Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, 2020

Spring elections in Wisconsin, 2020

• Election date: April 7, 2020
• Registration deadline(s): March 18 (via mail), March 30 (online), April 7 (in person)
• Online registration: Click here.
• Same-day registration: Yes
• Voter ID: Required. Click here to view a list of acceptable forms of ID.

• Early voting starts: Varies based on municipality. Find your municipal clerk here.
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): April 7, 2020 (postmark and in-person return deadline)
• Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time

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On the ballot: Wisconsin Supreme Court • Wisconsin Court of Appeals • School boards • Municipal elections • Marsy's Law Crime Rights Victim Amendment • Milwaukee County ballot measures

2020 Election Dates
Deadline to file candidacy
January 7, 2020
Primary election
February 18, 2020
General election
April 7, 2020

2020 State Judicial Elections
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Jill Karofsky defeated incumbent Daniel Kelly in the nonpartisan April 7 election for a 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Karofsky received 55.3% of the vote to Kelly's 44.7%.

The election followed weeks of debate among state leaders over whether to postpone the election or adjust election procedure in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In-person voting took place as scheduled on April 7. The absentee ballot mail return deadline was extended from April 7 to April 13, although ballots submitted via mail needed to be postmarked by April 7 in order to be valid. Click here for more.

Although the race was officially nonpartisan, Kelly was a member of the court's conservative majority and received support from conservative groups. Karofsky said she would join the court's liberal minority and received support from liberal groups.

Karofsky's win reduced the size of the court's conservative majority to 4-3, meaning that the 2023 election determined control of the court, assuming no justices left the bench early. A Kelly win would have prevented control of the court from changing until the 2026 election at the earliest.

Recent elections to the Wisconsin Supreme Court had been decided by narrow margins. In 2019, conservative Brian Hagedorn defeated liberal Lisa Neubauer by a 0.5 percent margin. Aside from the 2017 election in which incumbent Annette Ziegler was unopposed, the widest margin of victory in the preceding decade was liberal incumbent Ann Walsh Bradley's 16.2 percent win in 2015.

Kelly was running for a full term on the court after Gov. Scott Walker (R) appointed him in 2016 to replace David T. Prosser, who retired. He said he had a broader range of experience than Karofsky, including as a prosecutor, defense attorney, and litigator.

Karofsky was first elected to the Dane County Circuit Court in 2017. She said her experience as a trial court judge made her the most qualified candidate since she had firsthand experience seeing the effects of state supreme court rulings on residents.

Both candidates said they were running to counter politicization on the court. Kelly said judges should decide cases based on their interpretation of the law rather than their political preferences, while Karofsky said Kelly had a record of ruling in favor of conservative groups.

In the February 18 primary, Kelly received 50.1% of the vote to Karofsky's 37.2%. A third candidate, Ed Fallone, was eliminated. Click here for more on the primary.

Click on candidate names below to view their key messages:

Kelly					Karofksy

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Wisconsin modified its absentee/mail-in voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

• Absentee/mail-in voting: Absentee and mail-in ballot applications were sent to most registered voters in the general election.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

Responses to the coronavirus pandemic

See also: Ballotpedia: Political responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020 and Changes to Wisconsin's spring elections in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Coronavirus pandemic
Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more. Political responses overviewState reopening plansDocumenting America's Path to RecoveryElection changesChanges to vote-by-mail and absentee voting proceduresFederal responsesState responsesState executive ordersStay-at-home ordersMultistate agreementsNon-governmental reopening plansEvictions and foreclosures policiesTravel restrictionsEnacted state legislationState legislative session changesSchool closuresState court closuresInmate releasesLocal government responsesDiagnosed or quarantined politiciansBallot measure changesArguments about government responsesThe 1918 influenza pandemicPandemic Response Accountability CommitteeUnemployment filingsLawsuitsBallotpedia's polling on the coronavirus pandemicSubmit

Ballotpedia’s coverage of COVID-19 includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and how those responses are influencing election rules and operations, political campaigns, the economy, schools, and more.

This page is updated monthly, but our email is always open. We encourage you to share updates from local officials, policymakers, and campaigns in your community at [email protected].

• View the Karofksy campaign's statement on the coronavirus pandemic here.
• Watch the Kelly campaign's statement on the coronavirus pandemic here.

Timeline of coronavirus responses

The following timeline lists responses to the coronavirus from the candidates and campaigns:

• March 23, 2020: The Karofsky campaign tweeted a list of actions voters could take to support Karofsky without leaving their homes.

• March 22, 2020: The Karofsky campaign encouraged supporters to remain in their homes to attempt to slow the virus' spread.

• March 21, 2020: The Kelly campaign tweeted a list of actions voters could take to support Kelly without leaving their homes.

• March 19, 2020: Kelly released a video outlining how his campaign would adjust its strategy to the coronavirus outbreak. In the video, Kelly announced that he would indefinitely postpone in-person campaign events and voter outreach as well as asking voters to visit his website for a list of actions they could take to support him without leaving home.

• March 16, 2020: The Karofsky campaign encouraged supporters to vote early or absentee.

• March 13, 2020: Karofsky's campaign announced that it would replace some upcoming events with virtual events and encouraged supporters to vote early.

• March 10, 2020: Karofsky's campaign issued a statement outlining their coronavirus-related concerns. The statement said that the campaign was not yet canceling upcoming events but would continue to monitor news.

