2021_Wisconsin_elections

2021 Wisconsin elections

2021 Wisconsin elections

2021 elections in Wisconsin, United States

The 2021 Wisconsin Spring Election was held in the U.S. state of Wisconsin on April 6, 2021. There was one statewide race—for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Additionally, two special elections occurred for the Wisconsin State Senate and Wisconsin State Assembly, as well as other nonpartisan local and judicial elections. The 2021 Spring primary was held on February 16, 2021.[1]

Quick Facts

An additional special election for the 37th Assembly district was held on July 13, 2021.[2]

In the election for Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Democrats' preferred candidate, Jill Underly, prevailed. Republicans, however, won both special elections for the Wisconsin Legislature, and Republicans' preferred candidates won both contested elections for the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.[3]

State elections

Executive

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction Carolyn Stanford Taylor did not seek election to a full term. She was appointed to the seat by Governor Tony Evers, the previous Superintendent of Public Instruction, to fill the remainder of his term after he was elected Governor of Wisconsin in 2018.

Eight candidates filed petitions by the state deadline to run for election to this seat, of which, seven were approved.[4] The office is nonpartisan, thus all accepted candidates appeared on the primary ballot on February 16, 2021.[5]

  • Sheila Briggs, assistant state superintendent at the state Department of Public Instruction.
  • Joe Fenrick, Fond du Lac high school science teacher.
  • Troy Gunderson, Viterbo University professor and former superintendent of the School District of West Salem.
  • Shandowlyon (Shawn) Hendricks-Williams, former director of Evers' Milwaukee office and DPI Education Administrative Director of Teacher Education, Professional Development and Licensing.
  • Deborah Kerr, former superintendent of Brown Deer School District.
  • Steve Krull, principal of Milwaukee's Garland Elementary School and former Air Force instructor.
  • Jill Underly, superintendent of Pecatonica School District.

Jill Underly and Deborah Kerr won the most votes in the top-two primary, and advanced to the April 6 general election,[6] which Underly won with 58% of the vote.

Primary county results
  Underly
  •   Underly—20–30%
  •   Underly—30–40%
  •   Underly—40–50%
  •   Underly—50–60%
  Kerr
  •   Kerr—20–30%
  •   Kerr—30–40%
  •   Kerr—40–50%
  Gunderson
  •   Gunderson—20–30%
  •   Gunderson—30–40%
  •   Gunderson—40–50%
General county results
  Underly
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  Kerr
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
More information Party, Candidate ...

    Legislative

    State Senate 13th district special election

    A special election was held concurrent with the spring primary and spring general to fill the 13th State Senate seat vacated by the resignation of Scott L. Fitzgerald.

    Seven candidates filed petitions by the state deadline to run for election to this seat, of which six were approved, including three Republicans, one Democrat, and two independents.[4] State Representative John Jagler won the Republican primary and went on to win the April special election with 51% of the vote.

    More information Party, Candidate ...
    More information Party, Candidate ...

    State Assembly 89th district special election

    A special election was held concurrent with the spring primary and spring general to fill the 89th State Assembly seat vacated by the resignation of John Nygren.

    Five candidates filed petitions by the state deadline to run for election to this seat, all were approved, including four Republicans and one Democrat.[4] Elijah Behnke won the Republican primary and went on to win the special election with 63% of the vote.

    More information Party, Candidate ...
    More information Party, Candidate ...

    State Assembly 37th district special election

    A special election was held on July 13, 2021, to fill the 37th State Assembly seat vacated by the resignation of John Jagler.[2]

    Ten candidates filed petitions by the state deadline to run for this seat, all were approved, including eight Republicans, one Democrat, and one Independent.[13] William Penterman won the June 15 Republican primary and went on to win the special election with 54% of the vote.[14]

    More information Party, Candidate ...
    More information Party, Candidate ...

    Judicial

    State Court of Appeals

    Three seats on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals were up for election in 2021, two of which were contested.[4] Incumbent Judge Jeffrey O. Davis was defeated.

