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Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction election, 2025
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← 2021
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| Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction |
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| Election details |
| Filing deadline: January 7, 2025 |
| Primary: February 18, 2025 General: April 1, 2025 Pre-election incumbent(s): Jill Underly |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Wisconsin |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2025 Impact of term limits in 2025 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2025 |
| Wisconsin executive elections |
| Superintendent of Public Instruction |
Incumbent Jill Underly defeated Brittany Kinser and Adrianne Melby in the nonpartisan general election for Wisconsin's Superintendent of Public Instruction on April 1, 2025.[1][2]
Underly was first elected in 2021, defeating Deborah Kerr 57.6% to 42.3%. Underly's campaign supported increased funding for state schools from the state legislature and said, "Our state has been underfunding schools for a long time, and we need to make the necessary investments so Wisconsin kids get a great education, and are able to compete in the global economy."[3] Underly also campaigned on increasing teacher recruitment and said she supported "additional funding to look at programs like teacher apprenticeship, look at things like grow your own programs, which are taking adults who may be already working your school but aren’t licensed as teachers and investing in them."[4] The Wisconsin Democratic Party endorsed Underly.[5]
Kinser was an education consultant, a former special education teacher, and a nonprofit executive.[6] Kinser campaigned to change the state's curriculum and said, "We must prioritize reading, writing, math and science to provide the foundation for meaningful careers and a bright future."[3] She wanted to ensure more transparency about where school funds were spent, saying, "I’ve said this to superintendents. ‘Where is the money going?’ We should see that as going into the classroom, and supporting our teachers...If [schools] are spending a ton of money on the district level or bureaucracy, you’ve got to find a way to get that back into the classroom."[7] Kinser said she did not align with either party.[8][3] After the primary, the state Republican Party said that Kinser was "the common-sense candidate for State Superintendent."[9]
In the February 18 primary, Underly received 38% of the vote, and Brittany Kinser received 35%. A third candidate, Jeff Wright, received 27% of the vote. According to the Associated Press's Scott Bauer, turnout for the primary "was 9.9% of the voting age population... That was ahead of the roughly 7% turnout in the 2021 DPI primary."[10] The Downballot's Jeff Nir and David Singer wrote, "Underly's showing is... the weakest by an incumbent since 1977, when Barbara Thompson... won 37% in the primary. However, Thompson went on to secure a second term with 55% of the vote."[11]
This election took place concurrently with an election for a seat on the state's Supreme Court. The Downballot's Nir and Singer wrote that 2025 was "the first time since 2013 that the state [would] hold simultaneous contested elections for both posts... It's likely, then, that if [Susan] Crawford prevails, Underly will have a strong shot at a second term while a victory for [Brad] Schimel would boost Kinser."[11] For more coverage on the state's supreme court race, click here.
As of March 13, 2025, Underly raised $81,773 and spent $37,974, while Kinser raised $301,316 and spent $163,545.[12] This election was the most expensive state superintendent race in state history, with over $4.5 million spent.[13] The 2021 election was previously the most expensive state superintendent contest in the state's history, with seven candidates and various satellite groups spending $2.98 million.[14] To read more about fundraising in this race, click here.
Adrianne Melby ran as a write-in candidate. Melby completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read her responses, click here.
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction
Incumbent Jill Underly defeated Brittany Kinser and Adrianne Melby in the general election for Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction on April 1, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jill Underly (Nonpartisan) | 52.7 | 1,148,427 |
 | Brittany Kinser (Nonpartisan) | 46.9 | 1,022,489 | |
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan) (Write-in)  | 0.0 | 348 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 7,305 | ||
| Total votes: 2,178,569 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction
Incumbent Jill Underly and Brittany Kinser defeated Jeff Wright in the primary for Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction on February 18, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jill Underly (Nonpartisan) | 37.9 | 177,626 |
| ✔ | | Brittany Kinser (Nonpartisan) | 34.5 | 161,636 |
 | Jeff Wright (Nonpartisan) | 27.4 | 128,292 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 1,055 | ||
| Total votes: 468,609 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Wisconsin
Candidate connection
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Incumbent: Yes
Political Office:
- Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction (Assumed office: 2021)
Biography: Underly received her bachelor’s degrees in history and sociology from Indiana University-Bloomington, her master’s degree in secondary education from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, her master's in educational administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She previously worked as a teacher, principal, and superintendent.
