2026 Wisconsin elections
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The 2026 Wisconsin fall general election will take place in the U.S. state of Wisconsin on November 3, 2026. All of Wisconsin's partisan executive and administrative offices will be up for election, as well as all of Wisconsin's eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The fall election will also fill the seventeen odd-numbered seats in the Wisconsin Senate and all 99 seats in the Wisconsin State Assembly for the 108th Wisconsin Legislature, and will likely also present two state constitutional amendments to voters for ratification. The 2026 Wisconsin fall primary took place on August 11, 2026.
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April 7, 2026
November 3, 2026 | |
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The incumbent governor, state Senate majority leader, and state assembly speaker have all announced that they will not run for re-election in 2026, meaning that this will be the first time since 2010 when all three of the top executive and legislative offices in Wisconsin will change hands at the same time.
The 2026 Wisconsin spring election was held on April 7, 2026. Among the nonpartisan local and judicial races, the premier race on the spring ballot was a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court; Democrats' preferred candidate, Chris Taylor, defeated the Republicans' preferred candidate, Maria S. Lazar, expanding the liberal majority on the court from 4–3 to 5–2. The Democrats' preferred candidate also won a narrow victory in the closely-watched mayoral election in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The 2026 spring primary took place on February 17, 2026.
Federal offices
U.S. House
State offices
Executive
All of Wisconsin's partisan executive offices will be up for election in November 2026, with partisan primaries held on August 11.
Governor
Incumbent Democratic governor Tony Evers, first elected in 2018, has announced that he will not run for re-election. This will be the first open seat gubernatorial election in Wisconsin since 2010. In the general election, the Democratic nominee is David Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, and the Republican nominee is Tom Tiffany, U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 7th congressional district.[1][1]
In the Democratic primary, Crowley defeated state representative Francesca Hong, state senator Kelda Roys, and former state secretary of administration Joel Brennan. Incumbent lieutenant governor Sara Rodriguez, former lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes, former CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Missy Hughes, former state representative Brett Hulsey, Oshkosh Defense assembler Tim Jacobson, and stadium vendor Ryan Strnad all withdrew before the primary.[2]
In the Republican primary, Tiffany defeated medical services technician Andy Manske. Washington County executive Josh Schoemann and manufacturing executive Bill Berrien withdrew before the primary.[3]
Lieutenant governor
Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Sara Rodriguez, first elected in 2022, did not run for re-election—she instead sought the Democratic nomination for governor.[4] In the general election, the Democratic nominee is Sarah Godlewski, the incumbent secretary of state, and the Republican nominee is David Varnum, the former mayor of Lancaster.[5]
Godlewski faced no opposition in the Democratic Primary. In the Republican primary, Varnum defeated Will Martin, a small business owner from Racine; this was a mild upset, as the Republican State Convention had officially endorsed Martin for lieutenant governor.[5]
Attorney general
Incumbent Democratic attorney general Josh Kaul, first elected in 2018, is running for a third four-year term. He will face Republican candidate Eric Toney, the Fond du Lac County district attorney, in the general election.
Neither Kaul nor Toney faced opposition in their respective primaries.
Secretary of state
Incumbent Democratic secretary of state Sarah Godlewski, did not run for re-election. This will be the first open seat secretary of state election in Wisconsin since 1978. In the general election, the Democratic nominee is JoCasta Zamarripa, a Milwaukee alder and former state representative, and the Republican nominee is Jay Schroeder, a businessman from Clintonville.[6]
Zamarripa faced no opposition in the Democratic primary. In the Republican primary, Schroeder defeated farmer Nate Pollnow, realtor Cindy Werner, and legislative staffer Brayden Myer; this was also considered an upset, since the Republican State Convention had unanimously endorsed Pollnow for this office.[6]
Treasurer
Incumbent Republican state treasurer John Leiber, first elected in 2022, is running for re-election. He will face Democratic candidate Yee Leng Xiong, a Marathon County supervisor, in the general election.
Leiber faced no opposition in the Republican primary. In the Democratic primary, Xiong defeated Dylan Helmenstine, a school board member from Black Earth.[7]
Legislature
State senate
Democratic incumbent
No incumbent
No election
| Party (majority caucus shading) |
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | |||
| Last election (2024) | 6 | 10 | 16 | |
| Total after last election (2024) | 15 | 18 | 33 | |
| Total before this election | 15 | 18 | 33 | |
| Up for election | 5 | 12 | 17 | |
| of which: | Incumbent retiring | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Vacated | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Open | 0 | 5 | 5 | |
| Unopposed | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
State assembly
Republican incumbent retiring
Democratic incumbent
Democratic incumbent retiring
| Party (majority caucus shading) |
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | |||
| Last election (2024) | 35 | 64 | 99 | |
| Total after last election (2024) | 45 | 54 | 99 | |
| Total before this election | 45 | 54 | 99 | |
| Up for election | 45 | 54 | 99 | |
| of which: | Incumbent retiring | 3 | 9 | 12 |
| Open | 3 | 9 | 12 | |
| Vacated | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Unopposed | 2 | 6 | 8 | |
Judiciary
State Supreme Court
50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%
Lazar:
50–60% 60–70%
A regularly scheduled Wisconsin Supreme Court election was on the ballot for the spring general election, April 7, 2026, for a ten-year term on the court. The incumbent justice, Rebecca Bradley, did not run for re-election, retiring after 11 years on the court.[8] Wisconsin Court of Appeals judge Chris Taylor defeated fellow Court of Appeals judge Maria S. Lazar, expanding the liberal majority on the court from 4–3 to 5–2.[9]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, April 7, 2026[10] | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Chris Taylor | 905,490 | 60.09% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Maria S. Lazar | 600,256 | 39.84% | ||
| Scattering | 1,096 | 0.07% | +0.01pp | ||
| Plurality | 305,111 | 20.25% | +10.16pp | ||
| Total votes | 1,506,442 | 100.0% | -36.30% | ||
State Court of Appeals
Three seats on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals were on the ballot for the spring general election, April 7, 2026.
