Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, 2026
U.S. House • Governor • Lt. Gov • Attorney General • Secretary of State • State executive offices • State Senate • State Assembly • Supreme court • Appellate courts • How to run for office |
2026 State Judicial Elections | |
---|---|
2027 »
« 2025
| |
![]() | |
Overview | |
Supreme Courts Overview | |
Appellate Courts Overview | |
View judicial elections by state: | |
The term of one Wisconsin Supreme Court justice will expire on July 31, 2026. The seat is up for nonpartisan election on April 7, 2026. The primary is scheduled February 17, 2026. Although the elections are officially nonpartisan, candidates often take stances on specific issues and receive backing from the state's major political parties during their campaigns.[1]
On August 29, 2025, Rebecca Bradley announced she would not seek another term in 2026.[2][3] Bradley is a member of the court's conservative minority. Governor Scott Walker (R) appointed to the court after the death of Justice N. Patrick Crooks in September 2015. Bradley was elected to a full term in 2016, when she defeated JoAnne Kloppenburg.
According to the Associated Press' Scott Bauer, "The open race comes as several high-profile issues could make their way to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the coming months, including abortion, collective bargaining rights, congressional redistricting and election rules."[4]
Liberals are expected to have a majority on the court until at least 2028.[4] If a liberal candidate wins in 2026, the liberal majority would increase from 4-3 to 5-2. If a conservative candidate wins, the court would maintain its 4-3 liberal majority.
Liberals first won a 4-3 majority in the April 2023 election, when Judge Janet Protasiewicz won an open seat, defeating Daniel Kelly 55.4% to 44.4% and shifting ideological control of the court for the first time in 15 years. In April 2025, liberals retained their 4-3 majority, when Susan Crawford defeated Brad Schimel 55.0% to 44.9%. Both the 2023 and the 2025 races broke records as the most expensive judicial races in U.S. history. According to WisPolitics, the candidates and satellite groups spent more than $100 million in the 2025 election and more than $56 million in the 2023 election.[5][6]
The last time conservatives won an election for Wisconsin Supreme Court was in 2019, when Brian Hagedorn defeated Lisa Neubauer 50.2%-49.7%.
The 2025 election also had the record voter turnout for a nonpartisan election at 50%. The previous record was in 2023, when turnout was 39.7%. Turnout in Wisconsin’s November 2024 general election was 73% and turnout in November 2022 was 57.2%.[7]
Wisconsin is also holding elections for three intermediate appellate court judges in April 2026. In November 2026, the state will hold elections for U.S. House and governor, as well as various other state executive and state legislative offices.
On this page, you will find:
- Voting dates and deadlines
- Information about the court
- The political composition of the court
- The judicial selection process
- A brief history of elections to the court
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the justices who must stand for nonpartisan election in 2026 in order to remain on the bench. Justices may choose not to stand for election. The list is subject to change if justices retire or are appointed.
Candidates and results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
Rebecca Bradley's seat
General election
The general election will occur on April 7, 2026.
General election for Wisconsin Supreme Court
Chris Taylor is running in the general election for Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 7, 2026.
Candidate | ||
![]() | Chris Taylor (Nonpartisan) |
![]() | ||||
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
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
About the Wisconsin Supreme Court
- See also: Wisconsin Supreme Court
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in the state of Wisconsin. Seven justices, selected in nonpartisan elections for 10-year terms, sit on the state's court of last resort. The court has jurisdiction over all other Wisconsin courts and can also hear original actions.[8]
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
■ Susan Crawford | Elected in 2025 | |
■ Rebecca Bradley | Appointed by Gov. Scott Walker (R) in 2015 | |
■ Rebecca Dallet | Elected in 2018 | |
■ Brian Hagedorn | Elected in 2019 | |
■ Jill Karofsky | Elected in 2020 | |
■ Janet Claire Protasiewicz | Elected in 2023 | |
■ Annette Ziegler | Elected in 2007 |
Selection
The seven justices of the Wisconsin Supreme Court are elected in statewide nonpartisan elections. Judges serve ten-year terms, and to remain on the court, they must run for re-election after their term expires. Only one seat may be elected in any year, and more than two candidates for each seat must file to have a primary.[9][10]
Qualifications
To serve on the supreme court, a judge must be:
- licensed to practice law in Wisconsin for a minimum of five years immediately prior to election or appointment
- under the age of 70.[11]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the court is selected by peer vote for a term of two years.