    State Circuit Courts

    Sixty three of the state's 253 circuit court seats were up for election in 2021. Eleven of those seats were contested.[4] Three of the contested seats, in Calumet, Jackson, and Marathon counties, were newly created from a 2020 act of the Wisconsin Legislature.[17] A fourth newly created seat, in Dunn County, had only one candidate running.

    • In Bayfield County, incumbent Judge John P. Anderson defeated a challenge from attorney Vincent Scott Kurta.[18]
    • In Brown County, incumbent Judge Kendall M. Kelley defeated a challenge from attorney Rachel Maes.[19]
    • In Calumet County, attorney Carey John Reed defeated Calumet County corporation counsel Kimberly A. Tenerelli for a newly created judicial seat.[20][21][22]
    • In Dunn County, attorney Christina Mayer defeated attorney Nicholas P. Lange for the judicial seat being vacated by Judge Rod W. Smeltzer.[23][24]
    • In Fond du Lac County, former Green Lake County district attorney Andrew J. Christenson defeated attorney Laura Lavey to succeed outgoing judge Richard J. Nuss.[25][26][27] Former Fond du Lac city councilmember Catherine A. Block and attorney Dawn M. Sabel were eliminated in the February primary.[28]
    • In Green County, attorney Faun Marie Phillipson defeated attorney Jane Bucher to succeed outgoing judge Jim Beer.[29][30] Attorneys Peter B. Kelly and Daniel R. Bartholf were eliminated in the February primary.
    • In Jackson County, attorneys Daniel Diehn and Robyn R. Matousek will compete for a newly created judicial seat.
    • In Kenosha County Branch 1, incumbent Judge Larisa Benitez-Morgan was apparently defeated by former Racine County prosecutor Gerad Dougvillo.[31]
    • In Kenosha County Branch 6, deputy district attorney Angelina Gabriele defeated attorney Angela Cunningham to succeed outgoing judge Mary K. Wagner.[32] Attorney Elizabeth Pfeuffer was eliminated in the February primary.
    • In Marathon County, Marathon County corporation counsel Scott M. Corbett defeated attorney Daniel T. Cveykus for a newly created judicial seat.[33]
    • In Milwaukee County, assistant public defender Katie Kegel defeated attorney Susan Roth to replace outgoing judge Clare Fiorenza.[34]
    More information Circuit, Branch ...

    Local elections

    Dane County

    Dane County executive

    Sheboygan County

    Sheboygan mayor

    • A regularly scheduled mayoral election was held in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, at the Spring general election, April 6, 2021. City council president Ryan Sorenson was elected mayor, defeating the incumbent mayor Mike Vandersteen. Sorenson, at age 27, became the youngest mayor in the city's history.[37]

    Sheboygan Area School Board

    Waupaca County

    Clintonville School Board

    • Three seats were up for election on the Clintonville School Board. Eight candidates entered the primary, which narrowed the field to six. The six candidates advancing are Larry Czarnecki, Chadwick J. Dobbe, Glen Lundt, Laurie A. Vollrath, Jason L. Moder, and Ben Huber.[38][39]

    Manawa mayor

    • Manawa's primary narrowed the field of mayoral candidates from 3 to two, with Mark Zelmer and Michael Frazier advancing.

