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Wisconsin local trial court judicial elections, 2020
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- Main articles: State judicial elections, 2020 and Local trial court judicial elections, 2020
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of elections in America's 100 largest cities by population. This coverage extends to every office on the ballot for residents of these cities, including local trial court judges. In 2020, Ballotpedia covered the following local elections in this state:
- Madison, Wisconsin - Alderperson (special election)
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Mayor, common councilors, city attorney, city comptroller, city treasurer
- Dane County, Wisconsin - Board of supervisors, county clerk, treasurer, register of deeds, district attorney, circuit court judge
- Milwaukee County, Wisconsin - County executive, county comptroller, county board supervisors, circuit court judgeships, county clerk, county treasurer, register of deeds, and district attorney
If the above list includes local trial court judgeships, click the links for more information about the elections. Click here to learn more about how the judges in this state are selected. Ballotpedia did not cover all local trial court judicial elections in this state in 2020. Please consider donating to Ballotpedia to help us expand our coverage of these elections.
Election rules
Primary election
A primary is held on the third Tuesday in February to nominate judicial candidates for the spring election. Candidates seeking election must file by the first Tuesday in January preceding the spring general election. A primary is required to be held if more than two candidates file for nomination to the supreme court, the same district of an appellate court or for the same branch of a circuit court. If the number of candidates for office does not exceed twice the number to be elected to the office a primary is not held and all the candidates will appear on the ballot in the spring election. The two candidates who receive the most votes in a primary race advance to the general election.[1][2]
General election
A spring election is held on the first Tuesday in April.[1]
Additional elections
- See also: Wisconsin elections, 2020
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Twenty-three of 72 Wisconsin counties—32 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Adams County, Wisconsin | 21.92% | 8.73% | 18.35% | ||||
| Buffalo County, Wisconsin | 21.82% | 2.93% | 14.66% | ||||
| Columbia County, Wisconsin | 2.14% | 13.58% | 15.26% | ||||
| Crawford County, Wisconsin | 5.40% | 19.98% | 27.03% | ||||
| Door County, Wisconsin | 3.22% | 6.99% | 17.33% | ||||
| Dunn County, Wisconsin | 11.09% | 4.97% | 14.95% | ||||
| Forest County, Wisconsin | 26.58% | 5.44% | 15.16% | ||||
| Grant County, Wisconsin | 9.43% | 13.77% | 23.88% | ||||
| Jackson County, Wisconsin | 11.74% | 15.01% | 21.84% | ||||
| Juneau County, Wisconsin | 26.05% | 7.03% | 9.00% | ||||
