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Republican Party primaries in Wisconsin, 2020

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Republican Party primaries, 2020
Wisconsin Republican Party.jpg
Primary Date
August 11, 2020
Primary Runoff Date
N/A
Federal elections
Republican primary for U.S. Senate
Republican primaries for U.S. House
State party
Republican Party of Wisconsin
State political party revenue

This page focuses on the Republican primaries that took place in Wisconsin on August 11, 2020. Click here for more information about the Democratic primaries.

Note that the dates and terms of participation for presidential preference primaries and caucuses sometimes differ from those that apply to primaries for state-level and other federal offices, which are the subject of this article. For more information on this state's presidential nomination process, see this article.

Federal elections

U.S. House

See also: United States House elections in Wisconsin, 2020 (August 11 Republican primaries)

The 2020 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin took place on November 3, 2020. Voters elected eight candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's eight congressional districts.

District 1

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 2

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 3

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 4

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 5

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 6

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 7

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

District 8

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

State elections

State Senate

See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2020
The Wisconsin State Senate was one of 86 state legislative chambers holding elections in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections. To see a full list of state Senate candidates in the Republican primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2020
  • Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
  • Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Office Democratic Party Democratic Republican Party Republican Other
District 2

Green check mark transparent.pngTony Lee (Write-in)

Green check mark transparent.pngRobert Cowles (i)

Did not make the ballot:
William Nething 
District 4

Green check mark transparent.pngLena Taylor (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Brandon Jackson 

The Republican primary was canceled.
District 6

Green check mark transparent.pngLaTonya Johnson (i)
Michelle Bryant

Green check mark transparent.pngAlciro Deacon

District 8

Green check mark transparent.pngNeal Plotkin  Candidate Connection

Did not make the ballot:
Frank Bryson 

Green check mark transparent.pngAlberta Darling (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Jeremy Somers 
District 10

Green check mark transparent.pngPatty Schachtner (i)

Cherie Link
Green check mark transparent.pngRob Stafsholt

District 12

Green check mark transparent.pngEduard Vocke

Did not make the ballot:
Wendy Klawitter 

Green check mark transparent.pngMary Felzkowski

District 14

Green check mark transparent.pngJoni Anderson

Did not make the ballot:
John Small 

Green check mark transparent.pngJoan Ballweg
Ken Van Dyke Sr.  Candidate Connection

Did not make the ballot:
Samuel Wood 
Luther Olsen (i)
District 16

Green check mark transparent.pngMelissa Agard  Candidate Connection
Andrew McKinney  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngScott Barker

District 18

Green check mark transparent.pngAaron Wojciechowski

Green check mark transparent.pngDan Feyen (i)

District 20

The Democratic primary was canceled.

Green check mark transparent.pngDuey Stroebel (i)

District 22

Green check mark transparent.pngRobert Wirch (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.
District 24

Green check mark transparent.pngPaul Piotrowski

Green check mark transparent.pngPatrick Testin (i)

District 26

Brian Benford  Candidate Connection
William Davis III  Candidate Connection
Nada Elmikashfi  Candidate Connection
John Imes  Candidate Connection
Amani Latimer Burris  Candidate Connection
Aisha Moe  Candidate Connection
Green check mark transparent.pngKelda Roys

The Republican primary was canceled.
District 28

Green check mark transparent.pngAdam Murphy  Candidate Connection

Steve Bobowski  Candidate Connection
Green check mark transparent.pngJulian Bradley
Marina Croft  Candidate Connection
Jim Engstrand
Dan Griffin  Candidate Connection

Did not make the ballot:
Daniel Newberry 
Dave Craig (i)
District 30

Sandra Ewald
Green check mark transparent.pngJonathon Hansen  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngEric Wimberger

Did not make the ballot:
Thomas Lund 
District 32

Green check mark transparent.pngBrad Pfaff
Jayne Swiggum  Candidate Connection
Paul Weber

Did not make the ballot:
Jennifer Shilling (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngDan Kapanke

State Assembly

See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2020
The Wisconsin State Assembly was one of 86 state legislative chambers holding elections in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections. To see a full list of state Assembly candidates in the Republican primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

State supreme court

See also: Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, 2020

The term of Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly expired on July 31, 2020. A nonpartisan primary election was scheduled for February 18, 2020. The general election was held on April 7, 2020.[2]

Candidates and results

General election

General election for Wisconsin Supreme Court

Jill Karofsky defeated incumbent Daniel Kelly in the general election for Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 7, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jill Karofsky
Jill Karofsky (Nonpartisan)
 
55.2
 
855,573
Image of Daniel Kelly
Daniel Kelly (Nonpartisan)
 
44.7
 
693,134
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
990

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,549,697
Candidate Connection = 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 Supreme Court

Incumbent Daniel Kelly and Jill Karofsky defeated Edward A. Fallone in the primary for Wisconsin Supreme Court on February 18, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Daniel Kelly
Daniel Kelly (Nonpartisan)
 
50.1
 
352,876
✔
Image of Jill Karofsky
Jill Karofsky (Nonpartisan)
 
37.2
 
261,783
Image of Edward A. Fallone
Edward A. Fallone (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
12.7
 
89,184

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 703,843
Candidate Connection = 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.