Candidates and election 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
✔		Jill Karofsky (Nonpartisan)	55.2	855,573
		Daniel Kelly (Nonpartisan)	44.7	693,134
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	990

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,549,697
= 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
✔		Daniel Kelly (Nonpartisan)	50.1	352,876
✔		Jill Karofsky (Nonpartisan)	37.2	261,783
		Edward A. Fallone (Nonpartisan)	12.7	89,184

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 703,843
= 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.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Daniel Kelly

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: Wisconsin Supreme Court (Assumed office: 2016)

Biography:  Kelly graduated from Carroll College in 1986 and obtained a law degree from Regent University School of Law in 1991. He was the founding editor-in-chief of the Regent University Law Review. Kelly clerked for Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Adam Fine before entering private practice. He worked for the firm of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren before joining the Kern Family Foundation as vice president and general counsel in 2013. The following year, Kelly founded his own law firm. While in private practice, Kelly argued cases before the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the United States. Gov. Scott Walker (R) appointed Kelly to fill a vacancy on the state Supreme Court in 2016.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Kelly said that the idea that the judiciary is responsible for upholding the rule of law by interpreting what the law means rather than making new law was central to his judicial philosophy.

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Kelly said that he had a wider range of professional experience than Fallone or Karofsky, including working as a litigator, special prosecutor, and criminal defense attorney.

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Kelly said that both Fallone and Karofsky would decide cases based on their personal political preferences.

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Show sources

Sources: Daniel Kelly's 2020 campaign website, "Judicial Philosophy," accessed January 23, 2020, WUWM, "Incumbent Daniel Kelly Touts Ability To 'Apply The Law' In Wisconsin Supreme Court Bid," January 3, 2020, Wisconsin Public Radio, "Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidates Debate Role Of Politics, Precedent," November 19, 2019; Daniel Kelly's 2020 campaign website, "About," accessed January 23, 2020, LinkedIn, "Daniel Kelly," accessed January 23, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2020.

Jill Karofsky

Incumbent: No

Political Office: Dane County Circuit Court (Assumed office: 2017)

Biography:  Karofsky graduated from Duke University and obtained her master's and law degrees from the University of Wisconsin—Madison. After obtaining her law degree, she joined the Dane County District Attorney's office, where she served under four district attorneys. In 2001, Karofsky was named general counsel to the National Conference of Bar Examiners. She held that post until becoming Wisconsin's first Violence Against Women Resource Prosecutor in 2010. The following year, Karofsky was named director of the state's Office of Crime Victim Services, which she led until her election to the Dane County Circuit Court in 2017.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Karofsky said that too many justices on the state Supreme Court, including Kelly, had decided how they would rule on cases before hearing arguments and that this gave the appearance of corruption on the bench.

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Karofsky said that she was the only candidate who had experience as a trial court judge, which gave her firsthand knowledge of the impact state Supreme Court decisions had.

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Karofsky said that she would seek to preserve the rights of crime victims, women, racial minorities, and LGBT indviduals.

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Show sources

Sources: Jill Karofsky's 2020 campaign website, "Home," accessed January 23, 2020, WUWM, "Judge Jill Karofsky Wants To End 'Corruption' If Elected To Wisconsin Supreme Court," January 2, 2020; Jill Karofsky's 2020 campaign website, "About," accessed January 23, 2020, Teaching Assistants' Association, "Jill Karofsky - Spring 2017," accessed January 23, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2020.

Endorsements

This section lists endorsements issued in this election. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Wisconsin Supreme Court endorsements, 2020
Endorsement	Kelly	Karofsky
Newspapers and editorials
The Cap Times		✔
GazetteXtra		✔
Shepherd Express		✔
Elected officials
President Donald Trump (R)	✔
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D)		✔
Sen. Ron Johnson (R)	✔
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I)		✔
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R)	✔
Rep. Glenn Grothman (R)	✔
Rep. Ron Kind (D)		✔
Rep. Gwen Moore (D)		✔
Rep. Mark Pocan (D)		✔
Rep. Bryan Steil (R)	✔
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley		✔
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley	✔
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Dallet		✔
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Brian Hagedorn	✔
State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski (D)		✔
10 members of the state Senate		✔
18 members of the state Assembly		✔
Four Wisconsin Court of Appeals judges		✔
Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge William Brash	✔
39 county circuit court judges		✔
17 county circuit court judges	✔
Seven municipal judges		✔
40 county sheriffs	✔
Five county sheriffs		✔
Racine Mayor Cory Mason		✔
Individuals
Former Vice President Joe Biden (D)		✔
Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D)		✔
Former Sen. Herb Kohl (D)		✔
Former Gov. Jim Doyle (D)		✔
Former Gov. Tony Earl (D)		✔
Former Gov. Martin Schreiber (D)		✔
Former Gov. Scott Walker (R)	✔
Former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (R)	✔
Former Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton (D)		✔
Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler		✔
Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David T. Prosser	✔
Two former members of the state Senate		✔
Nine former members of the state Assembly		✔
Eight former Wisconsin Court of Appeals judges		✔
Four former Wisconsin Court of Appeals judges	✔
29 former Wisconsin circuit court judges		✔
Four former county sheriffs	✔
Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk (D)		✔
Former Dane County Executive Rick Phelps (D)		✔
Former Madison Mayor Joe Sensenbrenner		✔
Former Madison Mayor Joel Skornicka		✔
Organizations
American Federation of Teachers Local 212		✔
Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin	✔
Citizens Action		✔
Human Rights Campaign		✔
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers		✔
Milwaukee Police Association	✔
National Rifle Association	✔
Pro-Life Wisconsin	✔
Teamsters Joint Council 39		✔
Wisconsin AFL-CIO		✔
Wisconsin Family Council	✔
Wisconsin Realtors Association	✔
Wisconsin Right to Life	✔
Women Lead		✔

Timeline

2020

• April 2020 (click to collapse)

  April

  • April 13, 2020: Karofsky defeated Kelly in the general election, receiving 53.3% of the vote to Kelly's 46.7% with 80% of precincts reporting. A group of 14 Milwaukee voters filed a lawsuit where they argued they had been prevented from voting due to coronavirus concerns and complications and called for a partial revote.

