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Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2024

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2024 Wisconsin
Senate Elections
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PrimaryAugust 13, 2024
GeneralNovember 5, 2024
Past Election Results
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2024 Elections
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The general election for the Wisconsin Senate took place on Nov. 5, 2024.

Following the election, Republicans lost a Senate veto-proof majority but maintained an 18-15 majority. The state remained a divided government, with a Democrat controlling the governorship and Republicans holding majorities in both chambers of the state legislature.

Sixteen out of 33 Senate seats were up for election, including eight in districts with Republican incumbents who ran for re-election, four in districts with Democratic incumbents who ran for re-election, and four in open districts. Before the election, Republicans held a 22-10 veto-proof majority, with one vacancy. Democrats needed to gain seven seats to change partisan control of the chamber.

Wisconsin elects half of its senators to four-year terms every two years. 2024 was the first year Wisconsin held state legislative elections under its new legislative maps. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Under the new boundaries, the state Assembly and state Senate will likely see more balance between the two parties...Under the previous maps, Republicans hold 22 out of 33 state Senate seats. Under the new state Senate map, 14 out of 33 districts are Democratic-leaning, while 15 are Republican-leaning."[1]

On Feb. 19, 2024, Gov. Tony Evers (D) signed Senate Bill 488 into law, adopting new Wisconsin legislative maps.[2] Both chambers of the Legislature approved the maps on Feb. 13. The Wisconsin Senate passed the new maps 18-14, and the Assembly passed the new maps 63-33.

Ballotpedia identified four Senate battleground districts. As of Oct. 16, 2024, CNalysis identified one of these districts as a Toss-Up, one as Tilt Democratic, one as Lean Democratic, and one as Very Likely Democratic. Heading into the election Republicans represented all four of those battleground districts. Incumbents ran in two of these races, while the other two were in open districts, meaning no incumbents ran. Click here to read more about the battleground elections.

Of the Battleground Senate races, the Green Bay Press-Gazette's's Jesse Lin wrote that Senate District 30, along with Assembly Districts 88 and 89, received the most outside campaign spending. Lin wrote, "Two million dollars poured into the races for Senate District 30 and Assembly Districts 88 and 89. Put another way, these three races received almost 2.5 times more money in just over a month than all the local races got in the eight months before the Aug. 13 primary...Just over two-thirds of the $2.15 million going to local races went to the candidates in those three districts. After the primary, the proportion skyrocketed to 93.3% of all September finances in greater Green Bay. The focus on these races stems from the new Senate District 30 boundaries that no longer reach up to Oconto County or down to Denmark. Its limits are now tightly wound around Green Bay and its immediate neighbors and contain Assembly Districts 88 and 89."[3]

According to AP's Todd Richmond, Wisconsin Democrats planned to spend seven million dollars on television ads across those five battleground Senate districts. Richmond wrote, "In a sign of how the new maps have energized the party, Democrats have put up a candidate in every Senate race on the ballot for the first time in more than 20 years...Senate Republican Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said that voters will see the ads as another attempt by liberals to buy control of government institutions."[4]

Both the Republican State Leadership Committee and the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee listed Wisconsin as a state in which they would prioritize state legislative elections in 2024.[5]

At the time of the election, Wisconsin was one of 10 states that had a divided government, since Democrats controlled the governorship while Republicans controlled both chambers of the Legislature. The outcome of the Assembly elections alone could not have changed Wisconsin's trifecta status because Republicans also controlled the Senate. Wisconsin was one of 44 states that held state legislative elections in 2024.

No incumbents lost in the primaries. Click here to learn more.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Wisconsin

Election information in Wisconsin: Nov. 5, 2024, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: Nov. 5, 2024
  • By mail: Postmarked by Oct. 16, 2024
  • Online: Oct. 16, 2024

Was absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

Yes

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: Nov. 3, 2024
  • By mail: Received by Oct. 31, 2024
  • Online: Oct. 31, 2024

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: Nov. 5, 2024
  • By mail: Received by Nov. 5, 2024

Was early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What were the early voting start and end dates?

