The spring election in Wisconsin takes place this upcoming
Tuesday, April 5 and features two important statewide races.
First is the Wisconsin Presidential Primary, one of the
oldest in the nation as it was first established in 1912. Voters will decide
upon the main and still actively seeking candidates both the Democratic and
Republican parties’ nomination for President of the United States. The winner
takes the majority share of delegates to each party’s national nominating conventions
this summer.
In the Democratic Party, Former Secretary of State (2009-14)
and U.S. Senator from New York (2001-2009) and former First Lady Hilary Clinton
is facing Vermont U.S. Senator and former U.S House member (1991-2007) Bernie
Sanders. On the Republican Party ballot, businessman Donald Trump is facing
Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor and former Congressman
(1983-2001) John Kasich. Voters can
choose either party’s ballot as this is an open primary. Democrats split their
delegates proportionally to the percentage of the vote of each candidate gets
while Republicans will grant the statewide winner of their primary 15 delegates
and the winners of each of the state’s eight Congressional districts will
receive three delegates.
The other statewide election is for the Supreme Court.
Incumbent Justice Rebecca Bradley is running for a full term on the court after
having been appointed to the court by Governor Scott Walker upon the death of
Justice Patrick Crooks last year. She had served on the state’s court of
appeals before then and has 16 years on the bench with another 19 years as a
lawyer in private practice. She is being challenged by State Court of Appeals
Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg. Kloppenburg won a seat on the court in 2012. From
1989-2011 she had been an assistant attorney general in the state Department of
Justice and before then had been a law clerk for both State Supreme Court
Justice Shirley Abrahamson and Western District Federal Judge Barbra Crabb. She
had ran for the State Supreme Court once before in 2011 and nearly defeated
incumbent Justice David Prosser.
Both candidates were the top two vote getters out of three
candidates in the primary which took place back on Feb. 16.
Other judicial elections on the ballot include Circuit Court
Judge, where Joseph Boles is running unopposed and Court of Appeals Judge
District 3 where Thomas Hruz is also running unopposed.
Locally, the only contested election will be in Oak Grove
Township. Voters must pick two candidates to fill two seats on the board out of
three candidates running: Incumbent Debra McClure, Incumbent Eugene Schommer
and challenger Bill Parks.
Local incumbents on the Prescott City Council, Prescott
School Board and the Pierce County Board will all be running unopposed.
All three incumbents are running again for the Prescott
School Board. They are Mike Matzek, Josias Franco and Tanya Holub.
Incumbents running again an unopposed representing local
districts on the Pierce County Board are Robert Mercord, District No. 1 (City
of Prescott); LeRoy Peterson, District No. 2 (Clifton Township), Dan Reis,
District No. 13 (Oak Grove Township) Jerry Kosin, District No. 15 (Oak Grove
Township) and Board Chairman Jeff Holst, District No. 16 (Diamond Bluff
Township).
Incumbents officially running unopposed on the Prescott City
Council are At-Large Alderman Jack Hoschette and Wards No. 1 and No. 2
Alderwoman Maureen Otwell.
Also running unopposed in the City of Prescott are Mayor
David Hovel and Municipal Judge Patrick Eich.
Polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday and will close at 8
p.m. Voters will be asked for
identification before voting. Local
polling stations in the Prescott area and their administrators, with contact
phone number for any questions, are as follows:
City of Prescott – Prescott
City Hall, 800 Borner St., Jayne Brand (715) 262-5544
Town of Clifton – Clifton
Town Hall, W11705, CTH. FF, Judy Clement-Lee (715) 426-6332
Town of Oak Grove – Oak
Grove Town Hall, N4939, 1100th St., Dan Reis, (715) 262-4005
Town of Diamond Bluff
– Diamond Bluff Town Hall, W9870, 290th Ave., Todd Mehrken (612)
987-1059
Town of Trimbelle – Trimbelle
Town Hall, N5310, 800th St., Mary Kees (715) 273-5860
• You are registering for the first time
and submitted your form by mail, or
• You are registering to vote less than
20 days before Election Day.