    References

    1. [1]
      "2021 Spring Election and Special Legislative Elections". Wisconsin Elections Commission. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
    2. [2]
      Schmidt, Mitchell (April 28, 2021). "Tony Evers calls for July special election to fill 37th Assembly District vacancy". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
    3. [3]
      "Wisconsin spring election results". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
    4. [4]
      Candidate Tracking by Office – 2021 Spring Election – 4/6/2021 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
    5. [5]
      Shastri, Devi (January 5, 2021). "Seven candidates file paperwork to run for state superintendent of public instruction". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
    6. [6]
      "Supt of Public Instrctn – Oth – Primary". Associated Press. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
    7. [7]
      "WEC Canvass Reporting System County by County Report: 2021 Spring Primary, State Superintendent of Public Instruction" (PDF). Wisconsin Elections Commission. March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.[permanent dead link]
    8. [8]
      Bauer, Scott (February 12, 2021). "GOP-backed candidate for schools chief says she's a Democrat". AP News. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021. Deborah Kerr said she has also voted for Republicans and tells GOP audiences on the campaign trail for the officially nonpartisan race that she is a 'pragmatic Democrat.'
    9. [9]
      Canvass Results for 2021 Spring Election – 4/6/2021 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. April 22, 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 23, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
    10. [10]
      "WEC Canvass Reporting System County by County Report: 2021 Spring Primary, Special Election for State Senator District 13" (PDF). Wisconsin Elections Commission. March 1, 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
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      "Statewide Percentage Results-4.6.21 Spring Election.pdf" (PDF). elections.wi.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
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      "WEC Canvass Reporting System County by County Report: 2021 Spring Primary, Special Election for Representative to the Assembly District 89" (PDF). Wisconsin Elections Commission. March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
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      Candidate Tracking By Office – Rep to the Assembly Dist 37 and Dane Co Supervisor Dist 19 Special Election – 7/13/2021 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. May 20, 2021. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
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      Schmidt, Mitchell (July 14, 2021). "William Penterman wins special election for 37th Assembly District". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
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      County report
    16. [16]
      AD 37 Special Election County by County Report (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. July 22, 2021. p. 1. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
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      Schulte, Laura (March 5, 2020). "Wisconsin Circuit Court to get 12 new branches by 2023 in bill signed by Gov. Evers". Wausau Daily Herald. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
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      "2021 Wisconsin Spring Election Results". KQDS-TV. April 7, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
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      "Kelley defeats Maes in race for Brown County Circuit Court Judge". WBAY-TV. April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
    20. [20]
      Mueller, Chris (July 6, 2020). "Calumet County corporation counsel Kimberly Tenerelli announces candidacy for circuit court judge". The Post-Crescent. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
    21. [21]
      Mueller, Chris (July 7, 2020). "Attorney Carey Reed to run for judge in Calumet County". The Post-Crescent. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
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      "Election Results". WBAY-TV. April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
    23. [23]
      "Attorneys seek open Dunn Co. judge seats". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. January 5, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
    24. [24]
      "Mayer wins Dunn County judgeship". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
    25. [25]
      Kern, Taima (November 19, 2020). "Fond du Lac attorney, former city council member Block announces candidacy for judge seat". Fond du Lac Reporter. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
    26. [26]
      "About". Lavey for Judge. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
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      "Spring Election 2021 Local Results". KFIZ (AM). April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
    28. [28]
      Roznik, Sharon (February 16, 2021). "These city council, school board, judge candidates will be on April 6 ballot in Fond du Lac County". Fond du Lac Reporter. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
    29. [29]
      "April judicial election, Feb. primaries explained". The Monroe Times. January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
    30. [30]
      Rabotski, Shannon (April 6, 2021). "April 6 election results are in". The Monroe Times. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
    31. [31]
      Smith, Deneen (December 23, 2020). "Gerad Dougvillo to challenge Judge Larisa Benitez-Morgan in spring election". Kenosha News. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
    32. [32]
      Smith, Deneen (November 18, 2020). "Three local attorneys announce plans to run for Judge Wagner's seat". Kenosha News. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
    33. [33]
      "Wausau area general election results". Wausau Daily Herald. April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
    34. [34]
      Vielmetti, Bruce (November 30, 2020). "Milwaukee County judicial candidate swaps races after a judge retires". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
    35. [35]
      Mertes, Chris (January 5, 2021). "No primary in city, county, school district races". Sun Prairie Star. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
    36. [36]
      Hamer, Emily (April 7, 2021). "Joe Parisi reelected as Dane County executive". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
    37. [37]
      Jones, Tara (April 6, 2021). "27-year-old Ryan Sorenson elected as Sheboygan's new mayor". The Sheboygan Sun. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
    38. [38]
      "Eight candidates for three seats". Waupaca County Post. January 22, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
    39. [39]
      Waupaca County. "Certification Report" (PDF). Waupaca County. Retrieved February 19, 2021.[permanent dead link]
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