Vacancies
In the event of a vacancy on the court, the governor has the power and duty to appoint an individual to the vacancy. The governor screens judicial applicants using an advisory council on judicial selection. The council recommends three to five candidates to the governor, although the governor is not bound by their recommendations. The appointed justice must then stand for election in the first subsequent year in which no other justice's term expires.[10][9][12]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
Election history
Conservatives gained a 4-3 majority on the court in 2008 following the election of Michael Gableman. Conservatives held an expanded 5-2 majority from 2016-2018 and again from 2019-2020. Liberals gained a majority on the court in 2023 following the election of Janet Claire Protasiewicz.
The chart below details Wisconsin Supreme Court elections between 2005 and 2023.
Year | Winning candidate | Ideological lean | Percent share of vote | Losing candidate | Ideological lean | Percent share of vote | Margin of victory | Majority on court | Turnout | Other statewide elections on ballot |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025 | Susan Crawford | Liberal | 55.0% | Brad Schimel | Conservative | 44.9% | 10.1% | 4-3 | 50.1% | State Superintendent of Public Instruction |
2023 | Janet Claire Protasiewicz | Liberal | 55.4% | Daniel Kelly | Conservative | 44.4% | 11.0% | 4-3 | 39.3% | None |
2020 | Jill Karofsky | Liberal | 55.2% | Daniel Kelly | Conservative | 44.7% | 10.5% | 4-3 | 45.8% | Primary election - U.S. President |
2019 | Brian Hagedorn | Conservative | 50.2% | Lisa Neubauer | Liberal | 49.7% | 0.5% | 5-2 | 26.6% | None |
2018 | Rebecca Dallet | Liberal | 55.8% | Michael Screnock | Conservative | 44.2% | 11.5% | 4-3 | 22.2% | None |
2017 | Annette Ziegler (incumbent) |
Conservative | 97.2% | Write-in | -- | 2.8% | 94.4% | 5-2 | ~16% | State Superintendent of Public Instruction |
2016 | Rebecca Bradley (incumbent) |
Conservative | 52.4% | JoAnne Kloppenburg | Liberal | 47.5% | 4.9% | 5-2 | 47.4% | Primary election - U.S. President |
2015 | Ann Walsh Bradley (incumbent) |
Liberal | 58.1% | James Daley | Conservative | 41.9% | 16.2% | 4-3 | 18.3% | None |
2013 | Patience Roggensack (incumbent) |
Conservative | 57.5% | Ed Fallone | Liberal | 42.5% | 15% | 4-3 | 20.5% | State Superintendent of Public Instruction |
2011 | David T. Prosser (incumbent) |
Conservative | 50.2% | JoAnne Kloppenburg | Liberal | 49.7% | 0.5% | 4-3 | 34.3% | None |
2009 | Shirley Abrahamson (incumbent) |
Liberal | 59.6% | Randy Koschnick | Conservative | 40.2% | 19.4% | 4-3 | 18.2% | None |
2008 | Michael Gableman | Conservative | 51.1% | Louis Butler (incumbent) |
Liberal | 48.5% | 2.6% | 4-3 | 19.3% | None |
2007 | Annette Ziegler | Conservative | 58.6% | Linda M. Clifford | Liberal | 41.1% | 17.5% | 4-3 | 19.4% | None |
2006 | N. Patrick Crooks (incumbent) |
Liberal | 99.4% | Write-in | -- | 0.6% | 98.8% | 4-3 | 11.8% | None |
2005 | Ann Walsh Bradley (incumbent) |
Liberal | 99.6% | Write-in | -- | 0.4% | 99.2% | 4-3 | 17.1% | State Superintendent of Public Instruction |
Historical election spending
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ NBC News, "The new liberal majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court is off to a tense start," April 11, 2024
- ↑ X, "Matt Smith," August 29, 2025
- ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio, "Justice Rebecca Bradley will not seek reelection, setting up wide open Wisconsin Supreme Court race," August 29, 2025
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Associated Press, "A conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice won’t run again, creating an open seat," August 30, 2025
- ↑ WisPolitics, "FRI REPORT: WisPolitics tally: Supreme Court race spending tops $100M, nearly doubling previous record," March 28, 2025
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 WisPolitics, "WisPolitics tally shows record $59 million dropped on Supreme Court race so far," March 12, 2025
- ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Voter Turnout," accessed September 5, 2025
- ↑ Wisconsin Court System, "Supreme Court," accessed September 18, 2014
