Melissa Ratcliff
Melissa Ratcliff (Democratic Party) is a member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing District 16. She assumed office on January 6, 2025. Her current term ends on January 3, 2029.
Ratcliff (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Wisconsin State Senate to represent District 16. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
The board of supervisors originally appointed her to replace Danielle Williams.[1]
Biography
Melissa Ratcliff has lived in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin. Her career experience includes working as a paralegal. Ratcliff also served as a trustee for the village of Cottage Grove and on the Cottage Grove Plan Commission.[1][2]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Committee assignments
2025-2026
Ratcliff was assigned to the following committees:
- Review of Administrative Rules Committee
- Information Policy and Technology Committee
- Joint Legislative Audit Committee
- Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems
- Administrative Rules Committee
2023-2024
Ratcliff was assigned to the following committees:
- Local Government Committee
- Rural Development Committee
- Veterans and Military Affairs Committee
- Information Policy and Technology Committee
Elections
2024
See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for Wisconsin State Senate District 16
Melissa Ratcliff won election in the general election for Wisconsin State Senate District 16 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Melissa Ratcliff (D) | 97.2 | 82,828 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.8 | 2,361 | ||
| Total votes: 85,189 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 16
Melissa Ratcliff defeated Jimmy Anderson and Samba Baldeh in the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 16 on August 13, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Melissa Ratcliff | 52.0 | 17,205 |
 | Jimmy Anderson | 31.0 | 10,258 | |
 | Samba Baldeh | 16.9 | 5,575 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 25 | ||
| Total votes: 33,063 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Ratcliff in this election.
2022
Wisconsin State Assembly
See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2022
General election
General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 46
Melissa Ratcliff defeated Andrew McKinney in the general election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 46 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Melissa Ratcliff (D) | 69.6 | 20,710 |
 | Andrew McKinney (R) | 30.3 | 9,001 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 24 | ||
| Total votes: 29,735 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 46
Melissa Ratcliff defeated Syed Abbas, Andrew Hysell, Analiese Eicher, and Mike Jacobs in the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 46 on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Melissa Ratcliff | 36.2 | 3,112 |
 | Syed Abbas | 22.1 | 1,895 | |
 | Andrew Hysell | 17.7 | 1,525 | |
| Analiese Eicher | 13.7 | 1,178 | ||
| Mike Jacobs | 10.2 | 876 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 7 | ||
| Total votes: 8,593 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 46
Andrew McKinney advanced from the Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 46 on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Andrew McKinney | 98.8 | 2,977 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.2 | 36 | ||
| Total votes: 3,013 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
Dane County Board of Supervisors
See also: Municipal elections in Dane County, Wisconsin (2022)
General election
General election for Dane County Board of Supervisors District 36
Incumbent Melissa Ratcliff defeated Andrew McKinney in the general election for Dane County Board of Supervisors District 36 on April 5, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Melissa Ratcliff (Nonpartisan) | 64.7 | 1,132 |
| Andrew McKinney (Nonpartisan) | 34.6 | 605 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 13 | ||
| Total votes: 1,750 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Melissa Ratcliff and Andrew McKinney advanced from the primary for Dane County Board of Supervisors District 36.
Campaign finance
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Dane County, Wisconsin (2020)
General election
General election for Dane County Board of Supervisors District 36
Incumbent Melissa Ratcliff won election in the general election for Dane County Board of Supervisors District 36 on April 7, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Melissa Ratcliff (Nonpartisan) | 98.6 | 3,427 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.4 | 47 | ||
| Total votes: 3,474 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2019
See also: Municipal elections in Dane County, Wisconsin (2019)
General election
General election for Dane County Board of Supervisors District 36
Incumbent Melissa Ratcliff won election in the general election for Dane County Board of Supervisors District 36 on April 2, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Melissa Ratcliff (Nonpartisan) | 98.4 | 2,354 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.6 | 38 | ||
| Total votes: 2,392 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Melissa Ratcliff did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Wisconsin State Assembly
Melissa Ratcliff did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Dane County Board of Supervisors
Melissa Ratcliff did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Melissa Ratcliff did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Wisconsin State Legislature in 2025.