- In District I, incumbent judge Joe Donald was unopposed for a second six-year term. He was appointed to the court by Governor Tony Evers in 2019 and won election in 2020 without opposition.
- In District II, incumbent judge Lisa Neubauer did not seek a fourth six-year term. Conservative attorney Anthony Loccoco was elected without opposition. Administrative law judge Christine Hansen sought to run, but was disqualified by the Wisconsin Elections Commission because her nomination forms were notarized by her husband, making the notarization voidable under Wisconsin law.[11]
- In District IV, incumbent judge Rachel A. Graham was unopposed for a second six-year term. She was appointed to the court by Governor Tony Evers in 2019 and won election in 2020 without opposition.
State circuit courts
Twenty six of the state's 261 circuit court seats were on the ballot for the Spring general election, April 7, 2026. Only six seats were contested; four incumbent judges faced a challenger, one was defeated.[12][13]
- In Dane County's branch 1 race, incumbent judge Benjamin Jones defeated a challenge from immigration law advocate Huma Ahsan. Attorney Nathan Wagner was eliminated in the primary.[14][15]
- In the Florence & Forest county race, attorney Robert A. Kennedy Jr. defeated incumbent district attorney Alex Seifert for the judicial seat being vacated by the retirement of judge Leon D. Stenz.[13]
- In Marathon County's branch 3 race, attorney Michael D. Hughes defeated attorney Douglas Bauman for the seat being vacated by the retirement of judge Lamont K. Jacobson.[13]
- In Washburn County, incumbent judge Angeline E. Winton-Roe defeated a challenge from incumbent district attorney Aaron B. Marcoux.[13]
- In Washington County's branch 2 race, assistant district attorney Grant Scaife defeated incumbent circuit judge Gordon Leech.[13]
- In Wood County's branch 3 race, incumbent judge Emily Nolan-Plutchak defeated a challenge from former Langlade County District Attorney Elizabeth Gebert.[13]
| Circuit | Branch | Incumbent | Elected | Defeated | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Entered office |
Name | Votes | % | Name | Votes | % | ||
| Barron | 3 | Maureen D. Boyle | 2014 | Maureen D. Boyle | 8,652 | 99.24% | --Unopposed-- | ||
| Brown | 8 | Beau G. Liegeois | 2019 | Beau G. Liegeois | 42,255 | 98.72% | |||
| Chippewa | 3 | Benjamin J. Lane | 2020 | Benjamin J. Lane | 11,198 | 98.91% | |||
| Dane | 1 | Benjamin Jones | 2025 | Benjamin Jones | 98,072 | 55.66% | Huma Ahsan | 77,367 | 43.91% |
| 8 | Stephanie Hilton | 2025 | Stephanie Hilton | 140,195 | 99.05% | --Unopposed-- | |||
| Dodge | 1 | Brian A. Pfitzinger | 2008 | Brian A. Pfitzinger | 15,463 | 100.0% | |||
| 4 | Kristine A. Snow | 2020 | Kristine A. Snow | 15,709 | 100.0% | ||||
| Dunn | 1 | James M. Peterson | 2014 | James M. Peterson | 8,109 | 100.0% | |||
| Florence–Forest | Leon D. Stenz | 2008 | Robert A. Kennedy Jr. | 2,179 | 57.01% | Alex Seifert | 1,640 | 42.91% | |
| Iron | Anthony J. Stella Jr. | 2019 | Anthony J. Stella Jr. | 1,274 | 99.84% | --Unopposed-- | |||
| Juneau | 2 | Paul S. Curran | 2008 | Paul S. Curran | 4,737 | 99.39% | |||
| Marathon | 3 | Lamont K. Jacobson | 2013 | Michael D. Hughes | 18,720 | 64.60% | Douglas Bauman | 10,180 | 35.13% |
| Milwaukee | 2 | Milton Childs | 2019 | Milton Childs | 120,482 | 98.77% | --Unopposed-- | ||
| 7 | Thomas J. McAdams | 2014 | Susan M. Roth | 119,303 | 98.75% | ||||
| 16 | Brittany Grayson | 2019 | Brittany Grayson | 119,845 | 98.86% | ||||
| 27 | Kevin E. Martens | 2001 | Kevin E. Martens | 118,171 | 98.73% | ||||
| 29 | Rebecca A. Kiefer | 2020 | Rebecca A. Kiefer | 119,135 | 98.81% | ||||
| 32 | Laura Gramling Perez | 2014 | Laura Gramling Perez | 119,567 | 98.87% | ||||
| Outagamie | 2 | Emily I. Lonergan | 2019 | Emily I. Lonergan | 33,276 | 100.0% | |||
| 3 | Mitchell J. Metropulos | 2007 | Kyle Joseph Sargent | 32,554 | 100.0% | ||||
| St. Croix | 1 | Scott J. Nordstrand | 2019 | Scott J. Nordstrand | 17,041 | 98.49% | |||
| Washburn | Angeline E. Winton-Roe | 2019 | Angeline E. Winton-Roe | 2,795 | 58.56% | Aaron B. Marcoux | 1,973 | 41.34% | |