  • April 6, 2020: The Supreme Court of the United States granted the state legislature's request for a partial stay of a lower court order extending the absentee ballot return deadline. The Court did not adjust the portion of the order extending the absentee ballot return deadline from Tuesday, April 7, to Monday, April 13, but added a requirement that ballots be postmarked by April 7.

  • April 6, 2020: The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Gov. Evers (D) did not have the authority to postpone the election via executive order, restoring the April 7 election date.

  • April 6, 2020: Gov. Tony Evers (D) issued an executive order delaying in-person voting to Tuesday, June 9, or a date of the state legislature's choice.

  • April 4, 2020: The state legislature, Republican Party of Wisconsin, and Republican National Committee filed an emergency request for a partial stay of Judge Conley's April 2 ruling with the Supreme Court of the United States. The request called on the court to preserve the portion of Judge Conley's order extending the absentee ballot receipt deadline from Tuesday, April 7, to Monday, April 13, but to add a requirement that absentee ballots be postmarked by April 7 in order to be counted.

  • April 4, 2020: The state legislature met in special session and adjourned until 10:00 a.m. April 6, 2020, without taking action on Governor Tony Evers' (D) proposal. A staffer for Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R) told Wisconsin Public Radio that he did not expect lawmakers to meet on April 6, 2020.

  • April 3, 2020: Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) endorsed Karofsky.

  • April 3, 2020: State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) and state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald issued a joint statement saying that they did not support changing the date of the election.

  • April 3, 2020: President Donald Trump (R) reiterated his endorsement of Kelly.

  • April 3, 2020: Gov. Tony Evers (D) called a special session of the legislature for April 4 to discuss potential changes to the structure of the election. Evers proposed shifting the election to be conducted entirely via mail and extending the absentee ballot receipt deadline to May 26, 2020.

  • April 3, 2020: Judge William Conley granted a request from the Wisconsin Elections Commission to halt any reporting of election results until the absentee ballot receipt deadline. At the time of Judge Conley's decision, this was Monday, April 13.

  • April 2, 2020: Judge William Conley issued a ruling extending the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 3. The ruling also required that all absentee ballots received on or before Monday, April 13, be counted and lifted the requirement that a witness sign the ballot.

  • April 2, 2020: The Karofsky campaign released an ad titled Pants on Fire. The ad criticizes an earlier ad run by the Republican State Leadership Committee opposing Karofsky.

  • April 2, 2020: The Cap Times and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) endorsed Karofsky.

  • April 1, 2020: Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley endorsed Karofsky.

• March 2020 (click to expand)

  March

  • March 30, 2020: The candidates submitted spring pre-election campaign finance reports covering receipts and disbursements between February 4 and March 23. During this period, Karofsky raised $1.98 million to Kelly's $590,000. Karofsky reported $1.42 million cash on hand as of March 23 and Kelly reported $660,000.

  • March 29, 2020: Former Gov. Scott Walker (R) endorsed Kelly.

  • March 27, 2020: Gov. Tony Evers (D) called for the election to be conducted entirely via mail-in ballot. State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R) said that Evers' proposal was not feasible.

  • March 26, 2020: The Republican State Leadership Committee released a pair of ads opposing Karofsky.

  • March 26, 2020: Rep. Bryan Steil (R) endorsed Kelly.

  • March 23, 2020: Gov. Tony Evers announced that he was considering mandating that the election take place entirely via mail-in ballot due to the coronavirus pandemic but had not yet come to a final determination on whether to do so.

  • March 20, 2020: Judge William M. Conley, of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, extended the electronic voter registration deadline to March 30, 2020.

  • March 16, 2020: Human Rights Campaign endorsed Karofsky.

  • March 16, 2020: The Kelly campaign released an ad titled Order Up!

  • March 12, 2020: The Karofsky campaign released an ad titled This is Jill Karofsky's Arena. The ad says Karofsky has a record of being tough on crime.

  • March 12, 2020: Kelly and Karofsky participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Milwaukee Bar Association.

  • March 10, 2020: Former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (R) endorsed Kelly.

  • March 4, 2020: Teamsters Joint Council 39 endorsed Karofsky.

• February 2020 (click to expand)

  February

  • February 26, 2020: Former Sens. Russ Feingold (D) and Herb Kohl (D) endorsed Karofsky.

  • February 21, 2020: The Wisconsin AFL-CIO endorsed Karofsky.

  • February 18, 2020: In the nonpartisan primary, Kelly and Karofsky advanced while Ed Fallone was eliminated.

  • February 17, 2020: The National Rifle Association endorsed Kelly.

  • February 12, 2020: The Milwaukee Police Association endorsed Kelly.

  • February 11, 2020: The Shepherd Express endorsed Fallone and Karofsky.

  • February 10, 2020: The candidates submitted spring pre-primary campaign finance reports covering receipts and disbursements between January 1, 2020, and February 3, 2020. Kelly raised $187,000 during this period and had $463,000 cash on hand as of the end of the reporting period. Karofsky raised $65,400 and ended the period with $83,400 on hand, while Fallone raised $22,000 and ended the period with $51,900 on hand.

  • February 7, 2020: The Wisconsin Realtors Association endorsed Kelly.

  • February 4, 2020: Kelly released a radio ad titled Fairy Tale.

  • February 3, 2020: Kelly, Fallone, and Karofsky participated in a candidate forum at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

  • February 3, 2020: Karofsky released an ad titled Stop corruption.

  • February 1, 2020: Fallone and Karofsky participated in a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Green Bay.

• January 2020 (click to expand)

  January

  • January 31, 2020: Citizens Action endorsed both Fallone and Karofsky.

  • January 30, 2020: Kelly released an ad.

