Editor's note: Since some of the candidates were being challenged as we went to press Tuesday, we've updated the disputed races below.
Milwaukeeans will have plenty of opportunities to cast ballots this year on races ranging from president to local alderman.
The elections are split into two cycles, the spring cycle for nonpartisan races and the fall cycle for partisan races. The nonpartisan spring elections include state Supreme Court justices, appellate and circuit court judges, city offices including mayor and Common Council, most county races including county executive and county supervisors, and all school board elections when they are held. The fall cycle for partisan races feature all of the federal elections, including president and members of both houses of Congress, and most state elections, including governor in midterm fall elections and state legislators. A few county races are partisan, such as sheriffs and district attorneys, so rather than being in the spring cycle with all of the other county races, they are on the fall ballot.
First up is the nonpartisan primary, to be held on Tuesday, Feb. 16. Primaries are held when there are three or more candidates seeking a specific office. The top two vote-getters will advance to the general election on Tuesday, April 5. Also on the April 5 ballot are races in which there are only two candidates that filed nomination papers; when that happens, there is no primary for those offices and voters cast ballots for these candidates only in the general election.
While all of the local races are nonpartisan, the presidential partisan primaries will also be on the April 5 ballot so voters can select their nominees for president. Voters must pick just one presidential candidate in the primary; they can’t pick one from each party. Voters don’t need to be members of a party to vote in this primary—it’s open to everyone.
Later this year, voters will cast ballots in the partisan primaries on Tuesday, Aug. 9, for offices including U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, half of the state Senate, all of the state Assembly, and district attorneys. The top Democrat and Republican will advance to the Tuesday, Nov. 8, general election, which will also include the biggest contest in the land: the election of the next president.
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Voters should also note that all of the elections this year require a state-approved photo ID to cast a ballot. The state Government Accountability Board offers a voter information center at gab.wi.gov/voters and a guide to voter ID at bringit.wisconsin.gov.
We’ll cover much more about the 2016 elections in future issues of the Shepherd, but for now, here’s an overview of the spring races in Milwaukee. While a few of the match-ups are unsettled as the Shepherd goes to press, this is what voters can expect this spring.
Justice and Judges
- Supreme Court Justice: Following the death of Justice Patrick Crooks, three candidates are vying to fill this 10-year term on the state’s highest court. This fall, Gov. Scott Walker appointed Justice Rebecca Bradley to fill out the rest of Crooks’ term. Bradley, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Joe Donald and Court of Appeals Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg will appear on the February ballot and the top two will advance to the April election.
- April Races: There are no primaries for Milwaukee County Circuit Court judges, but there are a number of two-candidate races that will be on the April ballot. Branch 31: This open seat is sought by Hannah Dugan and Paul Rifelj. Branch 45: Incumbent Michelle Ackerman Havas is being challenged by Jean Kies. All other judicial branches on the ballot in Milwaukee County, as well as all of the state court of appeals districts, are uncontested.
Milwaukee County Races
- County Executive: Four candidates will be on the February ballot—incumbent County Executive Chris Abele, Steve Hogan, Joseph Thomas Klein and state Sen. Chris Larson. The top two vote-getters will face off in April.
- Supervisor, District 11: Longtime Supervisor Mark Borkowski is now a Milwaukee alderman and three candidates are vying for this seat on the county board: Patricia Najera, Dan Sebring and Yaghnam F. Yaghnam, although this race is unsettled as the Shepherd goes to press. If three candidates make the ballot, there will be a primary and the top two will appear on the April ballot. If only two candidates make the ballot, there will only be an April general election contest. [Update: All three candidates will appear on the February primary ballot and the top two finishers will face off in the April general election.]
- April Races: There are a slew of candidates who will be on the April ballot but a few races haven’t been finalized. In District 5, Supervisor Martin Weddle won’t be on the ballot, but Michael Glabere and Marcelia Nicholson will be. In District 7, Supervisor Michael Mayo will be challenged by Valerie Sauve. In District 8, Tony Bloom and David L. Sartori will vie for the seat left open by Supervisor Patricia Jursik’s planned departure. In District 9, Patti Logsdon will take on Supervisor Steve F. Taylor. District 14’s match-up will be Supervisor Jason Haas and Franz Meyer. In District 16, Scott Espeseth will face Supervisor John F. Weishan Jr. In District 17, Timothy J. Johnson and Supervisor Tony Staskunas will be on the ballot. District 18 will see Supervisor Deanna Alexander being challenged by Martha Collins-De La Rosa. That said, as the Shepherd goes to press the match-ups in District 8, District 16 and District 18 have not been finalized. [Update: All of the candidates in District 8, District 16 and District 18 will appear on the April ballot.]