Oct. 22, 2024 to Nov. 3, 2024

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (CST)


General election race ratings

The table below displays race ratings for each race in this chamber from CNalysis.

Battleground elections

Ballotpedia identified the battleground elections below based on media coverage and race ratings. Click on the tabs to view the candidates who ran, a brief description of the race, district partisan history, and Candidate Connection survey responses.

Of the five battleground districts, Republicans represented four and Democrats represented one. Incumbents ran in three of these races, while the other two were in open districts, meaning no incumbents ran.

The map below highlights each battleground district colored based on the party affiliation of the incumbent.

Wisconsin Senate battleground elections, 2024
District 2020 vote CNalysis rating
Senate District 8 50.8%-49.1% Toss-Up
Senate District 14 64.9%-35.1% Tilt Democratic
Senate District 18 59.1%-40.8% Very Likely Democratic
Senate District 30 54.7%-45.3% Lean Democratic


Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Wisconsin State Senate District 8

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jodi Habush Sinykin
Jodi Habush Sinykin (D)
 
50.7
 
60,471
Image of Duey Stroebel
Duey Stroebel (R)
 
49.2
 
58,686
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
160

Total votes: 119,317
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Race information
Incumbent Sen. Duey Stroebel (R) assumed office in 2015. Jodi Habush Sinykin (D) was an environmental attorney.[6]

District information

  • As of Sept. 30, 2024, CNalysis rated Senate District 8 as Toss-up. According to that analysis, the district performed 0.6 percentage points more Democratic than the nation did as a whole in the 2020 presidential election.[7]
  • As of March 11, 2024, WisPolitics rated Senate District 8 as 53% Republican.[8]

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

No candidate in this race completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.


Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Wisconsin State Senate District 14

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Sarah Keyeski
Sarah Keyeski (D) Candidate Connection
 
51.1
 
52,483
Image of Joan Ballweg
Joan Ballweg (R)
 
48.8
 
50,149
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
101

Total votes: 102,733
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.


Race information
Incumbent Sen. Joan Ballweg (R) assumed office in 2021. Sarah Keyeski (D) was a licensed professional counselor.[9]

District information

  • As of Sept. 30, 2024, CNalysis rated Senate District 14 as Lean Democratic. According to that analysis, the district performed 3.9 percentage points more Democratic than the nation did as a whole in the 2020 presidential election.[10]
  • As of March 11, 2024, WisPolitics rated Senate District 14 as 53.3% Democratic.[11]

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Education. I see our rural schools as the cornerstone of our communities and a strong educational system as a critical part of investing in the future of District 14. I support increasing state funding to strengthen our public schools and lifting revenue limits. I also oppose using public funds to subsidize private school voucher programs in our state.

Reproductive Freedom. I believe that women should have the right to make decisions, without governmental interference, over their bodies and about their reproductive options; including having access to abortion care, IVF (in vitro fertilization) and birth control. I also believe that we need to codify Roe into law so that women's liberties are restored for our daughters.

Rural Communities. As a girl who grew up on a small dairy farm, I believe that rural communities are the backbone of our state! I will work diligently to protect our farms and agricultural businesses, invest in critical infrastructure like broadband and roads, support small businesses, and enhance economic vibrancy in our rural communities. I want young people to be able stay in their communities with the option of earning a good, family-supporting living.
I am interested in expanding our Mental Health services and quality childcare access.

As a mental health counselor, I am acutely aware of the mental health crisis our country is facing. I will fight to pass legislation that strengthens our mental health care services and improves the negative social circumstances impacting mental health (reducing poverty, advocating for gun safety and improving access to housing).

In terms of childcare, I recognize that there are significant “deserts” in District 14 where childcare options are either not available or limited which significantly impacts the choices families have for their future. I am committed to ensure that working families have access to high-quality, affordable childcare resources.
I am interested in expanding our Mental Health services and quality childcare access.