  • January 30, 2020: Kelly, Fallone, and Karofsky met for a candidate forum hosted by the Milwaukee Bar Association.

  • January 27, 2020: Kelly and Fallone met for a candidate forum at St. Brendan's Inn in Green Bay.

2019

• November 2019 (click to expand)

  November

  • November 19, 2019: The candidates met for a candidate forum hosted by the American Constitution Society.

Debates and forums

March 12 candidate forum

On March 12, 2020, Kelly and Karofsky participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Milwaukee Bar Association.

Click here for a recording of the forum. Click the links below for roundups of the forum from:

• The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• Wisconsin Public Radio
• WUWM

February 3 candidate forum

On February 3, 2020, Kelly, Fallone, and Karofsky participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Menard Center at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Official recording, February 3, 2020, debate - University of Wisconsin-Stout

Click the links below for roundups of the candidate forum from:

• The Dunn County News
• WEAU

February 1 candidate forum

On February 1, 2020, Fallone and Karofsky participated in a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Greater Green Bay.

Click here for the official recording of the candidate forum. Click the links below for roundups of the candidate forum from:

• The Appleton Post-Crescent
• The Press-Times

January 30 candidate forum

On January 30, 2020, Kelly, Fallone, and Karofsky met for a candidate forum hosted by the Milwaukee Bar Association.

Official recording, January 30, 2020, debate - Milwaukee Bar Association

Click the links below for roundups of the candidate forum from:

• The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
• Wisconsin Public Radio
• The Wisconsin State Journal
• WUWM

January 27 candidate forum

On January 27, 2020, Kelly and Fallone participated in a candidate forum at St. Brendan's Inn in Green Bay.

• Click here to read the WFRV roundup of the forum.

November 19, 2019, candidate forum

On November 19, 2019, Kelly, Fallone, and Karofsky met for a candidate forum at the law offices of Foley & Lardner LLP sponsored by the American Constitution Society. Click here here for the official recording of the candidate forum. Click the links below for roundups of the candidate forum from:

• The Wisconsin Examiner
• The Wisconsin State Journal
• U.S. News and World Report

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Candidate survey

Ballotpedia invites candidates to participate in its annual survey.
Click here to fill out the survey.

The following campaign themes came from the candidates' campaign websites, where available.

Daniel Kelly

Kelly's campaign website stated the following:

“

• Civilization depends on ordered liberty, functional economics, and individual rights; • The rule of law is an indispensable foundation for ordered liberty, functional economics, and individual rights; • The judiciary is uniquely positioned to protect and nurture the rule of law; and • ​None of the above matters unless those entrusted with care for the rule of law are willing and able to consistently apply its first principles in clear and certain terms, even when those principles conflict with their personal policy preferences. There is no end to the mischief the judiciary causes when it abandons its role of declaring what the law is, and instead arrogates to itself the power to develop new law in place of what it received from the ultimate lawgivers – the people of the State of Wisconsin and the United States. It is my desire to serve the people of this State by applying, protecting, and preserving the rule of law in the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

”

Jill Karofsky

Karofsky's campaign website stated the following:

“

I have spent my career in the law working to help crime victims and to protect our rights, and now I’m running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court because we need to get our state and our country back on the right track. I’m a judge, I’ve been a local and state prosecutor, I directed the state’s Office of Crime Victim Services. No one knows better than me how important it is to have a legal system that works. Today, too many judges see themselves as on one political team or another. But I think we need strong leaders who will put our strong Wisconsin political tradition of independent and honest courts first. I believe in Wisconsin. I believe in our history of great public schools, protecting our beautiful natural resources, and protecting civil rights for all. As a prosecutor and a judge, I, have deep experience in state courtrooms, and have spent a career standing up for our rights and fighting to protect victims. Now, I need your help to win this race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Believe me, I know what it’s like to work hard and to run hard. I’ve completed two Ironman races, and now I run 50-mile ultra-marathons. I was a Division I athlete, and then I graduated with two degrees from UW-Madison. In my career prosecuting violent criminals, working as the top assistant attorney general on violence against women cases, and running the state’s victim services programs, I learned a lot about what works and doesn’t work in our system. I know that our judicial system is built on independent judges, not a system in which it matters what political team you’re on. So now I see the corroding effect of big money on our judicial system. It’s time to restore a sense of justice and honor to our legal system. I will follow the law, and I will protect our values. My dad, Peter, was a local pediatrician. My mom, Judy, was one of the first women in Wisconsin to serve as a city mayor. This country has made tremendous strides in extending equal rights to all, and I’m inspired by the example of my father, and how he cares for children every day, and by my mother and the groundbreaking path she forged. We can’t go backwards, and it’s distressing to me that rather than respecting our rights, we now see a moment in which political forces seek to roll back the advances in civil rights we’ve made in the last few generations. More than anything, our courts are about constitutional rights. We will serve the needs of crime victims, we will stand up for racial justice and civil rights, we will protect the right to marriage equality, and we will never allow for the rights of women to be rolled back. I look forward to getting around the state and carrying that message to voters in every corner of Wisconsin. Please join me on this journey. I look forward to staying in touch.

”

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Dan Kelly

"Order Up!" - Kelly campaign ad, released March 16, 2020

• "Fairy Tale" - Kelly radio ad, released February 4, 2020
• Untitled Kelly campaign ad, released January 30, 2020

Jill Karofsky

"Pants on Fire" - Karofsky campaign ad, released April 2, 2020

"This is Jill Karofsky's Arena" - Karofsky campaign ad, released March 12, 2020

"Stop corruption" - Karofsky campaign ad, released February 3, 2020

Satellite group ads

Click "show" to the right to see satellite group ads.
{
"Liberal Jill Karofsky" - Republican State Leadership Committee ad, released March 26, 2020
"JFI Wisconsin Advertisement - Kelly v. Karofsky" - Republican State Leadership Committee ad, released March 26, 2020
}

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

If you are aware of polls conducted in this race, please email us.