Intermediate appellate courts

See also: Wisconsin intermediate appellate court elections, 2020

The terms of two Wisconsin Court of Appeals justices expired on July 31, 2020. The two seats were up for nonpartisan election on April 7, 2020. A primary was scheduled for February 18, 2020. A full term on the court is six years.

Candidates and results

District 1

General election

General election for Wisconsin Court of Appeals District I

Incumbent Martin Joseph Donald won election in the general election for Wisconsin Court of Appeals District I on April 7, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Martin Joseph Donald
Martin Joseph Donald (Nonpartisan)
 
98.9
 
128,621
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.1
 
1,377

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 129,998
Candidate Connection = 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.

District 2

General election

General election for Wisconsin Court of Appeals District II

Incumbent Lisa Neubauer defeated Paul Bugenhagen Jr. in the general election for Wisconsin Court of Appeals District II on April 7, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Lisa Neubauer
Lisa Neubauer (Nonpartisan)
 
54.0
 
231,788
Image of Paul Bugenhagen Jr.
Paul Bugenhagen Jr. (Nonpartisan)
 
45.9
 
196,958
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
540

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 429,286
Candidate Connection = 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.

District 4

General election

General election for Wisconsin Court of Appeals District IV

Incumbent Rachel Graham won election in the general election for Wisconsin Court of Appeals District IV on April 7, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Rachel Graham
Rachel Graham (Nonpartisan)
 
99.4
 
341,286
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.6
 
1,996

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 343,282
Candidate Connection = 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.


Context of the 2020 elections

Wisconsin Party Control: 1992-2026
Two years of Democratic trifectas  •  Ten years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Governor R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D
Senate D R R R D D R D D D D R R R R D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

State party overview

See also: Republican Party of Wisconsin

Party control
in Wisconsin
GovernorDemocratic
SenateRepublican
HouseRepublican
Click here for party control in all 50 states

Wisconsin has a Democratic triplex and a divided trifecta. The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general. The Republican Party controls both chambers of the state legislature.

State political party revenue

See also: State political party revenue and State political party revenue per capita

State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws.

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following map displays total state political party revenue per capita for the Republican state party affiliates.


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.[3]

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. Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.[4]

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 at their current address for at least 28 days before the election. A voter must be at least 18 years of age by Election Day.[5]

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.[6] Voters must also register online by the 20th day before the election. In-person registration at a municipal clerk's office must be completed by 5 p.m. or the close of business on the Friday before Election Day, whichever is later. Prospective voters can also register at their polling place on Election Day using same-day voter registration. Voters must provide proof of residence when registering to vote.[5]

Automatic registration

Wisconsin does not practice automatic voter registration.[7]

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.[8]

Residency requirements

Wisconsin law requires 28 days of residency in a precinct before a person may vote.[5]

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."[9]

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.[10] Six states — Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring individuals provide proof of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. Two states, Georgia and Mississippi, require a person provide proof of citizenship if their citizenship status cannot be verified by other means. 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.[11][12]

The following list of accepted ID was current as of January 2026. 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's license
  • 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)

To view Wisconsin state law pertaining to voter identification, click here.

The following voters do not need to provide photo ID:[13]

  • 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:[14]

  • 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.[14]

Early voting

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

Early voting allows citizens to cast their ballots in person at a polling place before 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. Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire do not offer 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.[15][16]

To vote absentee/by mail, a request to the municipal clerk must be received by 5 p.m. on the fifth day before Election Day. Once completed, returned ballots must be received no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.[16][17] Indefinitely confined voters and military voters who are not away from their residence must request an absentee ballot by the fourth day before the election.[16]


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.[18][19]

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.


See also

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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 On April 2, 2020, Judge William M. Conley, of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, issued an order extending absentee voting deadlines in Wisconsin's April 7, 2020, election. Under Conley's order, the absentee ballot request deadline was extended to 5:00 p.m. April 3, 2020. The ballot return deadline was extended to 4:00 p.m. April 13, 2020. The primary date itself was unchanged.
  2. ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, " 2020 Spring Primary," accessed June 3, 2019
  3. ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 5.62," accessed January 5, 2026
  4. ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 6.78," accessed January 5, 2026
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Voter Registration and Proof of Residence," accessed January 5, 2026
  6. ↑ City of Milwaukee Election Commission, "How to Register to Vote," accessed January 5, 2026
  7. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Automatic Voter Registration," accessed January 5, 2026
  8. ↑ Vote.gov, "Register to vote Wisconsin," accessed January 5, 2026
  9. ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Wisconsin Voter Registration Application," accessed January 5, 2026
  10. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
  11. ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Acceptable Photo IDs," accessed January 5, 2026
  12. ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Acceptable Photo IDs for Voting in Wisconsin," accessed January 5, 2026
  13. ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Exceptions to the Photo ID law," accessed January 5, 2026
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Wisconsin Department of Transportation, "Wisconsin ID card for voting purposes - petition process," accessed January 5, 2026
  15. ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Vote Absentee Guide," accessed January 5, 2026
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Voting by Absentee Ballot," accessed January 5, 2026
  17. ↑ Wisconsin Election Commission, "FAQ," accessed January 5, 2026
  18. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  19. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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Party primaries by state, 2020
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