As a mental health counselor, I am acutely aware of the mental health crisis our country is facing. I will fight to pass legislation that strengthens our mental health care services and improves the negative social circumstances impacting mental health (reducing poverty, advocating for gun safety and improving access to housing).

In terms of childcare, I recognize that there are significant “deserts” in District 14 where childcare options are either not available or limited which significantly impacts the choices families have for their future. I am committed to ensure that working families have access to high-quality, affordable childcare resources.
I've always been guided by a strong inner compass with three prominent values; compassion, contribution and moral courage.

Compassion: I grew up on a dairy farm as one of five children. My parents were simple, down to earth people who taught us the ethic of hard work and modeled good, old-fashioned kindness. They were never too good for anyone and never looked down on others. They extended a helping hand without judgment and accepted everyone just as they were.

From their example, I internalized the value of compassion which led me to become a mental health counselor. While I have loved this work for the past 25 years, I’ve been compelled to do more. So, I am taking my knowledge and care for others beyond my therapy office to advocate to improve the lives of everyone in Wisconsin as a legislator. I want to help pass legislation that positively impacts our collective mental well-being through changes like improving public school funding, advancing gun safety reform, and expanding health care access.

Contribution: I believe in the mental health benefits of being in service to something bigger than oneself. As such, I’ve been a Girl Scout leader, gone on Mission trips, coordinated a feminine hygiene product drive for our food pantry and in 2021, I developed a nonprofit focused on having the community come together to volunteer for an annual day of service.

Being elected to the State Senate will allow me to contribute in a new, meaningful way. I will responsively represent and serve the direct needs of the constituents of the 14th district.

Moral courage: I deeply respect those who have the moral courage to live boldly by their convictions and take a stand for what is right. Standing up has gotten scary over the past few years, but it’s never been more important than now! I believe I must stand up to protect our democracy and for the ideals of equality, freedom and fairness for all! Our kids are depending on us to get off the sidelines and get engaged.
I've always been guided by a strong inner compass with three prominent values; compassion, contribution and moral courage.

Compassion: I grew up on a dairy farm as one of five children. My parents were simple, down to earth people who taught us the ethic of hard work and modeled good, old-fashioned kindness. They were never too good for anyone and never looked down on others. They extended a helping hand without judgment and accepted everyone just as they were.

From their example, I internalized the value of compassion which led me to become a mental health counselor. While I have loved this work for the past 25 years, I’ve been compelled to do more. So, I am taking my knowledge and care for others beyond my therapy office to advocate to improve the lives of everyone in Wisconsin as a legislator. I want to help pass legislation that positively impacts our collective mental well-being through changes like improving public school funding, advancing gun safety reform, and expanding health care access.

Contribution: I believe in the mental health benefits of being in service to something bigger than oneself. As such, I’ve been a Girl Scout leader, gone on Mission trips, coordinated a feminine hygiene product drive for our food pantry and in 2021, I developed a nonprofit focused on having the community come together to volunteer for an annual day of service.

Being elected to the State Senate will allow me to contribute in a new, meaningful way. I will responsively represent and serve the direct needs of the constituents of the 14th district.

Moral courage: I deeply respect those who have the moral courage to live boldly by their convictions and take a stand for what is right. Standing up has gotten scary over the past few years, but it’s never been more important than now! I believe I must stand up to protect our democracy and for the ideals of equality, freedom and fairness for all! Our kids are depending on us to get off the sidelines and get engaged.
This campaign, and my representation, will be driven by a faith in the power of "us." I stand by the deeply-held belief in our capacity as a society to be better and do better toward one another. So, my mission is to create a movement OF and FOR regular people... that's you and me, not the political elite, not big money donors, and not the bullies with the loudest megaphones! As such, my representation as a Senator will be hard working, values-driven, uplifting and collaborative. Being an active participant in our democracy is imperative, especially right now, and this campaign seeks to be a lived expression of the power of the social contract and will act as a rebellion against division and hopelessness.
This campaign, and my representation, will be driven by a faith in the power of "us." I stand by the deeply-held belief in our capacity as a society to be better and do better toward one another. So, my mission is to create a movement OF and FOR regular people... that's you and me, not the political elite, not big money donors, and not the bullies with the loudest megaphones! As such, my representation as a Senator will be hard working, values-driven, uplifting and collaborative. Being an active participant in our democracy is imperative, especially right now, and this campaign seeks to be a lived expression of the power of the social contract and will act as a rebellion against division and hopelessness.



Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Wisconsin State Senate District 18

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kristin Alfheim
Kristin Alfheim (D) Candidate Connection
 
53.3
 
46,878
Image of Anthony Phillips
Anthony Phillips (R)
 
46.7
 
41,079
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
75

Total votes: 88,032
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.


Race information
Kristin Alfheim (D) was a retirement income certified professional.[12] Anthony Phillips (R) was a cancer physician.[13]

District information

  • As of Sept. 30, 2024, CNalysis rated Senate District 18 as Very Likely Democratic. According to that analysis, the district performed 2.7 percentage points more Republican than the nation did as a whole in the 2020 presidential election.[14]
  • * As of March 11, 2024, WisPolitics rated Senate District 18 as 55.5% Democratic.[15]

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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The new Senate District 18 includes the bulk of Appleton, Menasha, Neenah and Oshkosh. All four communities will need a balanced approach in order to create the best place to live, raise a family, work and grow a business. Continuing to rebalance the lack of state shared revenue to all four municipalities will be necessary to insure the communities offer outstanding services and support while reducing the pressure on property owners.

Experience and knowledge matter. Kris has spent over a decade in the political arena. Over the past 3 years she has worked diligently with Republicans, Democrats, industry, schools, municipalities and associations of all kinds to understand the detail of issues that exist across the state and in the Fox Valley. She is known and respected by both Democrats and Republicans in Madison as a strong communicator and pragmatic problem solver