| Kenosha County, Wisconsin | 0.31% | 12.23% | 18.06% | ||||
| Lafayette County, Wisconsin | 8.99% | 15.37% | 22.32% | ||||
| Lincoln County, Wisconsin | 20.60% | 0.71% | 12.48% | ||||
| Marquette County, Wisconsin | 24.09% | 0.27% | 5.28% | ||||
| Pepin County, Wisconsin | 23.08% | 2.22% | 12.89% | ||||
| Price County, Wisconsin | 25.00% | 0.04% | 13.40% | ||||
| Racine County, Wisconsin | 4.28% | 3.54% | 7.41% | ||||
| Richland County, Wisconsin | 5.50% | 16.13% | 20.63% | ||||
| Sauk County, Wisconsin | 0.35% | 18.47% | 23.04% | ||||
| Sawyer County, Wisconsin | 18.41% | 0.49% | 6.23% | ||||
| Trempealeau County, Wisconsin | 12.64% | 14.08% | 26.39% | ||||
| Vernon County, Wisconsin | 4.43% | 14.73% | 22.00% | ||||
| Winnebago County, Wisconsin | 7.34% | 3.73% | 11.66% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Wisconsin with 47.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 46.5 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Wisconsin cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Wisconsin supported Republicans slightly more than Democratic candidates, 50.0 to 46.7 percent. The state, however, favored Democrats in every presidential election from 2000 to 2012 before voting for Trump in 2016.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state Assembly districts in Wisconsin. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[3][4]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 43 out of 99 state Assembly districts in Wisconsin with an average margin of victory of 34.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 36 out of 99 state Assembly districts in Wisconsin with an average margin of victory of 34.6 points. Clinton won three districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 56 out of 99 state Assembly districts in Wisconsin with an average margin of victory of 12.1 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 63 out of 99 state Assembly districts in Wisconsin with an average margin of victory of 19.4 points. Trump won two districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 Presidential Results by State Assembly District ' | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 49.45% | 49.55% | R+0.1 | 40.19% | 55.31% | R+15.1 | R |
| 2 | 45.06% | 53.88% | R+8.8 | 35.98% | 58.55% | R+22.6 | R |
| 3 | 46.37% | 52.37% | R+6 | 39.25% | 54.77% | R+15.5 | R |
| 4 | 47.96% | 51.02% | R+3.1 | 42.82% | 51.96% | R+9.1 | R |
| 5 | 45.84% | 53.01% | R+7.2 | 35.60% | 58.94% | R+23.3 | R |
| 6 | 44.15% | 54.75% | R+10.6 | 30.90% | 64.34% | R+33.4 | R |
| 7 | 57.11% | 41.73% | D+15.4 | 55.20% | 39.20% | D+16 | D |
| 8 | 86.53% | 12.79% | D+73.7 | 82.43% | 14.14% | D+68.3 | D |
| 9 | 74.69% | 24.42% | D+50.3 | 71.60% | 23.86% | D+47.7 | D |
| 10 | 89.76% | 9.63% | D+80.1 | 89.09% | 8.09% | D+81 | D |
| 11 | 86.92% | 12.62% | D+74.3 | 85.40% | 12.20% | D+73.2 | D |
| 12 | 80.00% | 19.52% | D+60.5 | 79.28% | 17.84% | D+61.4 | D |
| 13 | 41.61% | 57.43% | R+15.8 | 46.60% | 48.01% | R+1.4 | R |