Show sources
Sources: WPR, "State Superintendent Jill Underly will face primary challenge in February," January 8, 2025; Wisconsin Examiner, "State superintendent race kicks off: Underly faces challenge from Sauk Prairie superintendent," December 5, 2024; WBAY, "Incumbent State Superintendent Underly details priorities if reelected," February 4, 2025; State Superintendent of Public Instruction "About Dr. Jill Underly," accessed January 29, 2025; Jill Underly 2025 campaign website, "About," accessed January 29, 2025; Wisconsin Board of Regents, "Jill Underly," accessed January 29, 2025
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2025.
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: Kinser received her bachelor's degree in special education from Eastern Illinois University in 1999, her master's in designing science curriculum from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 2006 and her master's in educational leadership from Columbia University in 2011. She previously worked as the founder of her own consultation firm and as a special education teacher and as chair of Milwaukee Charter School Advocates.
Show sources
Sources: Channel 3000, "Meet DPI superintendent candidate Brittany Kinser," January 23, 2025; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "A primary race could be shaping up for Wisconsin's top education official," December 19, 2024; WiscNews, "Changing academic standards becomes a central issue of Wisconsin superintendent race," January 27, 2025; LinkedIn, "Brittany Kinser," accessed January 29, 2025; Channel 3000, "Meet DPI superintendent candidate Brittany Kinser," January 23, 2025
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2025.
Do you have a photo that could go here? Click here to submit it for this profile!
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I have been a homeschooling mom for almost two decades. I decided to go back to school myself in 2023. We need to bring back old school values to our modern day schools."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2025.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
| Collapse all
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
I support the use of the term “mother” and “father” and not “inseminated person”.
I fully support the Constitution of the United States of America and the values our country was founded upon.
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Adrianne Melby (Nonpartisan)
Candidate ads
Jill Underly
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Jill Underly while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Brittany Kinser
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Brittany Kinser while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Election competitiveness
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.
Endorsements
Click the links below to see official endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites for any candidates that make that information available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.
Election spending
Campaign finance
Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[15][16][17]
If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.
Election analysis
Following the 2024 presidential election, 62.9% of Wisconsinites lived in one of the state's 58 Solid Republican counties, which voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election from 2016 to 2024, and 35.5% lived in one of 12 Solid Democratic counties. Overall, Wisconsin was Battleground Republican, having voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016, Joe Biden (D) in 2020, and Donald Trump (R) in 2024. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Wisconsin following the 2024 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.
| Wisconsin county-level statistics, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solid Republican | 58 | 62.9% | |||||
| Solid Democratic | 12 | 35.5% | |||||
| Battleground Republican | 1 | 1.1% | |||||
| Trending Democratic | 1 | 0.5% | |||||
| Total voted Democratic | 13 | 36.0% | |||||
| Total voted Republican | 59 | 64.0% | |||||
Election context
Ballot access requirements
See statutes: Wisconsin Statutes and Annotations, Chapter 8
The filing process for both ballot-qualified party candidates and other candidates (e.g., independents, non-recognized party candidates, etc.) is the same. The filing procedure, however, does vary somewhat according to the type of office being sought. Please note that only ballot-qualified party candidates can participate in primaries.[18]
For federal and state candidates
A candidate for federal office must file a declaration of candidacy with the Wisconsin Elections Commission. The declaration of candidacy must state the following:[18][19]
- that the individual is a candidate for the office named on the form
- that the individual meets the qualifications for office, or will meet the qualifications by the time he or she assumes office if elected
- that the individual will otherwise qualify for office if nominated and elected
The declaration of candidacy must be sworn before an individual authorized to administer oaths. The declaration of candidacy must be filed by 5:00 p.m. on June 1 preceding the election (if June 1 falls on non-business day, the form will be due on the next preceding business day).[18][19][20][21]
In addition to the declaration of candidacy, the candidate must submit nomination papers to the Wisconsin Elections Commission. The number of signatures required varies according to the office being sought. Requirements are summarized in the table below.[18][20][21]
| Nomination paper signature requirements for federal candidates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office | Minimum signatures | Maximum signatures |
| U.S. Senator | 2,000 | 4,000 |
| U.S. Representative | 1,000 | 2,000 |
| State senator | 400 | 800 |
| State representative | 200 | 400 |
| State supreme court justice | 2,000 | 4,000 |
Nomination papers must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on June 1 preceding the election (if June 1 falls on non-business day, the form will be due on the next preceding business day).[18][20][21]
Write-in candidates
On April 2, 2014, Governor Scott Walker signed into law AB 419, which requires that write-in candidates file campaign finance statements in order to have their votes tallied. Otherwise, there are no specific filing requirements for write-in candidates.[22]
Past elections
The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2013.