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection," accessed August 12, 2021
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wisconsin Constitution," accessed September 19, 2014 (Article VII, Section 4: pg.10) Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name "section4" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wisconsin Constitution," accessed September 19, 2014 (Article VII, Section 24: pg.11)
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "8.50 - Special elections," accessed April 19, 2023
- ↑ New York Times, "Wisconsin Spring Election Results," accessed April 1, 2025
- ↑ Decision Desk HQ, "2025 Wisconsin General," accessed April 1, 2025
- ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio, "Crawford, Schimel set to square off in another high-profile Wisconsin Supreme Court race," January 8, 2025
- ↑ CBS News, "Susan Crawford, who represented Planned Parenthood, enters Wisconsin Supreme Court race," June 10, 2024
- ↑ WKOW-TV, "Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford announces campaign for Wisconsin Supreme Court," June 10, 2024
- ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio, "Dane County Judge Susan Crawford running for Wisconsin Supreme Court," June 10, 2024
- ↑ Associated Press, "Liberal Judge Susan Crawford enters race for Wisconsin Supreme Court with majority at stake," June 10, 2024
- ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio, "All 4 liberal justices back Crawford’s Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign," June 17, 2024
- ↑ Wisconsin Watch, "Another pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court election offers two familiar outcomes," January 6, 2025
- ↑ Dryden Wire, "Brad Schimel Announces Campaign For Wisconsin Supreme Court," November 30, 2023
- ↑ Brad Schimel 2025 campaign website, "About Brad," accessed January 7, 2025
- ↑ Dryden Wire, "Brad Schimel Announces Campaign For Wisconsin Supreme Court," November 30, 2023
- ↑ Brad Schimel 2025 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed March 11, 2025
- ↑ Associated Press, "Trump backs Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate in hotly contested race," March 21, 2025
- ↑ WisPolitics, "FRI REPORT: WisPolitics tally: Supreme Court race spending tops $100M, nearly doubling previous record," March 28, 2025
- ↑ Associated Press, "Billionaires Musk and Soros push Wisconsin Supreme Court race spending over $100M," April 4, 2025
- ↑ New York Times, "Rallying Anti-Musk Donors, Liberal Judge Raises $24 Million in Key Court Contest," March 24, 2025
- ↑ Washington Post, "Expensive court race will decide future of abortion in Wisconsin," April 2, 2023
- ↑ Associated Press, "Ad wars begin in closely watched Wisconsin Supreme Court race," January 13, 2025
- ↑ The Hill, "Wisconsin tees up high-stakes Supreme Court race with partisan control on the line," November 24, 2024
- ↑ Democracy Docket, "What To Watch for in Pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court Race," June 17, 2024
- ↑ In heated Wisconsin Supreme Court debate, candidates tangle over 'fake elector' scheme, "NBC," March 21, 2023
- ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio, "Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz announces candidacy for state Supreme Court," May 25, 2022
- ↑ The Hill, "Five races to watch in 2023," December 7, 2022
- ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "Here's why the Wisconsin Supreme Court race matters," November 26, 2022
- ↑ Spectrum News 1, "The campaigns aren't over yet, as the focus shifts to a high-stakes Supreme Court race in Wisconsin," November 14, 2022
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Wisconsin Public Radio, "Wisconsin's next partisan battle will be over the balance of power on its Supreme Court," December 1, 2022
- ↑ The Cap Times, "Devin LeMahieu endorses Jennifer Dorow in Wisconsin Supreme Court race," January 5, 2023
- ↑ Wisconsin Examiner, "Attempting to shift balance, Janet Protasiewicz says she’ll bring fairness to state Supreme Court," December 12, 2022
- ↑ Spectrum News 1, "Wisconsin's race for state Supreme Court heats up as the field of candidates grows," November 30, 2022
- ↑ WISN Channel 12, "Wisconsin Supreme Court race," January 1, 2023