Working families are the heart of the Fox Valley. Strengthening the worker’s ability to negotiate, reducing the cost of healthcare and childcare and providing top grade public education, all have a direct impact on the lives of most families in the Fox Valley. Working families have been treated as an afterthought in Wisconsin policy in the last decade. There must be balancing in helping not only industry, but families
Children are the infrastructure of our society. A healthy community and economy relies on our youth having what they need to succeed. Nutrition, housing, healthcare and education are necessary. It is both an opportunity and obligation. If we want to increase the workforce, attract more people to the area, reduce future crime and decrease the need for public services, we must help kids find success.
Children are the infrastructure of our society. A healthy community and economy relies on our youth having what they need to succeed. Nutrition, housing, healthcare and education are necessary. It is both an opportunity and obligation. If we want to increase the workforce, attract more people to the area, reduce future crime and decrease the need for public services, we must help kids find success.
Kris has been a student of leadership for decades. Her library is extensive. John Maxwell has been one of her favorites
Kris has been a student of leadership for decades. Her library is extensive. John Maxwell has been one of her favorites
An elected official should listen and interact with all of their constituents, not just those from their own party. Accountability, consistency,respectability, competence, confidence and humility are all necessary to be a leader. Be humble enough to listen and learn from those with differing opinions. Be strong enough to stand up for what’s right, and be flexible enough to accept compromise.
An elected official should listen and interact with all of their constituents, not just those from their own party. Accountability, consistency,respectability, competence, confidence and humility are all necessary to be a leader. Be humble enough to listen and learn from those with differing opinions. Be strong enough to stand up for what’s right, and be flexible enough to accept compromise.
Tenacity, humility, courage, strong communicator and empathetic
Tenacity, humility, courage, strong communicator and empathetic
Lead the charge towards cooperative governance.
Lead the charge towards cooperative governance.
If the legislator is properly balanced, negotiations and compromise is expected. The Governor sets the budget, the legislature should work through it together to find compromise. If this happens, fewer vetoes will be necessary.
If the legislator is properly balanced, negotiations and compromise is expected. The Governor sets the budget, the legislature should work through it together to find compromise. If this happens, fewer vetoes will be necessary.
Rebalancing the needs of the families, the economy and the excess surplus budget.
Rebalancing the needs of the families, the economy and the excess surplus budget.
Yes. People believe they understand how to fix the government after attending and contributing to political leaders or watching the news. Then you enter an elected position and quickly learn how little is actually understood and how issues are tied together. Nothing is easy to fix. There are no perfect solutions. The humility to listen and learn about process, resources and reality is necessary to become a good steward of tax payors dollars.
Yes. People believe they understand how to fix the government after attending and contributing to political leaders or watching the news. Then you enter an elected position and quickly learn how little is actually understood and how issues are tied together. Nothing is easy to fix. There are no perfect solutions. The humility to listen and learn about process, resources and reality is necessary to become a good steward of tax payors dollars.
Yes. Government is meant to have checks and balances. If the legislature does its job correctly, working across lines becomes necessary. I believe my experience working with both sides will be an asset in the legislature
Yes. Government is meant to have checks and balances. If the legislature does its job correctly, working across lines becomes necessary. I believe my experience working with both sides will be an asset in the legislature
There has never been a perfect politician. There never will be one. Abraham Lincoln was pretty close
There has never been a perfect politician. There never will be one. Abraham Lincoln was pretty close
Becoming an excellent Senator for the Fox Valley and Wisconsin is the mission
Becoming an excellent Senator for the Fox Valley and Wisconsin is the mission
Community members have shared many stories of their love for the Fox Valley as well as their struggles.
Community members have shared many stories of their love for the Fox Valley as well as their struggles.
Emergency powers are granted to the Governor and President for exactly that reason emergencies. With the recent flooding events in WI as an example, it would not have been realistic to call in the legislature from break, begin arguments and react in a timely matter if emergency resources were available. Emergency resources should be fast action. They should not be removed from the Governor
Emergency powers are granted to the Governor and President for exactly that reason emergencies. With the recent flooding events in WI as an example, it would not have been realistic to call in the legislature from break, begin arguments and react in a timely matter if emergency resources were available. Emergency resources should be fast action. They should not be removed from the Governor
Health care, Financial Services, Environmental and Education
Health care, Financial Services, Environmental and Education
I believe anything funded with tax payor dollars should be transparent. I believe if Private school vouchers are to continue, they should be held to the same standards of accountability and transparency as public schools
I believe anything funded with tax payor dollars should be transparent. I believe if Private school vouchers are to continue, they should be held to the same standards of accountability and transparency as public schools



Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Wisconsin State Senate District 30

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jamie Wall
Jamie Wall (D)
 
52.5
 
46,247
Image of Jim Rafter
Jim Rafter (R)
 
47.4
 
41,773
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
86

Total votes: 88,106
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.


Race information
Jamie Wall (D) was vice president of the Green Bay Water Commission.[16] Jim Rafter (R) was the Village of Allouez president.[17]

District information

  • As of Sept. 30, 2024, CNalysis rated Senate District 30 as Tilt Democratic. According to that analysis, the district performed 3.3 percentage points more Democratic than the nation did as a whole in the 2020 presidential election.[18]
  • As of March 11, 2024, WisPolitics rated Senate District 30 as 52.6% Democratic.[19]

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

No candidate in this race completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

Candidates

General election

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Primary

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Party control

See also: Partisan composition of state senates and State government trifectas
Wisconsin State Senate
Party As of November 5, 2024 After November 6, 2024
     Democratic Party 10 15
     Republican Party 22 18
     Vacancy 1 0
Total 33 33

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance

The section and tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. Districts and elections are grouped in sections of 10. To view data for a district, click on the appropriate bar below to expand it. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA.