| Washington | 2 | Gordon Leech | 2025 | Grant Scaife | 22,211 | 60.54% | Gordon Leech | 14,352 | 39.12% |
| Waukesha | 5 | Jack Melvin | 2020 | Jack Melvin | 84,825 | 98.26% | --Unopposed-- | ||
| Waupaca | 2 | Vicki L. Clussman | 2014 | Vicki L. Clussman | 10,252 | 99.16% | |||
| Wood | 3 | Emily Nolan-Plutchak | 2025 | Emily Nolan-Plutchak | 9,588 | 51.67% | Elizabeth Gebert | 8,929 | 48.12% |
Ballot measures
Voters will likely be asked to vote on two new amendments to the Constitution of Wisconsin at the fall general election, November 3, 2026.
- A proposal to create a new section in the Article I rights, stating that state, local, or public school entities may not use race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin as criteria for public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration.
- A proposal to amend section 10 of Article V—the governor's veto powers—to create new limitations on the governor's line-item veto. The proposed language would prohibit the governor from creating a new sentence in a bill from two or more partially-vetoed sentences, and would prohibit the governor from creating or increasing any tax or fee through a partial veto.
Local offices
Brown County
De Pere mayor
A regularly scheduled mayoral election was held in De Pere, Wisconsin, concurrent with the Spring general election, April 7, 2026. Incumbent mayor James Boyd was re-elected without opposition.[16]
Kenosha County
Kenosha County executive
A regularly scheduled county executive election was held in Kenosha County, concurrent with the Spring general election, April 7, 2026. Incumbent county executive Samantha Kerkman was re-elected without opposition.[17]
Manitowoc County
Manitowoc County executive
A regularly scheduled county executive election was held in Manitowoc County, concurrent with the Spring general election, April 7, 2026. Incumbent county executive Bob Ziegelbauer declined to seek re-election.[18] Manitowoc County Board chair Tyler Martell was elected without opposition.[19]
Pierce County
River Falls mayor
A regularly scheduled mayoral election was held in River Falls, Wisconsin, concurrent with the Spring general election, April 7, 2026. Incumbent mayor Dan Toland was defeated by River Falls school board member Alison H. Page.[20]
Waukesha County
Waukesha County executive
A special election for Waukesha County executive will be held on December 15, 2026, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Paul Farrow.[21] Incumbent Republican state senator Chris Kapenga is the only declared candidate at this time.[22] State senator Rob Hutton and state representative Scott Allen are both potential candidates for the seat.[23]
Delafield mayor
A regularly scheduled mayoral election was held in Delafield, Wisconsin, concurrent with the Spring general election, April 7, 2026. Incumbent mayor Tim Aicher defeated businessman Aaron Werner in the general election to win a second two-year term.[24][25]
Muskego mayor
A regularly scheduled mayoral election will be held in Muskego, Wisconsin, concurrent with the Spring general election, April 7, 2026. Incumbent mayor Rick Petfalski defeated former Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti in the general election.[24]
Oconomowoc mayor
A regularly scheduled mayoral election was held in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, concurrent with the Spring general election, April 7, 2026. Incumbent mayor Robert Magnus did not run for re-election. City councilmember Matthew Rosek was elected mayor, defeated fellow councilmember Karen Spiegelberg.[24]
Waukesha mayor
A regularly scheduled mayoral election was held in Waukesha, Wisconsin, concurrent with the Spring general election, April 7, 2026. Incumbent mayor Shawn Reilly, first elected in 2014, did not seek re-election. City council president Alicia Halvensleben was elected mayor, defeating incumbent state representative Scott Allen.[26][27][24]
Winnebago County
Neenah mayor
A regularly scheduled mayoral election was held in Neenah, Wisconsin, concurrent with the Spring general election, April 7, 2026. Incumbent mayor Jane Lang did not run for re-election.[28] School teacher Brian Borchardt was elected mayor, defeating policy consultant Scott Becher.[29]