Candidate support

The following committees and groups either contributed to the candidate's campaign or made a recommendation or endorsement of the candidate.

Support for Kelly

• Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin
• Fox Valley Initiative
• Friends of John Murtha
• Friends of Van Wanggaard
• Jim Ott for Assembly
• Milwaukee Police Association Political Action Committee
• Murphy for Assembly
• National Rifle Association
• Pro-Life Wisconsin
• REALTORS Political Action Committee - Wisconsin
• Republican Party of Wisconsin
• Republican Party of the 1st Congressional District of Wisconsin
• Republican Party of the 6th Congressional District of Wisconsin
• Republican Party of Polk County
• Republican Party of Portage County
• Republican Party of Racine County
• Republican Party of Sheboygan County
• Republican Party of Vilas County
• Republican Party of Walworth County
• Schimel for Judge
• Stroebel for Senate
• Wisconsin Family Council
• Wisconsin Realtors Association
• Wisconsin Right to Life

Support for Karofsky

• American Federation of Teachers Local 212
• Citizens for Spencer Black
• Coulee Region United Educators
• Friends of Christian Albouras
• Citizens Action
• Democratic Party of Wisconsin
• Democratic Party of Dodge County
• Democratic Party of Walworth County
• Friends of David Mahoney for Sheriff
• Friends of Tod Ohnstad
• Human Rights Campaign
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 494 PAC
• Madison Teachers, Inc. Voters
• Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin Election Fund
• Plumbers Local 75 PAC
• Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin PAC
• Teamsters Joint Council 39
• Wisconsin AFL-CIO
• Wisconsin Carpenters PAC
• Wisconsin Education Association Council Region 3 PAC
• Wisconsin Education Association Council Region 5 PAC
• Wisconsin Laborers District Council
• Wisconsin PEOPLE Conference
• Wisconsin Pipe Trades Association PAC
• Women Lead

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside 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.

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

Aftermath

Federal lawsuit seeking re-vote

On Monday, April 13, 2020, 14 Milwaukee-area voters filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the legitimacy of the election. The suit argued that the series of changes to election procedure in the weeks leading up to the election resulted in voter disenfranchisement. The plaintiffs sought a partial or total re-vote of the election.

Decision to count unpostmarked Milwaukee absentee ballots

On Monday, April 13, the Milwaukee Election Commission voted to include 390 absentee ballots which had been received after April 7 and did not contain a postmark dating to April 7 or earlier in its official tally of results. An April 6 U.S. Supreme Court decision ruled that absentee ballots could be received via mail as late as April 13 but could only be counted if they were postmarked by April 7 or earlier. The 390 ballots in question included ballots with illegible postmarks, ballots lacking a postmark entirely, and ballots with a postmark that did not include a date.

Analysis

COVID-19 cases resulting from the April 7, 2020, election

On April 29, 2020, Kathy Leung and Joseph T. Wu of the University of Hong Kong and Kuang Xu and Lawrence M. Wein of Stanford University released a pre-print study on the question of whether there had been a detectable increase in COVID-19 cases resulting from the April 7, 2020, election. According to the abstract of the study, "Taken together, there is no evidence to date that there was a surge of infections due to the April 7, 2020, election in Wisconsin, which has a relatively low level of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the US." The pre-print study had not yet been subject to peer review.

In May 2020, Chad D. Cotti, Bryan Engelhardt, and Joshua Foster of the University of Wisconsin and Erik T. Nesson and Paul S. Niekamp of Ball State University released a working paper via the National Bureau of Economic Research on the effects of the April 7, 2020, election on COVID-19 transmission in Wisconsin. According to the abstract of the study, "We find a statistically and economically significant association between in-person voting and the spread of COVID-19 two to three weeks after the election. Furthermore, we find the consolidation of polling locations, and relatively fewer absentee votes, increased positive testing rates two to three weeks after the election." The working paper had not yet been subject to peer review.

Absentee ballot rejection rate

The Wisconsin Elections Commission releases detailed reports providing statistics on voter participation rates and means by which votes are cast 60 days following each election. This section contains absentee ballot rejection rates for spring elections dating back to 2012 calculated from those reports. As of September 9, 2021, the Wisconsin Elections Commission had last updated its 2020 absentee ballot rejection figures on January 4, 2021. As of that update, 239 of the state's 1,850 municipalities had not submitted the required reports on absentee ballot rejection rates.

An absentee ballot is rejected when it is completed and submitted by the voter on time but is found to be invalid. Reasons for rejection include a missing or unsigned certificate on the ballot envelope or a lack of a signature from a valid witness. An absentee ballot is not considered to be rejected if it was not delivered to the voter on time or was not returned by the voter on time. An absentee ballot is cancelled rather than rejected if the voter votes in-person or is found to be ineligible.

Absentee ballot rejection rates in Wisconsin spring elections, 2012-2019
Year	Absentee ballots sent	Absentee ballots returned on time	Absentee ballots returned on time (%)	Absentee ballots counted	Absentee ballots counted (%)	Absentee ballots rejected	Absentee ballots rejected (%)
2020	1,117,245	990,376	88.64%	969,479	86.77%	20,897	1.87%
2019	89,218	66,107	74.10%	65,515	99.10%	592	0.90%
2018	129,811	108,721	83.75%	107,587	98.96%	1,207	1.11%
2017	103,373	78,324	75.77%	77,959	99.53%	729	0.93%
2016	247,052	227,827	92.22%	212,832	93.42%	1,629	0.72%
2015	102,723	82,906	80.71%	76,251	91.97%	994	1.20%
2014	67,917	53,080	78.15%	49,292	92.86%	819	1.54%
2013	112,607	94,467	83.89%	89,928	95.20%	901	0.95%
2012	94,859	83,159	87.67%	78,749	94.70%	1,505	1.81%
Average	229,423	193,330	82.77%	191,955	94.72%	3,253	1.23%

Between 2012 and 2019, an average of 118,445 absentee ballots were sent out in each Wisconsin spring election. The most ballots were sent in 2016 with 247,052, while the least were sent in 2014 with 67,917. An average of 82% of ballots were received in time to be counted, ranging from 92.22% in 2016 to 74.10% in 2019. Each year, fewer than 2% of absentee ballots were rejected. The most rejections were 1,629 in 2016, while the greatest percentage of rejections was 1.81% in 2012.