| 14 | 42.53% | 56.71% | R+14.2 | 49.36% | 45.05% | D+4.3 | R |
| 15 | 44.86% | 54.03% | R+9.2 | 43.63% | 50.53% | R+6.9 | R |
| 16 | 90.18% | 8.97% | D+81.2 | 88.16% | 8.20% | D+80 | D |
| 17 | 86.03% | 13.52% | D+72.5 | 85.53% | 11.96% | D+73.6 | D |
| 18 | 89.18% | 10.15% | D+79 | 87.03% | 9.71% | D+77.3 | D |
| 19 | 69.95% | 28.13% | D+41.8 | 72.67% | 20.16% | D+52.5 | D |
| 20 | 58.37% | 40.39% | D+18 | 55.33% | 39.27% | D+16.1 | D |
| 21 | 47.93% | 51.07% | R+3.1 | 44.81% | 50.06% | R+5.3 | R |
| 22 | 42.44% | 56.73% | R+14.3 | 35.41% | 60.15% | R+24.7 | R |
| 23 | 34.62% | 64.61% | R+30 | 50.43% | 44.81% | D+5.6 | R |
| 24 | 43.05% | 56.18% | R+13.1 | 45.71% | 49.32% | R+3.6 | R |
| 25 | 46.93% | 51.76% | R+4.8 | 35.85% | 58.74% | R+22.9 | R |
| 26 | 45.64% | 53.35% | R+7.7 | 38.91% | 55.22% | R+16.3 | R |
| 27 | 45.07% | 53.89% | R+8.8 | 40.39% | 54.00% | R+13.6 | R |
| 28 | 43.68% | 54.77% | R+11.1 | 32.63% | 61.90% | R+29.3 | R |
| 29 | 48.16% | 50.05% | R+1.9 | 38.58% | 54.01% | R+15.4 | R |
| 30 | 46.24% | 52.24% | R+6 | 42.51% | 50.44% | R+7.9 | R |
| 31 | 46.56% | 52.48% | R+5.9 | 40.68% | 53.70% | R+13 | R |
| 32 | 41.42% | 57.37% | R+15.9 | 34.97% | 59.41% | R+24.4 | R |
| 33 | 39.95% | 58.97% | R+19 | 35.54% | 59.27% | R+23.7 | R |
| 34 | 44.59% | 54.39% | R+9.8 | 35.28% | 60.34% | R+25.1 | R |
| 35 | 46.89% | 52.10% | R+5.2 | 34.68% | 60.52% | R+25.8 | R |
| 36 | 46.49% | 52.48% | R+6 | 32.07% | 64.35% | R+32.3 | R |
| 37 | 45.97% | 52.93% | R+7 | 39.87% | 54.26% | R+14.4 | R |
| 38 | 41.66% | 57.48% | R+15.8 | 38.23% | 56.78% | R+18.5 | R |
| 39 | 42.12% | 56.85% | R+14.7 | 32.76% | 62.11% | R+29.4 | R |
| 40 | 45.04% | 53.94% | R+8.9 | 32.61% | 62.85% | R+30.2 | R |
| 41 | 48.58% | 50.35% | R+1.8 | 36.02% | 59.60% | R+23.6 | R |
| 42 | 51.09% | 48.03% | D+3.1 | 40.26% | 54.51% | R+14.3 | R |
| 43 | 58.46% | 40.22% | D+18.2 | 50.24% | 43.54% | D+6.7 | D |
| 44 | 63.57% | 35.53% | D+28 | 55.44% | 38.62% | D+16.8 | D |
| 45 | 63.99% | 34.88% | D+29.1 | 52.83% | 41.86% | D+11 | D |
| 46 | 63.63% | 35.46% | D+28.2 | 61.74% | 32.95% | D+28.8 | D |
| 47 | 71.05% | 27.83% | D+43.2 | 71.89% | 23.13% | D+48.8 | D |
| 48 | 77.21% | 21.61% | D+55.6 | 76.06% | 19.26% | D+56.8 | D |
| 49 | 56.34% | 42.26% | D+14.1 | 42.01% | 51.26% | R+9.3 | R |
| 50 | 54.10% | 44.84% | D+9.3 | 38.35% | 57.05% | R+18.7 | R |
| 51 | 59.12% | 39.77% | D+19.4 | 48.42% | 46.59% | D+1.8 | R |
| 52 | 45.04% | 53.91% | R+8.9 | 38.03% | 56.66% | R+18.6 | R |
| 53 | 43.36% | 55.55% | R+12.2 | 34.18% | 60.93% | R+26.7 | R |
| 54 | 57.39% | 41.08% | D+16.3 | 49.16% | 44.12% | D+5 | D |
| 55 | 47.32% | 51.08% | R+3.8 | 41.80% | 51.70% | R+9.9 | R |
| 56 | 43.05% | 55.69% | R+12.6 | 37.98% | 56.68% | R+18.7 | R |
| 57 | 58.41% | 39.31% | D+19.1 | 51.73% | 41.22% | D+10.5 | D |
| 58 | 31.25% | 67.77% | R+36.5 | 28.43% | 66.52% | R+38.1 | R |
| 59 | 31.24% | 67.73% | R+36.5 | 25.52% | 69.73% | R+44.2 | R |
| 60 | 31.82% | 67.23% | R+35.4 | 32.35% | 62.53% | R+30.2 | R |