2021
General election
General election for Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jill Underly (Nonpartisan) | 57.6 | 526,406 |
 | Deborah Kerr (Nonpartisan) | 42.3 | 386,543 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 1,420 | ||
| Total votes: 914,369 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jill Underly (Nonpartisan) | 27.2 | 88,796 |
| ✔ | | Deborah Kerr (Nonpartisan) | 26.4 | 86,174 |
 | Sheila Briggs (Nonpartisan) | 15.6 | 50,815 | |
 | Shandowlyon Hendricks Reaves (Nonpartisan) | 11.3 | 36,850 | |
 | Troy Gunderson (Nonpartisan) | 8.4 | 27,452 | |
 | Steve Krull (Nonpartisan) | 6.3 | 20,543 | |
| Joe Fenrick (Nonpartisan) | 4.4 | 14,507 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 937 | ||
| Total votes: 326,074 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
2017
General election
General election for Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Tony Evers (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
2013
Incumbent Tony Evers ran for and won re-election in 2013. He defeated state rep. Don Pridemore with approximately 61 percent of the vote in the general election on April 2, 2013.[23]
| Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction General Election, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Tony Evers Incumbent |
61.1% | 487,030 | |
| Nonpartisan | Don Pridemore | 38.7% | 308,050 | |
| Scattering | Various | 0.2% | 1,431 | |
| Total Votes | 796,511 | |||
| Election Results via Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (dead link). | ||||
About the office
Superintendent of Public Instruction
The Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction is an elected position in the Wisconsin state government. The superintendent's responsibilities include providing leadership for Wisconsin's public school districts, providing the public with information about school management, attendance, and performance, licensing the state's teachers, and receiving and disbursing federal aid for schools.[24]
2025 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This is a battleground election. Other 2025 battleground elections include:
- Seattle Public Schools, Washington, elections, 2025 (August 5 nonpartisan primary)
- Virginia gubernatorial election, 2025
- Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2025
See also
| Wisconsin | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ New York Times, "Wisconsin Spring Election Results," accessed April 1, 2025
- ↑ Decision Desk HQ, "2025 Wisconsin General," accessed April 1, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Milwaukee Sentinel Journal, "A primary race could be shaping up for Wisconsin's top education official," December 19, 2024
- ↑ WBAY, "Incumbent State Superintendent Underly details priorities if reelected," February 4, 2025
- ↑ Wisconsin Democrats, "Democratic Party of Wisconsin Endorses Dr. Jill Underly for Reelection as Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction," November 21, 2024
- ↑ Wisconsin Examiner, "Two candidates officially challenge state schools Superintendent Jill Underly," January 7, 2025
- ↑ Maciver Institute, "Brittany Kinser Running for State Superintendent," January 30, 2025
- ↑ WisPolitics, "Reversing course, Kinser files for state schools superintendent race," December 17, 2024
- ↑ Wisconsin GOP, "WisGOP Congratulates Brittany Kinser!" February 19, 2025
- ↑ X, "Scott Bauer on X, February 19, 2025," February 9, 2025
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 The Downballot, "Morning Digest: Liberal candidates run up the vote in Wisconsin primaries, "February 20, 2025
- ↑ Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System, "View Filed Reports," accessed February 3, 2025
- ↑ WisPolitics, "WED PM Update: DPI spending hits record $4.5 million as Kinser, Underly start new ads," March 26, 2025
- ↑ Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, "Spring School Superintendent Race Cost Record $3 Million," July 19, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Government Accountability Board, "Ballot Access Manual (2023)," accessed apRIL 25, 2025
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Wisconsin Statutes and Annotations, "Chapter 8, Section 21," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Wisconsin Statutes and Annotations, "Chapter 8, Section 20," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Wisconsin Statutes and Annotations, "Chapter 8, Section 15," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ Ballot Access News, "Wisconsin Will No Longer Count Write-in Votes Unless Write-in Candidate Files Paperwork," May 17, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "2013 Spring Election"
- ↑ Wisconsin Statutes, "115.28" accessed July 20, 2012
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