Wisconsin

Here’s what to know about Wisconsin’s April 1 election, Supreme Court race

Published

10 months ago

March 4, 2025

Here’s what to know about Wisconsin’s April 1 election, Supreme Court race

In less than a month, Wisconsin voters will head to the polls for an election that will determine the state Supreme Court’s partisan control, select who holds local offices and possibly elevate the voter ID law to the state constitution.

Wisconsin’s spring election is April 1. Candidates who advanced from the Feb. 18 primary will appear on the April ballot.

There are plenty of deadlines to keep in mind before April 1, including when you can register to vote online, request an absentee ballot or vote early.

Here’s a guide to what Wisconsin votes for in April and information you’ll need to cast your ballot:

What does Wisconsin vote for in April election? Wisconsin Supreme Court? Wisconsin schools superintendent?

The April ballot includes a high-profile state Supreme Court race. There was no February primary since only two candidates are running: conservative Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel and liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford. The winner will replace longtime liberal justice Ann Walsh Bradley, who’s not running for reelection.

If Crawford wins, the court will keep its liberal majority. If Schimel wins, the court will switch to conservative control. The candidates will debate March 12 on WISN.

Voters will also choose Wisconsin’s superintendent of public instruction. Jill Underly, a Democrat, is running for reelection. Education consultant Brittany Kinser is backed by conservatives. A third challenger, Sauk Prairie Superintendent Jeff Wright, did not advance from the primary.

The April ballot also includes a statewide referendum question, asking if Wisconsin’s law requiring voters to show photo identification should be enshrined in the state constitution. Republicans pursued the referendum in part to protect the law from being overturned by a liberal-controlled Supreme Court.

Other local races on your ballot depend on where you live. Those may include spots on the city council, school board or judgeships. Many school districts also have funding referendums on the ballot. You can see what your ballot will look like ahead of time at myvote.wi.gov.

When can I register to vote for the Wisconsin April election?

There are a few ways to register to vote. If you want to register online at myvote.wi.gov, the deadline is March 12. That’s also the deadline to register by mail by sending your clerk a completed voter registration form.

Or, you can register in-person at your local clerk’s office until March 28 at 5 p.m. Wisconsin also has same-day voter registration, so you can register at the polls on April 1.

With any of these registration options, make sure to bring a proof of residence document that shows you live at your current address. This could be a utility bill, paystub or lease, for example.

When can I request an absentee ballot for the Wisconsin April election?

The deadline for most voters to request an absentee ballot is March 27 at 5 p.m. Deadlines are slightly longer for indefinitely confined, military or hospitalized voters.

If you’ve already requested an absentee ballot, your clerk must send it out by March 11. If you make a request after that day, your clerk must mail it out within two business days.

You will need to provide a photo ID when requesting an absentee ballot, just like you would when voting at the polls. The Wisconsin Elections Commission has a full list of acceptable photo IDs. Examples include a driver’s license, state ID card, tribal ID card or passport.

How do I return my absentee ballot for the Wisconsin April election?

If you want to send your ballot back through the mail, election officials generally recommend doing so at least a week in advance, or March 25.

There are other ways to return your absentee ballot, including bringing it to your polling place or central count location on Election Day, your clerk’s office or a drop box. It’s a good idea to check your clerk’s website to see if they have specific instructions for returning your ballot.

When can I vote early in the Wisconsin April election?

Clerks may hold in-person, absentee voting between March 18 and 30. It’s up to each community to decide how many days and locations to offer early voting. You can check myvote.wi.gov or contact your clerk to ask about availability.

Keep in mind that Wisconsin doesn’t allow voter registration on the Saturday, Sunday or Monday before an election. If you need to register or re-register, you can do so at early voting locations through March 28, or wait until Election Day to register at the polls.

Where do I find my polling place on Election Day for the Wisconsin April election?

You can find your polling place by typing your address into “Find My Polling Place” at myvote.wi.gov. Polls are always open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day in Wisconsin.

If your city offers early voting locations, you can’t just go to any of those on Election Day. You must go to your assigned polling place.

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Wisconsin

Former Trump aides appear in Wisconsin court over 2020 election fraud charges

Published

5 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Former Trump aides appear in Wisconsin court over 2020 election fraud charges

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Two attorneys and an aide who all worked on President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign appeared in court Monday for a preliminary hearing in Wisconsin on felony forgery charges related to a fake elector scheme.

The Wisconsin case is moving forward even as others in the battleground states of Michigan and Georgia have faltered. A special prosecutor last year dropped a federal case alleging Trump conspired to overturn the 2020 election. Another case in Nevada is still alive.

The Wisconsin case was filed a year ago but has been tied up as the Trump aides have fought, unsuccessfully so far, to have the charges dismissed.