Incumbents who were not re-elected

See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 14, 2024

Incumbents defeated in general elections

See also: Incumbents defeated in state legislative elections, 2024

Two incumbents lost in general elections. An average of one incumbent lost in even-year general elections from 2010-2022.

Name Party Office
Joan Ballweg Ends.png Republican Senate District 14
Duey Stroebel Ends.png Republican Senate District 8

Incumbents defeated in primaries

See also: Incumbents defeated in state legislative elections, 2024

No incumbents lost in primaries. This was less than the average of 0.1 incumbent defeats per cycle from 2010 to 2022.

Retiring incumbents

Three incumbents did not file for re-election in 2024.[20] The average number of retirements each election cycle from 2010 to 2022 was five. Those incumbents were:

Name Party Office
Robert Cowles Ends.png Republican Senate District 2
Daniel Knodl Ends.png Republican Senate District 8
Melissa Agard Electiondot.png Democratic Senate District 16

Primary election competitiveness

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2024

This section contains data on state legislative primary election competitiveness in Wisconsin. These totals include data from all regularly-scheduled House and Senate elections. For more information about Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of state legislative elections, please click here.

Post-filing deadline analysis

The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in Wisconsin in 2024. Information below was calculated on June 28, 2024, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

Wisconsin had 50 contested state legislative primaries in 2024, an increase of 32% from 2022.

Twenty-three of these primaries were for Democrats, a 156% increase from nine in 2022. Twenty-seven primaries were for Republicans, a decrease of seven percent from 29 in 2022.

A new high of 27 incumbents faced primary challenges, representing 31% of all incumbents who ran for re-election. The previous high was 15 incumbents in 2012. The average number of primaries to feature an incumbent each election cycle from 2010 to 2022 was nine.

Four of the 27 incumbents facing primary challenges were Democrats, and 23 were Republicans.

In total, 269 major party candidates—145 Democrats and 124 Republicans—filed to run. All 99 State Assembly seats and 16 of the 33 Senate seats were up for election. Thirty of those seats were open, meaning no incumbents filed. This tied with 2022 as the most open seats since tracking began in 2010. The average number of open seats each cycle from 2010 to 2020 was 21.


Open seats

The table below shows the number and percentage of open seats in the Wisconsin State Senate from 2010 to 2024.[21]

Open Seats in Wisconsin State Senate elections: 2010 - 2024
Year Total seats Open seats Seats with incumbents running for re-election
2024 16 3 (19 percent) 13 (81 percent)
2022 17 7 (41 percent) 10 (59 percent)
2020 16 7 (44 percent) 9 (56 percent)
2018 17 3 (18 percent) 14 (82 percent)
2016 16 3 (19 percent) 13 (81 percent)
2014 17 7 (41 percent) 10 (59 percent)
2012 16 2 (13 percent) 14 (87 percent)
2010 17 3 (18 percent) 14 (82 percent)

Process to become a candidate

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Wisconsin

DocumentIcon.jpg See statutes: Wisconsin Statutes and Annotations, Chapter 8

The filing process for both ballot-qualified party candidates and other candidates (e.g., independents, non-recognized party candidates, etc.) is the same. The filing procedure, however, does vary somewhat according to the type of office being sought. Please note that only ballot-qualified party candidates can participate in primaries.[22]

For federal and state candidates

A candidate for federal office must file a declaration of candidacy with the Wisconsin Elections Commission. The declaration of candidacy must state the following:[22][23]

  • that the individual is a candidate for the office named on the form
  • that the individual meets the qualifications for office, or will meet the qualifications by the time he or she assumes office if elected
  • that the individual will otherwise qualify for office if nominated and elected

The declaration of candidacy must be sworn before an individual authorized to administer oaths. The declaration of candidacy must be filed by 5:00 p.m. on June 1 preceding the election (if June 1 falls on non-business day, the form will be due on the next preceding business day).[22][23][24][25]

In addition to the declaration of candidacy, the candidate must submit nomination papers to the Wisconsin Elections Commission. The number of signatures required varies according to the office being sought. Requirements are summarized in the table below.[22][24][25]