- The Freedom Index — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.
- The Freedom Index — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Wisconsin State Legislature in 2024.
- Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce — Legislators are scored on whether they voted for or against MMAC's position.
- Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce — Legislators are scored on whether they voted for or against MMAC's position.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Wisconsin Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their stances on conservation issues.
- Wisconsin Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their stances on conservation issues.
- Wisconsin Family Action — Legislators are scored by the Wisconsin Family Action on their votes on legislation related to "marriage, family, the sanctity of human life, or religious freedom."
- Wisconsin Family Action — Legislators are scored by the Wisconsin Family Action on their votes on legislation related to "marriage, family, the sanctity of human life, or religious freedom."
- Wisconsin Professional Police Association — Legislators are scored on their votes by the Wisconsin Professional Police Association on legislation related to Wisconsin's law enforcement community.
- Wisconsin Professional Police Association — Legislators are scored on their votes by the Wisconsin Professional Police Association on legislation related to Wisconsin's law enforcement community.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Wisconsin State Legislature in 2023.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Wisconsin State Legislature in 2022.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Wisconsin Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their stances on conservation issues.
- Wisconsin Family Action — Legislators are scored by the Wisconsin Family Action on their votes on legislation related to "marriage, family, the sanctity of human life, or religious freedom."
- Wisconsin Grocers Association — Legislators are scored on their votes on industry-specific legislation.
- Wisconsin Professional Police Association — Legislators are scored on their votes by the Wisconsin Professional Police Association on legislation related to Wisconsin's law enforcement community.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Wisconsin State Legislature in 2021.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Wisconsin Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their stances on conservation issues.
- Wisconsin Family Action — Legislators are scored by the Wisconsin Family Action on their votes on legislation related to "marriage, family, the sanctity of human life, or religious freedom."
- Wisconsin Grocers Association — Legislators are scored on their votes on industry-specific legislation.
- Wisconsin Professional Police Association — Legislators are scored on their votes by the Wisconsin Professional Police Association on legislation related to Wisconsin's law enforcement community.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Wisconsin State Legislature in 2020.
- Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce — Legislators are scored on whether they voted for or against MMAC's position.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Wisconsin AFL-CIO — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor policy.
- Wisconsin Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their stances on conservation issues.
- Wisconsin Professional Police Association — Legislators are scored on their votes by the Wisconsin Professional Police Association on legislation related to Wisconsin's law enforcement community.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Wisconsin State Legislature in 2019.
- Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce — Legislators are scored on whether they voted for or against MMAC's position.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Wisconsin AFL-CIO — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor policy.
- Wisconsin Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their stances on conservation issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Wisconsin State Legislature in 2018.
- Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce — Legislators are scored on whether they voted for or against MMAC's position.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Wisconsin AFL-CIO — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor policy.
- Wisconsin Family Action — Legislators are scored by the Wisconsin Family Action on their votes on legislation related to "marriage, family, the sanctity of human life, or religious freedom."
- Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters — Legislators are scored on their stances on conservation issues.
- Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on legislation WMC deemed as "most important issues for the business community."
- Wisconsin Professional Police Association — Legislators are scored on their votes by the Wisconsin Professional Police Association on legislation related to Wisconsin's law enforcement community.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Wisconsin State Senate District 16 |
Officeholder Wisconsin State Senate District 16 |
Personal |
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Melissa Agard (D) |
Wisconsin State Senate District 16 2025-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Gary Hebl (D) |
Wisconsin State Assembly District 46 2023-2025 |
Succeeded by Joan Fitzgerald (D) |
| Preceded by Danielle Williams |
Dane County Board of Supervisors District 36 2018-2024 |
Succeeded by David Peterson |
 |
State of Wisconsin Madison (capital) |
|---|---|
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