2023 Outagamie County Executive election

The 2023 Outagamie County Executive election took place on April 1, 2023, following a primary election on February 18, 2023, to select the County Executive of Outagamie County, Wisconsin. Incumbent County Executive Tom Nelson, who had been unopposed for re-election in 2015 and 2019, ran for re-election to his fourth term. He was challenged by two opponents: County Supervisor Justin Krueger, and former County Supervisor Kevin Sturn.^[1] In the primary election, Nelson placed first, winning 52 percent of the vote, and Sturn placed second with 30 percent, advancing to the general election against Nelson.^[2]

In the general election, Nelson campaigned on his record as County Executive, and pointed to his success in stabilizing the county budget and the growth of the Appleton International Airport. Sturn attacked Nelson for being away from the job while he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2022, and argued that he was responsible, as finance chair of the County Board of Supervisors, for the county's financial strength.^[3]

Nelson ultimately defeated Sturn by a wide margin, winning re-election with 56 percent of the vote.^[4]