Nomination paper signature requirements for federal candidates
Office Minimum signatures Maximum signatures
U.S. Senator 2,000 4,000
U.S. Representative 1,000 2,000
State senator 400 800
State representative 200 400
State supreme court justice 2,000 4,000

Nomination papers must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on June 1 preceding the election (if June 1 falls on non-business day, the form will be due on the next preceding business day).[22][24][25]

Write-in candidates

On April 2, 2014, Governor Scott Walker signed into law AB 419, which requires that write-in candidates file campaign finance statements in order to have their votes tallied. Otherwise, there are no specific filing requirements for write-in candidates.[26]

Qualifications

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

Section 6 of Article 4 of the Wisconsin Constitution states, "No person shall be eligible to the legislature who shall not have resided one year within the state, and be a qualified elector in the district which he may be chosen to represent."

Salaries and per diem

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
State legislative salaries, 2024[27]
SalaryPer diem
$57,408/year$140/day for senators. Dane County senators are allowed half that amount. $155.70/day (with overnight) or $77.85/day (no overnight) for representatives. Dane County representatives receive only $77.85/day.

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

Wisconsin legislators assume office the first Monday in January following the election, unless the first Monday of January falls on January 1 or 2. In those cases, legislators assume office on January 3.[28]

Wisconsin political history

Trifectas

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.

Wisconsin Party Control: 1992-2025
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
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
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
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

Presidential politics in Wisconsin

2020

See also: Presidential election, 2020


Presidential election in Wisconsin, 2020
 
Candidate/Running mate
%
Popular votes
Electoral votes
Image of
Image of
Joe Biden/Kamala D. Harris (D)
 
49.5
 
1,630,673 10
Image of
Image of
Donald Trump/Mike Pence (R)
 
48.8
 
1,610,065 0
Image of
Image of
Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (L)
 
1.2
 
38,491 0
Image of
Image of
Brian T. Carroll/Amar Patel (American Solidarity Party)
 
0.2
 
5,258 0
Image of
Image of
Don Blankenship/William Mohr (Constitution Party)
 
0.2
 
5,144 0
  Other write-in votes
 
0.2
 
7,721 0

Total votes: 3,297,352


2016

See also: Presidential election, 2016
U.S. presidential election, Wisconsin, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes Electoral votes
     Democratic Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine 46.5% 1,382,536 0
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDonald Trump/Mike Pence 47.2% 1,405,284 10
     Libertarian Gary Johnson/Bill Weld 3.6% 106,674 0
     Green Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka 1% 31,072 0
     Constitution Darrell Lane Castle/Scott Bradley 0.4% 12,162 0
     Workers Party Monica Moorehead/Lamont Lilly 0.1% 1,770 0
     American Delta Rocky De La Fuente/Michael Steinberg 0.1% 1,502 0
     - Write-in votes 1.2% 35,150 0
Total Votes 2,976,150 10
Election results via: Wisconsin Elections Commission

Note: The vote totals above are from the recount.


Wisconsin presidential election results (1900-2020)

  • 15 Democratic wins
  • 16 Republican wins
  • 1 other win
Year 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Winning Party R R R D R R P[29] R D D D R D R R R D R R D R R D D D D D D D R D R

Redistricting following the 2020 census

On February 19, 2024, Gov. Tony Evers (D) signed Senate Bill 488 into law, adopting new Wisconsin legislative maps.[30] The maps were approved by majority votes in both chambers of Wisconsin's state legislature on February 13. The state Senate voted 18-14 in favor of adopting the new legislative maps, while the state Assembly vote total was 63-33.