| 61 | 44.42% | 54.59% | R+10.2 | 36.49% | 58.50% | R+22 | R |
| 62 | 45.73% | 53.46% | R+7.7 | 41.17% | 54.02% | R+12.9 | R |
| 63 | 42.73% | 56.47% | R+13.7 | 37.80% | 57.26% | R+19.5 | R |
| 64 | 58.84% | 40.05% | D+18.8 | 52.63% | 42.23% | D+10.4 | D |
| 65 | 67.06% | 31.78% | D+35.3 | 57.76% | 36.48% | D+21.3 | D |
| 66 | 75.23% | 23.77% | D+51.5 | 68.34% | 26.50% | D+41.8 | D |
| 67 | 48.07% | 50.75% | R+2.7 | 36.41% | 58.15% | R+21.7 | R |
| 68 | 51.24% | 47.56% | D+3.7 | 40.11% | 54.44% | R+14.3 | R |
| 69 | 43.65% | 55.15% | R+11.5 | 34.08% | 60.83% | R+26.8 | R |
| 70 | 48.55% | 50.09% | R+1.5 | 36.82% | 57.83% | R+21 | R |
| 71 | 57.55% | 41.03% | D+16.5 | 50.34% | 43.28% | D+7.1 | D |
| 72 | 48.68% | 50.09% | R+1.4 | 36.95% | 58.55% | R+21.6 | R |
| 73 | 60.93% | 37.66% | D+23.3 | 47.53% | 47.49% | D+0 | D |
| 74 | 57.74% | 40.88% | D+16.9 | 46.22% | 49.38% | R+3.2 | D |
| 75 | 47.55% | 51.22% | R+3.7 | 34.53% | 60.84% | R+26.3 | R |
| 76 | 81.64% | 15.70% | D+65.9 | 82.30% | 11.34% | D+71 | D |
| 77 | 82.23% | 16.20% | D+66 | 83.80% | 11.48% | D+72.3 | D |
| 78 | 71.91% | 26.85% | D+45.1 | 75.62% | 19.47% | D+56.2 | D |
| 79 | 60.89% | 38.29% | D+22.6 | 62.65% | 32.43% | D+30.2 | D |
| 80 | 63.93% | 35.08% | D+28.9 | 62.12% | 32.50% | D+29.6 | D |
| 81 | 61.46% | 37.67% | D+23.8 | 51.23% | 43.11% | D+8.1 | D |
| 82 | 43.03% | 56.32% | R+13.3 | 43.69% | 51.79% | R+8.1 | R |
| 83 | 31.12% | 68.10% | R+37 | 29.71% | 65.91% | R+36.2 | R |
| 84 | 42.31% | 56.84% | R+14.5 | 41.43% | 53.68% | R+12.3 | R |
| 85 | 52.04% | 46.78% | D+5.3 | 44.67% | 49.90% | R+5.2 | R |
| 86 | 43.96% | 55.02% | R+11.1 | 36.19% | 59.18% | R+23 | R |
| 87 | 44.81% | 53.95% | R+9.1 | 30.93% | 64.82% | R+33.9 | R |
| 88 | 48.79% | 50.35% | R+1.6 | 43.75% | 50.75% | R+7 | R |
| 89 | 46.02% | 52.97% | R+6.9 | 32.41% | 63.26% | R+30.9 | R |
| 90 | 63.31% | 35.13% | D+28.2 | 53.29% | 39.82% | D+13.5 | D |
| 91 | 60.63% | 37.68% | D+22.9 | 55.95% | 36.72% | D+19.2 | D |
| 92 | 55.89% | 42.98% | D+12.9 | 40.90% | 54.33% | R+13.4 | R |
| 93 | 47.10% | 51.80% | R+4.7 | 38.30% | 56.18% | R+17.9 | R |
| 94 | 51.53% | 47.32% | D+4.2 | 45.50% | 49.03% | R+3.5 | D |
| 95 | 64.46% | 33.93% | D+30.5 | 58.03% | 34.66% | D+23.4 | D |
| 96 | 55.57% | 42.95% | D+12.6 | 42.90% | 51.64% | R+8.7 | R |
| 97 | 39.90% | 59.02% | R+19.1 | 39.37% | 54.43% | R+15.1 | R |
| 98 | 33.69% | 65.46% | R+31.8 | 35.20% | 59.58% | R+24.4 | R |
| 99 | 26.70% | 72.64% | R+45.9 | 28.97% | 66.40% | R+37.4 | R |
| Total | 52.92% | 45.97% | D+7 | 47.01% | 47.78% | R+0.8 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
| Local courts | Wisconsin | Other local coverage |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wisconsin Legislative Council, "Overview of the Election Law in Wisconsin," archived March 31, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Wisconsin," accessed March 31, 2014
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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
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