ||
| Total votes | 1,321,983 | 100 | +57.39 | ||