- No Contest: A number of candidates didn’t draw challengers, including County Comptroller Scott Manske; Board Chair Theo Lipscomb Sr. in District 1; Sheldon A. Wasserman, a former Democratic state representative who’ll replace Gerry Broderick in District 3; Sequanna Taylor, the only candidate to make the ballot in District 2, which is being vacated by Supervisor Khalif Rainey; Marina Dimitrijevic in District 4; Jim Luigi Schmitt in District 6; Supreme Moore Omokunde in District 10; Peggy Romo West in District 12; Willie Johnson Jr. in District 13; and Eddie Cullen in District 15. Except for Taylor and Wasserman, all of these unchallenged candidates are incumbents.
City of Milwaukee
- Mayor: Tom Barrett will face primary challenges from Alderman Bob Donovan, Alderman Joe Davis and James Methu. The top two vote-getters will appear on the April general election ballot.
- Alderman, District 2: Joe Davis is stepping down from this position to run for mayor and five candidates will appear on the primary ballot: Keith Bailey, Tracey Dent, Chevy Johnson, Sherman Morton and Larresa Taylor. The two candidates with the most votes will advance to the April general election.
- Alderman, District 3: Alderman Nik Kovac will face Shannan Hayden and Ira B. Robins in the primary; the top two winners will appear on the April ballot.
- Alderman, District 4: Alderman Robert Bauman, Monique Kelly and Andrew Shaw will square off in the primary; the two favorites will appear on the April ballot.
- Alderman, District 6: Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Tory Lowe, Ronny Thompson and Majungaray Watts will appear on the primary ballot in February; the two winners will advance to the April election.
- Alderman, District 7: Alderman Willie Wade decided against running for re-election and five candidates are vying for this open seat: Milwaukee Public Schools Board President Michael Bonds, David Crowley, Randy Jones, Supervisor Khalif Rainey and Vivian Redd-Fehr. The two candidates with the most votes will appear on the April ballot.
- Alderman, District 8: Alderman Bob Donovan is running to keep his longtime seat on the Common Council at the same time he’s running for mayor. He’ll face Justin Bielinski and state Rep. Josh Zepnick in February. The two leading candidates will square off in the general election in April.
- Alderman, District 9: Alderman Robert Puente has drawn five challengers in the February primary: Frank S. Emanuele Jr., David D. King, Chantia Lewis, Penny Sikora and Supervisor Martin Weddle. The top two competitors will appear on the April ballot.
- April Races: In addition to the primary winners for mayor and some Common Council seats, a number of contests will be held in the April general election. Incumbent Martin Matson and Johnny Thomas will vie for city comptroller. Incumbent Spencer Coggs and Rick Kissell will compete for city treasurer. In District 1, Alderman Ashanti Hamilton will face Vincent G. Toney in April, but this contest is being challenged as the Shepherd goes to press. [Updated: Both candidates will appear on the April ballot.] In District 10, Richard Geldon will challenge Common Council President Michael Murphy. In District 11, Alderman Mark Borkowski will face Tim Kenney. In District 12, Alderman José G. Pérez and Angel Sanchez will square off. In District 13, challenger Christopher B. Wiken and Alderman Terry L. Witkowski will appear on the ballot. In District 14, Meagan Holman will take on Alderman Anthony Zielinski. In District 15, Sean Muhammad is challenging Alderman Russell Stamper II.
- No Contest: City Attorney Grant F. Langley and Alderman Jim Bohl of District 5 drew no challengers and will remain in office for another term.
Presidential Primary in April
On April 5, voters will have a chance to vote for one candidate for the presidential nomination. Voters must choose which party’s primary in which they want to participate—either the Democratic Party’s primary or the Republican Party’s primary—and they may choose just one candidate.
The three Democrats on the ballot will be Hillary Clinton, Martin O’Malley and Bernie Sanders.
The 12 Republicans ballot will be Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Jim Gilmore, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum and Donald Trump.