Turnout in Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, 2000-2019

The following chart shows voter turnout in Wisconsin Supreme Court elections from 2000 to 2019, the winner, and his or her opponent. Data was collected from the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

Historical competitiveness in statewide races in Wisconsin

The following chart shows the vote totals for general election candidates in contested statewide races from 2012 through 2019. Although Wisconsin Supreme Court elections are nonpartisan, liberal and conservative groups typically coalesce around specific candidates. In those cases, Democratic and Republican refers to the preferred candidate of each party.

Partisan vote totals in statewide races in Wisconsin, 2012-2019
Year	Race	Democratic Votes	Democratic Percentage	Republican Votes	Republican Percentage	Other Votes	Other Percentage	Total votes
2019	State Supreme Court	600,433	49.7%	606,414	50.2%	722	0.1%	1,207,569
2018	U.S. Senate	1,472,914	55.4%	1,184,885	44.5%	2,964	0.1%	2,660,763
2018	Governor	1,313,836	49.6%	1,284,786	48.5%	52,480	2.0%	2,651,102
2018	State Supreme Court	555,848	55.7%	440,808	44.2%	829	0.1%	997,485
2016	President	1,382,536	46.5%	1,405,284	47.2%	188,330	6.3%	2,976,150
2016	U.S. Senate	1,380,335	46.8%	1,479,471	50.2%	87,539	3.0%	2,947,345
2016	State Supreme Court	929,377	47.5%	1,024,892	52.3%	3,678	0.2%	1,957,947
2015	State Supreme Court	471,866	58.0%	340,632	41.9%	702	0.1%	813,200
2014	Governor	1,122,913	46.6%	1,259,706	52.3%	27,698	1.1%	2,410,317
2013	State Supreme Court	362,969	42.5%	491,261	57.5%	485	0.1%	854,715
2012	President	1,620,985	52.8%	1,407,966	45.9%	39,483	1.3%	3,068,434
2012	U.S. Senate	1,547,104	51.5%	1,380,126	45.9%	78,808	2.6%	3,006,038

Reactions to election outcome

This section contains selected responses to the election outcome from political and media sources in Wisconsin and nationwide.

Reactions from the candidates

Election winner Jill Karofsky: "Although we were successful in this race, the circumstances under which this election was conducted were simply unacceptable, and raise serious concerns for the future of our democracy. Nobody in this state or in this country should have been forced to choose between their safety and participating in an election. Too many were unable to have their voices heard because they didn't feel safe leaving their home or their absentee ballots weren't counted. Wisconsinites showed their resiliency by overcoming many of the barriers created by the legislature and the courts to try and silence voters in this state, but nobody should ever be denied their right to vote."

Incumbent Daniel Kelly: "Although we are disappointed, my greatest emotion is gratitude. First to my family, especially my wonderful wife, Elisa. She has been with me every step of this race, a constant source of encouragement and good cheer. To our incredible volunteers, donors, and supporters: you opened your homes and your hearts to us, which is so typical of the people of this state, yet so exceptional in our world today. We are humbled by your confidence in us, and inspired by your commitment to our constitutionally-guaranteed rights and liberties. To my campaign team, you built an incredible grassroots machine that carried us further than any of the pundits predicted, and you led us through an incredibly difficult time with grace and resolve. You all have my deepest thanks."

Reactions from pundits and media sources

Potential implications for the November 2020 elections

• Kyle Kondik and J. Miles Coleman, Sabato's Crystal Ball:

“

Setting aside the various decisions made by Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI), the GOP-controlled state legislature, and conservative majorities on the state and federal Supreme Courts, the conventional wisdom before the election seemed to be that holding it on April 7 and also ensuring that absentee ballots had to be postmarked by that date advantaged Republicans in the Supreme Court race. Part of the reason for the conventional wisdom was that the city of Milwaukee, one of the core centers of Democratic voters in the state, cut its number of in-person voting locations from 180 to five. As it turned out, the circumstances may have advantaged Democrats — or, perhaps, disadvantaged them so little that the particulars did not prevent them from winning the state Supreme Court seat comfortably. ... In other words, the late controversy threw some doubt in the race, but the Democrats’ inherent advantage because of the contested presidential primary (and the uncontested Republican one) ended up manifesting itself in the result to at least some degree.

”

• Dr. Eric Ostermeier, Smart Politics:

“

With no other data points heading into the 2020 cycle, last week’s contest between Karofsky and Kelly was expected to be a gauge of where the Badger State electorate was at heading into 2020. But the gauge was difficult to measure. A month out from Election Day, Democrats seemed to have a potential advantage in turning out their vote by hosting a contested presidential primary. Joe Biden then turned in an impressive performance on Super Tuesday, became an unstoppable force in contests held through the rest of March, and defending primary winner Bernie Sanders’ campaign came grinding to a halt. [Sanders withdrew the day after the Wisconsin primary]. However, the COVID19 virus brought about social distancing, shelter at home orders, and a slew of poll station closures which Democrats feared would depress turnout and aid the GOP in the Supreme Court election. That led to unsuccessful, 11th hour attempts by Democrats to delay the primary or at least extend the absentee ballot postmark date. Nonetheless, more Wisconsinites ended up voting in the April 2020 state Supreme Court election (1.54 million) than in all but one race for the office in state history. [The 2016 race between JoAnne Kloppenburg and Justice Rebecca Bradley had 1.95 million voters – aided greatly by competitive GOP and Democratic presidential primaries held that day].

