Wisconsin state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018

Elections in Wisconsin, 2018

• General election: Nov. 6
• Voter registration deadline: Oct. 17 (online or mail), or Nov. 2 (in-person)
• Early voting: Varies by locality
• Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: Yes
• Voter ID: Photo ID required
• Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

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2018 Wisconsin State Legislature elections
General	November 6, 2018
Primary	August 14, 2018

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The Democratic primary elections for the seats in the Wisconsin State Senate and the Wisconsin State Assembly were on August 14, 2018. For information about the Republican primary elections in Wisconsin, click here.

The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was June 1, 2018. In the state Senate, 17 of 33 seats were up for election. In the state Assembly, all 99 seats were up for election.

HIGHLIGHTS

As of December 2017, Wisconsin was one of 26 Republican trifectas. A state government trifecta is a term used to describe a single-party government where one political party holds the governor's office and a majority in both chambers of the state legislature. To find out more about state government trifectas, click here.

Incumbents who did not advance to the general election

Retiring incumbents

Five Democratic Wisconsin State Assembly incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:

• Amy Klobuchar (District 2)
• Leon Young (District 16)
• Terese Berceau (District 77)
• Eric Genrich (District 90)
• Dana Wachs (District 91)

One Democratic Wisconsin State Senate incumbent did not seek re-election in 2018: Kathleen Vinehout (District 31)

Incumbents defeated

One Democratic Wisconsin State Assembly incumbent was defeated in the primaries:

• Josh Zepnick (District 40)

Competitiveness

See also: 2018 primary election competitiveness in state and federal government and Wisconsin state legislative Republican primaries, 2018

There were 18 open seats in 2018, which was higher than the 13 open seats in 2016 but lower than the 26 open seats in 2014. The 14 contested Democratic primaries was down from 28 in 2016 but up from 12 in 2014. The 6 contested Republican primaries was down from 12 in 2016 and 200 in 2014. The 224 candidates running was down from 233 in 2016 and 236 in 2014.

Year	Total seats	Open seats	Total candidates	Democratic primaries contested	Republican primaries contested	Total contested	Incumbents contested in primaries	Total incumbents contested in primaries
2018	116	18	224	14	6	8.6%	4	4.1%
2016	115	13	233	28	12	17.4%	7	6.9%
2014	116	26	236	12	20	13.8%	11	12.2%

Partisan control

The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate as of August 2018:

Wisconsin State Assembly

Party		As of August 2018
	Democratic Party	35
	Republican Party	64
	Vacancies	0
Total		99

Wisconsin State Senate

Party		As of August 2018
	Democratic Party	15
	Republican Party	18
	Vacancies	0
Total		33

Battleground races

Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Wisconsin state legislative Democratic primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.

To determine the Wisconsin state legislative Democratic primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:

1. Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
2. One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
3. The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.

Media coverage

This section provides an overview of media reactions to the Wisconsin state legislative Democratic primaries. Selected articles are presented as a jumping-off point for deeper exploration of media coverage and as an overview of narratives that have emerged surrounding the elections.

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Wisconsin utilizes an open primary system; registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

In Wisconsin, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in Wisconsin, one must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of Wisconsin for at least 28 days prior to the election. A voter must be at least 18 years of age by Election Day.

Prospective voters can register online or by mailing a form to their municipal clerk. If registering by mail, the application must be postmarked no later than 20 days before the election. In-person registration must be completed by 5 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day. Prospective voters can also register in person at their municipal clerk's office up until the Friday before the election or at their polling place on Election Day. (Same-day voter registration requires proof of residency.)

Automatic registration

Wisconsin does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Wisconsin has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Wisconsin allows same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

Wisconsin law requires 28 days of residency in a precinct before a person may vote.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Wisconsin does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who provides false information "may be subject to fine or imprisonment under State and Federal laws."

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The site My Vote, run by the Wisconsin Election Commission, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Wisconsin requires voters to present photo identification while voting.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Wisconsin Election Commission's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

• Wisconsin Department of Transportation-issued driver license, even if driving privileges are revoked or suspended
• Wisconsin Department of Transportation-issued identification card, with or without a photo
• Veteran ID card or U.S. Uniformed Service ID card
• U.S. passport book or card
• Identification card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe in Wisconsin
• Photo identification card issued by a Wisconsin accredited university, college, or technical college, containing the date the card was issued, an expiration date, and a signature. (If expired, the voter must also provide a separate document proving enrollment)
• Certificate of naturalization issued within the past two years
• Driver’s license receipt issued by Wisconsin Department of Transportation (valid for 45 days from date issued)
• Identification card receipt issued by Wisconsin Department of Transportation (valid for 45 days from date issued)
• Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles ID Petition Process Photo Receipt (valid for 60 days from date issued)

The following voters do not need to provide photo ID:

• Confidential electors
• Active military and permanent overseas voters who vote by absentee ballot
• Indefinitely confined voters who vote by absentee ballot

Voters can obtain a free Wisconsin State ID Card at a Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles office. Voters need the following to apply for an ID:

• Proof of name and date of birth (such as a birth certificate)
• Proof of identity (Social Security Card, Medicaid/Medicare Card, etc.)
• Proof of Wisconsin residency (utility bill, government mail, lease, etc.)
• Proof of U.S. citizenship (U.S. Birth certificate or citizenship paperwork)
• Social Security Number

Voters who do not have all or any of the materials listed above can still obtain an ID. Call the voter ID hotline for assistance at (844) 588-1069.

Early voting

Wisconsin permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by mail in Wisconsin. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee/by mail.

To vote absentee by mail, a request to the municipal clerk must be received by 5 p.m. on the Thursday before Election Day. Once completed, returned ballots must be received no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.

See also

• Wisconsin state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
• Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2018
• Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2018
• Wisconsin State Legislature
• Wisconsin elections, 2018