- ↑ PBS Wisconsin, "Meet the candidates running in the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court primary," January 4, 2023
- ↑ Spectrum News, "I think the public should know what our values are: Judge Janet Protasiewicz explains her bid for Supreme Court," February 14, 2023
- ↑ AP: Daniel Kelly and Judge Janet Protasiewicz advance to April's Wisconsin Supreme Court race," February 22, 2023
- ↑ WisPolitics, "Kelly campaign: Daniel Kelly launches his campaign to serve on the Wisconsin Supreme Court," September 8, 2022
- ↑ 48.0 48.1 NBC News, "In heated Wisconsin Supreme Court debate, candidates tangle over 'fake elector' scheme," March 21, 2023
- ↑ WisPolitics, "Kelly, Protasiewicz trade barbs in only Supreme Court debate," March 21, 2023
- ↑ WisPolitics, "Protasiewicz campaign: Judge Janet Protasiewicz announces endorsement of Justice Rebecca Dallet," May 31, 2022
- ↑ WisPolitics, "Justice Ann Walsh Bradley: Endorses Judge Janet Protasiewicz for Wisconsin Supreme Court," February 7, 2023
- ↑ WisPolitics, "Justice Karofsky: Endorses Judge Protasiewicz for Wisconsin Supreme Court," February 22, 2023
- ↑ Emily's List, "EMILYs List Endorses Janet Protasiewicz for Wisconsin Supreme Court," February 9, 2023
- ↑ WisPolitics, "Kelly campaign: Judicial conservatives Justice Rebecca Bradley & Judge Shelley Grogan endorse Daniel Kelly," November 14, 2022
- ↑ PBS Wisconsin, "Kelly's work for anti-abortion group raised in 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court race," Associated Press, 2023
- ↑ WisPolitics, "WisPolitics tally shows record $59 million dropped on Supreme Court race so far," March 12, 2025
- ↑ WisPolitics, "WisPolitics review: Spending in Supreme Court race surpasses $45 million," March 24, 2023
- ↑ 58.0 58.1 NBC, "Cash bail could play a big role in a crucial Wisconsin election," February 28, 2023
- ↑ The New York Times, "Live: Wisconsin Supreme Court and Statewide Election Results," accessed April 13, 2020
- ↑ WKOW, "Gov. Walker appoints Daniel Kelly to Wisconsin Supreme Court," accessed July 24, 2016
- ↑ 61.0 61.1 61.2 Wisconsin Public Radio, "Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidates Debate Role Of Politics, Precedent," November 19, 2019
- ↑ WUWM, "Judge Jill Karofsky Wants To End 'Corruption' If Elected To Wisconsin Supreme Court," January 2, 2020
- ↑ Daniel Kelly's 2020 campaign website, "Judicial Philosophy," accessed January 23, 2020
- ↑ Wisconsin Vote, "Election Results," accessed February 18, 2020
- ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Candidate Tracking by Office, 2017 Spring Election - 4/4/2017," accessed January 5, 2017
- ↑ WEAU.com, "Walker appoints Appeals Judge Bradley to WI High Court," October 9, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "Scott Walker appoints Rebecca Bradley to Supreme Court," October 10, 2015
- ↑ AP, "Wisconsin Summary Vote Results," accessed April 6, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Election Results," accessed April 6, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidates Registered 2015 Spring Election," January 8, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin Election Commission, "2015 Spring Election Results," accessed September 19, 2019
- ↑ Fox 6 News, Ann Walsh Bradley elected to a third term on Wisconsin Supreme Court, defeating James Daley," April 7, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin Court System, "Justice Ann Walsh Bradley," accessed February 13, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin Court System, "Wisconsin Supreme Court selects chief judges," June 28, 2013
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Results of Spring General Election," April 7, 2009
- ↑ New York Times, "Rallying Anti-Musk Donors, Liberal Judge Raises $24 Million in Key Court Contest," March 24, 2025
- ↑ X, "Matt Smith," March 23, 2025
Federal courts:
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Wisconsin, Western District of Wisconsin • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Wisconsin, Western District of Wisconsin
State courts:
Wisconsin Supreme Court • Wisconsin Court of Appeals • Wisconsin Circuit Courts • Wisconsin Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Wisconsin • Wisconsin judicial elections • Judicial selection in Wisconsin
|