”

Reactions to debate over whether to change election procedure

• Noah Feldman, Bloomberg:

“

But the Supreme Court’s ruling nevertheless matters a lot. It’s the opening salvo in what is likely to be a seven-month long series of legal battles about how the 2020 elections will be accomplished with Covid-19 disrupting the voting process. So it’s highly unfortunate that the justices split along partisan lines in this first case, a case with relatively low stakes. The nation badly needs the court to avoid a scenario reminiscent of the 2000 Bush v. Gore case, in which the justices were perceived to have decided the election for Bush along roughly ideological lines. The takeaway for states, and for democracy, is clear: Plan now, plan well, and don’t rely on the courts to resolve controversial questions about mail-in voting and deadlines — especially at the last minute.

”

• Dan McLaughlin, National Review:

“

It would have been better to keep the courts out of the case entirely, but that was not an option here: A single federal district judge had extended the deadline until April 13, a week after the election. Had the Court refused the case, the election laws of Wisconsin would have been rewritten by one judge instead of nine. Even the plaintiffs in the suit had not asked for the April 13 date or presented evidence to support it. The Court also noted that the district court’s judge-made election law was impractical because it required an order attempting to suppress news of the results (among other things, requiring an extensive prior restraint of speech) while people kept voting after Election Day. Thus, it allowed ballots to be postmarked as late as tomorrow, even if received after the legal deadline — but no later. This is the kind of decision that courts are unsuited to make. But the Court simply did not have the option of doing the right thing, which is to tell the legislature to live with the rules as written or fix them. Getting the case the night before Election Day with a pandemic ongoing and nobody trying to act responsibly to postpone the election, the Court selected what it considered the least of evils. It did leave the door open for the legislature to pass new laws, if it could get its act together with the governor at this late hour.

”

• Ella Nilsen and Li Zhou, Vox:

“

The Wisconsin election was not equal for all voters; those with access to cars and transportation could drive to the polls and in some instances safely vote from their vehicles. And information about such options wasn’t exactly clear. Places like Milwaukee offered curbside voting, but this effort wasn’t effectively communicated to voters, according to Dakota Hall, the executive director of Leaders Igniting Transformation, an advocacy group aimed at promoting voting rights. The lack of information and the last-minute nature of the election changes had a concrete effect on voters’ decisions to go to the polls. Shavonda, a Wisconsin voter who declined to share her last name, said that she was worried about the risk of physically going to a crowded location given the fact that she has asthma. 'It’s too high-risk for me to go out to go to polling places,' she told Vox.

”

• Ed Morrissey, Hot Air:

“

True enough — Evers has been all over the place on this point rather than demonstrating any real leadership on it. However, the Republican-controlled legislature hasn’t fared much better. They could have passed a delay when they were finally called into special session over the weekend, but chose not to act instead. Evers’ flip-flopping didn’t give them much political cover for delaying the primary, but they probably didn’t need much political cover for it, either. Voters who have to go out and stand in line today are likely to say a pox on both houses as a result, irony fully intended. And they would not be wrong, even if one side probably deserves more overall blame than another. This disaster serves as a reminder that scorched-earth politics has consequences far beyond the acute issues and ambitions at hand. This time, it might produce a body count — unless Wisconsin gets very, very lucky in implementing social distancing in an election process.

”

Overview

Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, 2005-2019
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
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

2019

See also: Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, 2019

Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn defeated Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Neubauer in the nonpartisan election for a 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 2, 2019. Hagedorn won with 50% support. The seat was previously held by Justice Shirley Abrahamson, a member of the court's 4-3 liberal minority at the time of the election. Abrahamson did not run for re-election.

Although the election was officially nonpartisan, groups associated with the Democratic Party tended to support Neubauer while groups associated with the Republican Party tended to support Hagedorn.

General election

General election for Wisconsin Supreme Court

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brian Hagedorn (Nonpartisan)	50.2	606,414
		Lisa Neubauer (Nonpartisan)	49.7	600,433
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	722

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,207,569
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2018

See also: Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, 2018

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Rebecca Dallet won the nonpartisan election for a 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court against Sauk County Circuit Judge Michael Screnock on April 3, 2018. Dallet won with 56 percent support. The seat was previously held by Justice Michael Gableman, a member of the court's 5-2 conservative majority at the time of the election, who did not seek re-election.

Although the election was officially nonpartisan, groups associated with the Democratic Party tended to support Dallet while groups associated with the Republican Party tended to support Screnock.

Wisconsin Supreme Court, 2018
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Rebecca Dallet	55.72%	555,848
Michael Screnock	44.19%	440,808
Total Votes (3880/3880 precincts)		996,656
Source: Wisconsin Elections Commission

2017

See also: Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, 2017

Candidates

■ Annette Ziegler (Incumbent/Unopposed)
One seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court was up for election in 2017. Justice Annette Ziegler was elected to the court in 2007 for a 10-year term and needed to stand for re-election in 2017 in order to serve another term. She ran unopposed. Because she was unopposed, the seat did not appear on the ballot in Wisconsin's February primary election but instead appeared only on the ballot for the April 4 general election.