In the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election, Janet Protasiewicz defeated Daniel Kelly, changing the balance of the court from a conservative to a liberal majority for the first time in 15 years.[31][32] On December 22, 2023, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled in a 4-3 vote that the state's legislative maps were unconstitutional and ordered new maps to be drawn before the 2024 election.[33]

2024 battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

This was a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections included:

See also

Wisconsin State Legislative Elections News and Analysis
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Wisconsin State Executive Offices
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State legislative elections:
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Primary elections in Wisconsin
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Partisan composition of state legislatures
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Partisan composition of state houses

External links

Footnotes

  1. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "See Wisconsin's new state legislative maps signed by Gov. Tony Evers,"
  2. Office of the Governor, "Gov. Evers Signs Fair Maps for Wisconsin," February 19, 2024
  3. Wisconsin Watch, "More than $2 million injected into 3 Green Bay legislative races," October 18, 2024
  4. Associated Press, "Democrats commit $7 million to TV ads in 5 key state Senate races," accessed May 8, 2024
  5. Pluribus News, "Dems, GOP pump millions into legislative elections," September 3, 2024
  6. Jodi Habush Sinykin 2024 Campaign Website, "Meet Jodi," accessed September 30, 2024
  7. CNalysis, "Wisconsin," accessed September 30, 2024
  8. WisPolitics, "2024 Wisconsin Senate races," March 5, 2024
  9. Sarah Keyeski 2024 Campaign Website, "Home," accessed September 30, 2024
  10. CNalysis, "Wisconsin," accessed September 30, 2024
  11. WisPolitics, "2024 Wisconsin Assembly races," March 11, 2024
  12. Linkedin, "Kristin Alfheim," accessed September 30, 2024
  13. Anthony Phillips 2024 Campaign Website, "Home," accessed September 30, 2024
  14. CNalysis, "Wisconsin," accessed September 30, 2024
  15. WisPolitics, "2024 Wisconsin Assembly races," March 11, 2024
  16. Jamie Wall 2024 campaign website, "About Jamie," accessed September 30, 2024
  17. Linkedin, "Jim Rafter," accessed September 30, 2024
  18. CNalysis, "Wisconsin," accessed September 30, 2024
  19. WisPolitics, "2024 Wisconsin Assembly races," March 11, 2024
  20. Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
  21. Ballotpedia defines a seat as open if the incumbent did not file to run for re-election or filed but withdrew and did not appear on any ballot for his or her seat. If the incumbent withdrew from or did not participate in the primary but later chose to seek re-election to his or her seat as a third party or independent candidate, the seat would not be counted as open. If the incumbent retired or ran for a different seat in the same chamber, his or her original seat would be counted as open unless another incumbent from the same chamber filed to run for that seat, in which case it would not be counted as open due to the presence of an incumbent.
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 Government Accountability Board, "Ballot Access Manual (2020)," accessed May 30, 2023
  23. 23.0 23.1 Wisconsin Statutes and Annotations, "Chapter 8, Section 21," accessed May 30, 2023
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 Wisconsin Statutes and Annotations, "Chapter 8, Section 20," accessed May 30, 2023
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 Wisconsin Statutes and Annotations, "Chapter 8, Section 15," accessed May 30, 2023
  26. Ballot Access News, "Wisconsin Will No Longer Count Write-in Votes Unless Write-in Candidate Files Paperwork," May 17, 2014
  27. National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
  28. Wisconsin Statutes, "Chapter 13: Legislative Branch: 13.02 Regular sessions," accessed October 5, 2021
  29. Progressive Party
  30. Office of the Governor, "Gov. Evers Signs Fair Maps for Wisconsin," February 19, 2024
  31. NBC, "In heated Wisconsin Supreme Court debate, candidates tangle over 'fake elector' scheme," March 21, 2023
  32. NBC News, "Wisconsin governor signs new state legislative maps into law, ending a GOP gerrymander," February 19, 2024
  33. The New York Times, "Justices in Wisconsin Order New Legislative Maps," December 22, 2023


Current members of the Wisconsin State Senate
Leadership
Senate President:Mary Felzkowski
Majority Leader:Devin LeMahieu
Minority Leader:Dianne Hesselbein
Senators
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
Dan Feyen (R)
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
Republican Party (18)
Democratic Party (15)