The hearing on Monday comes a week after Trump attorney Jim Troupis, one of the three who were charged, tried unsuccessfully to get the judge to step down in the case and have it moved to another county. Troupis, who the other two defendants joined in his motion, alleged that the judge did not write a previous order issued in August declining to dismiss the case. Instead, he accused the father of the judge’s law clerk, a retired judge, of actually writing the opinion.

Troupis, who served one year as a judge in the same county where he was charged, also alleged that all of the judges in Dane County are biased against him and he can’t get a fair trial.

Dane County Circuit Judge John Hyland said he and a staff attorney alone wrote the order. Hyland also said Troupis presented no evidence to back up his claims of bias and refused to step down or delay the hearing.

Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the allegations.

The same judge will determine at Monday’s hearing whether there’s enough evidence to proceed with the charges against the three.

The former Trump aides face 11 felony charges each related to their roles in the 2020 fake elector scheme. In addition to Troupis, the other defendants are Kenneth Chesebro, an attorney who advised Trump’s campaign, and Mike Roman, Trump’s director of Election Day operations in 2020.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice, headed by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, brought the felony forgery charges in 2024, alleging that the three defrauded the 10 Republican electors who cast their ballots for Trump in 2020.

Prosecutors contend the three lied to the Republicans about how the certificate they signed would be used as part of a plan to submit paperwork to then-Vice President Mike Pence, falsely claiming that Trump had won the battleground state that year.

The complaint said a majority of the 10 Republicans told investigators that they were needed to sign the elector certificate indicating Trump had won only to preserve his legal options if a court changed the outcome of the election in Wisconsin.

A majority of the electors told investigators that they did not believe their signatures on the elector certificate would be submitted to Congress without a court ruling, the complaint said. Also, a majority said they did not consent to having their signatures presented as if Trump had won without such a court ruling, the complaint said.

Federal prosecutors who investigated Trump’s conduct related to the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot said the fake electors scheme originated in Wisconsin.

The Trump associates have argued that no crime took place. But the judge in August rejected their arguments in allowing the case to proceed to Monday’s preliminary hearing.

Trump lost Wisconsin in 2020 but fought to have the defeat overturned. He won the state in both 2016 and 2024.

The state charges against the Trump attorneys and aide are the only ones in Wisconsin. None of the electors have been charged. The 10 Wisconsin electors, Chesebro and Troupis all settled a lawsuit that was brought against them seeking damages.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the attorneys who are charged formerly worked on Trump’s campaign, but are still practicing attorneys.

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Wisconsin

No. 3 Wisconsin Badgers vs. No. 1 Texas Longhorns: Game Thread

Published

17 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

The Wisconsin Badgers are facing off against the Texas Longhorns in the Elite 8 on Sunday evening, looking to make their way back to the Final Four in Kansas City next week.

Wisconsin pulled off an impressive win over the No. 2 Stanford Cardinal on Friday, as it out-hit the latter in a thriller behind strong efforts from Mimi Colyer (27 kills) and Charlie Fuerbringer (61 assists).

Now, they’re facing a team that they were swept by earlier in the season, as the Longhorns thrived off Badger errors during their first matchup.

Texas has cruised through its competition so far in the NCAA Tournament, beating Florida A&M, Penn State, and Indiana en route to the Elite 8.

If Wisconsin can win, it would face the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats on Thursday in the Final Four, with the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies and No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers being the other two teams still left in the field.

Can the Badgers get a huge upset and break the Texas streak of wins on Sunday? Join us as our game thread is officially active.

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Wisconsin

WI lawmakers should support data center accountability bill | Letters

Published

1 day ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

WI lawmakers should support data center accountability bill | Letters

Data centers proposed in our area pose multiple threats to our water, wildlife, and wallets. We all can take action by asking our senators and representatives to back SB729.

Letters to the Editor
| Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The data centers proposed in our area in Mount Pleasant, Port Washington, and Beaver Dam pose multiple threats to our water, wildlife, and wallets. The centers will require vast amounts of water to cool their equipment. Plus, 70% of the water consumed each year in Wisconsin goes to electric power generation, so the water needed for energy production adds to the millions of gallons these centers will need on peak days.

The massive energy infrastructure required to build and operate the data centers is expensive and threatens to burden customers for years with the huge costs. Also, at a time when the impacts of climate change make it clear that we should be transitioning to clean renewable energy sources, utility companies are using data centers as justification for building new fossil gas power plants, thereby keeping us from achieving the zero emissions future that we so desperately need.

Take action by backing Data Center Accountability Act

The Data Center Accountability Act, bill SB729, was introduced recently in the Wisconsin legislature. If passed, the bill would stipulate that:

Data center must meet labor standards and use at least 70% renewable energy.
All data centers must be LEED certified or the equivalent.
Data center owners must pay an annual fee that funds renewable energy, energy efficiency, and a low-income energy assistance program.

We all can take action to prevent the worst impacts from data centers by asking our senators and representatives to vote for SB729. To find your legislators go to https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/My-Elected-Officials.

Jenny Abel, Wauwatosa

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