2016

See also: Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, 2016

Wisconsin Supreme Court, Rebecca Bradley's Seat, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Rebecca Bradley Incumbent	52.35%	1,024,892
JoAnne Kloppenburg	47.47%	929,377
Write-in votes	0.19%	3,678
Total Votes (100% Reporting)		1,957,947
Source: Wisconsin Government Accountability Board Official Results

One seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court was up for election in 2016. Following the death of Justice N. Patrick Crooks on September 21, 2015, Rebecca Bradley was appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court by Governor Scott Walker (R) on October 9, 2015. Earlier in September, Crooks had announced his plans to retire at the end of his term. Bradley had already announced a run for Crooks' seat before his death.

Bradley and opponent JoAnne Kloppenburg received the highest number of votes for Bradley's seat in the primary on February 16, 2016, knocking Joe Donald out of the race. Bradley and Kloppenburg then faced each other in the sharply contested April general election. Bradley won. The race had the highest voter turnout for a supreme court race in Wisconsin state history, with over 1,900,000 votes cast.

2015

See also: Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, 2015

See also: Wisconsin judicial elections, 2015

 

General election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Ann Walsh Bradley Incumbent	58.1%	471,866
James Daley	41.9%	340,632
Total Votes		813,200

One seat was open for election on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2015. Incumbent Justice Ann Walsh Bradley defeated Rock County Circuit Court Judge James Daley in the general election on April 7, 2015. Although the election was nonpartisan, Bradley is considered to be part of the liberal minority on the court. If Daley won, conservatives would have held a five-member majority on the seven-member court.

Justice Bradley was elected to the court in 1995 and re-elected in 2005. She previously served as a circuit court judge for 10 years in Marathon County. Judge Daley joined the Rock County Circuit Court since 1989.

2013

See also: Wisconsin judicial elections, 2013

Candidate	Incumbency	Position	Primary Vote	Election Vote
RoggensackPatience Roggensack
FalloneEd Fallone	No		29.8%A	42.47%   A
MegnaVince Megna	No		6.3%

One seat was open for election on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2013. Incumbent Justice Patience Roggensack defeated law professor Ed Fallone in the general election on April 2, 2013. Although the election was nonpartisan, Roggensack is considered to be a member of the court's conservative majority. If Fallone had won, control of the court would have gone to the liberal wing.

Justice Roggensack was first elected to the court in 2003. She previously served for seven years on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and for 16 years as an attorney in private practice.

2011

See also: Wisconsin judicial elections, 2011

Candidate	Incumbency	Position	Primary Vote	Election Vote
KloppenburgJoAnne Kloppenburg	No	District IV		49.70%   A
ProsserDavid T. Prosser   A	Yes			50.192%   A
WinnigJoel Winnig	No
StephensMarla J. Stephens	No

One seat was open for election on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2011. Incumbent Justice David T. Prosser defeated Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg in the general election on April 5, 2011. Although the election was nonpartisan, Prosser is considered to be a member of the court's conservative majority. If Kloppenburg had won, control of the court would have gone to the liberal wing.

Justice Prosser was first appointed to the court in 1998 by Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) and was elected to a full term in 2001. He had previously served on the Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission and in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

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.

Political composition

This is the political composition of the supreme court heading into the 2020 election. Justices are selected in nonpartisan elections. In the case of a mid-term vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement.

■ Brian Hagedorn		Elected in 2019
■ Ann Walsh Bradley		Elected in 1995, 2005, and 2015
■ Patience Roggensack		Elected in 2003 and 2013
■ Annette Ziegler		Elected in 2007 and 2017
■ Rebecca Dallet		Elected in 2018
■ Rebecca Bradley		Appointed by Scott Walker (R) in 2015, elected 2016
■ Daniel Kelly		Appointed by Scott Walker (R) in 2016

Selection

See also: Nonpartisan election of judges

The seven justices of the Wisconsin Supreme Court are elected in nonpartisan elections. Justices serve 10-year terms. In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement. If the vacancy occurs after that year's spring election and on or before December 1 of the same year, the appointee must stand for election in the next succeeding spring election in which no other justice is to be elected. If the vacancy occurs after December 1 but before the following spring's election, the appointee must stand for election in the next spring election—beginning with the second spring election from the time of the appointment—in which no other justice is to be elected.

The governor solicits recommendations from an Advisory Council on Judicial Selection in making his or her appointments, but is not required to choose one of the suggested appointees.

Qualifications

To serve on the supreme court, a justice must be:

• a qualified elector in the state; and
• licensed to practice law in the state for at least five years immediately prior to appointment or election to the court.

Selection of the chief judge

The chief justice of the supreme court is elected by a majority of the justices serving on the Court to serve a two-year term.

State profile

Demographic data for Wisconsin
	Wisconsin	U.S.
Total population:	5,767,891	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	54,158	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	86.5%	73.6%
Black/African American:	6.3%	12.6%
Asian:	2.5%	5.1%
Native American:	0.9%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0%	0.2%
Two or more:	2.1%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	6.3%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	91%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	27.8%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$53,357	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	15%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Wisconsin. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Wisconsin

Wisconsin voted for the Democratic candidate in five out of the six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, 23 are located in Wisconsin, accounting for 11.17 percent of the total pivot counties.

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Wisconsin had 21 Retained Pivot Counties and two Boomerang Pivot Counties, accounting for 11.60 and 8.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.

More Wisconsin coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Wisconsin
• United States congressional delegations from Wisconsin
• Public policy in Wisconsin
• Endorsers in Wisconsin
• Wisconsin fact checks
• More...

See also

Wisconsin	Judicial Selection	More Courts
Courts in Wisconsin Wisconsin Court of Appeals Wisconsin Supreme Court	Elections: 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 Gubernatorial appointments Judicial selection in Wisconsin	Federal courts State courts Local courts

External links

Suggest a link

• Wisconsin Supreme Court

Footnotes

Wisconsin courts

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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

State resources:

Courts in Wisconsin • Wisconsin judicial elections • Judicial selection in Wisconsin