The 2021 Wisconsin Spring Election was held in the U.S. state of Wisconsin on April 6, 2021. There was one statewide race—for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Additionally, two special elections occurred for the Wisconsin State Senate and Wisconsin State Assembly, as well as other nonpartisan local and judicial elections. The 2021 Spring primary was held on February 16, 2021.

An additional special election for the 37th Assembly district was held on July 13, 2021.

In the election for Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Democrats' preferred candidate, Jill Underly, prevailed. Republicans, however, won both special elections for the Wisconsin Legislature, and Republicans' preferred candidates won both contested elections for the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

State elections

Executive

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction Carolyn Stanford Taylor did not seek election to a full term. Taylor had been appointed to the seat by Governor Tony Evers, the previous Superintendent of Public Instruction, to fill the remainder of his term after he was elected Governor of Wisconsin in 2018.

Eight candidates filed petitions by the state deadline to run for election to this seat, of which, seven were approved. The office is nonpartisan, thus all accepted candidates appeared on the primary ballot on February 16, 2021. Amongst the candidates, Deborah Kerr was the only conservative, although she campaigned as a "pragmatic Democrat".

Jill Underly and Deborah Kerr won the most votes in the top-two primary, and advanced to the April 6 general election, which Underly won with 57.6% of the vote. | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Nonpartisan Primary, February 16, 2021

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, April 6, 2021

Legislative State Senate 13th district special election A special election was held concurrent with the spring primary and spring general to fill the 13th State Senate seat vacated by the resignation of Scott L. Fitzgerald.

Seven candidates filed petitions by the state deadline to run for election to this seat, of which six were approved, including three Republicans, one Democrat, and two independents. State Representative John Jagler won the Republican primary and went on to win the April special election with 51% of the vote.

State Assembly 89th district special election A special election was held concurrent with the spring primary and spring general to fill the 89th State Assembly seat vacated by the resignation of John Nygren.

Five candidates filed petitions by the state deadline to run for election to this seat, all were approved, including four Republicans and one Democrat. Elijah Behnke won the Republican primary and went on to win the special election with 63% of the vote.

State Assembly 37th district special election A special election was held on July 13, 2021, to fill the 37th State Assembly seat vacated by the resignation of John Jagler.

Ten candidates filed petitions by the state deadline to run for this seat, all were approved, including eight Republicans, one Democrat, and one Independent. William Penterman won the June 15 Republican primary and went on to win the special election with 54% of the vote.

Judicial State Court of Appeals Three seats on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals were up for election in 2021, two of which were contested. Incumbent Judge Jeffrey O. Davis was defeated. Judge Maxine Aldridge White, appointed by Governor Tony Evers in 2020, was unopposed seeking re-election in District I. In District II, Judge Jeffrey O. Davis, appointed by Governor Tony Evers in 2019, was defeated by municipal judge Shelley Grogan of Muskego. In District III, Wisconsin circuit court judge Gregory B. Gill, Jr., of Outagamie County, defeated attorney Rick Cveykus of Wausau, to succeed retiring Judge Mark Seidl.

State Circuit Courts Sixty three of the state's 253 circuit court seats were up for election in 2021. Eleven of those seats were contested. Three of the contested seats, in Calumet, Jackson, and Marathon counties, were newly created from a 2020 act of the Wisconsin Legislature. A fourth newly created seat, in Dunn County, had only one candidate running.

In Bayfield County, incumbent Judge John P. Anderson defeated a challenge from attorney Vincent Scott Kurta. In Brown County, incumbent Judge Kendall M. Kelley defeated a challenge from attorney Rachel Maes. In Calumet County, attorney Carey John Reed defeated Calumet County corporation counsel Kimberly A. Tenerelli for a newly created judicial seat. In Dunn County, attorney Christina Mayer defeated attorney Nicholas P. Lange for the judicial seat being vacated by Judge Rod W. Smeltzer. In Fond du Lac County, former Green Lake County district attorney Andrew J. Christenson defeated attorney Laura Lavey to succeed outgoing judge Richard J. Nuss. Former Fond du Lac city councilmember Catherine A. Block and attorney Dawn M. Sabel were eliminated in the February primary. In Green County, attorney Faun Marie Phillipson defeated attorney Jane Bucher to succeed outgoing judge Jim Beer. Attorneys Peter B. Kelly and Daniel R. Bartholf were eliminated in the February primary. In Jackson County, attorneys Daniel Diehn and Robyn R. Matousek will compete for a newly created judicial seat. In Kenosha County Branch 1, incumbent Judge Larisa Benitez-Morgan was apparently defeated by former Racine County prosecutor Gerad Dougvillo. In Kenosha County Branch 6, deputy district attorney Angelina Gabriele defeated attorney Angela Cunningham to succeed outgoing judge Mary K. Wagner. Attorney Elizabeth Pfeuffer was eliminated in the February primary. In Marathon County, Marathon County corporation counsel Scott M. Corbett defeated attorney Daniel T. Cveykus for a newly created judicial seat. In Milwaukee County, assistant public defender Katie Kegel defeated attorney Susan Roth to replace outgoing judge Clare Fiorenza.

CircuitBranchIncumbentElectedDefeated Defeated in PrimaryNameVotes%NameVotes%Name(s) Adams Daniel Glen Wood Daniel Glen Wood 2,509 99.52% Bayfield John P. Anderson John P. Anderson 3,664 80.12% Vincent Scott Kurta 908 19.86% Brown 1 Donald R. Zuidmulder Donald R. Zuidmulder 30,018 99.21% 4 Kendall M. Kelley Kendall M. Kelley 30,018 57.98% Rachel Maes 15,467 41.90% 5 Marc A. Hammer Marc A. Hammer 28,919 99.29% Calumet 1 --New Seat-- Carey John Reed 4,762 55.72% Kimberly A. Tenerelli 3,781 44.24% Chippewa 2 James M. Isaacson James M. Isaacson 6,283 99.30% Columbia 1 Todd J. Hepler Todd J. Hepler 7,007 98.84% Dane 2 Josann M. Reynolds Josann M. Reynolds 77,472 99.02% 6 Nia Trammell Nia Trammell 78,255 99.20% 7 Mario D. White Mario D. White 77,787 99.23% 9 Jacob B. Frost Jacob B. Frost 77,148 99.25% 10 Juan B. Colás Juan B. Colás 78,472 99.26% 12 Chris Taylor Chris Taylor 80,833 99.10% 13 Julie Genovese Julie Genovese 76,883 99.23% 17 David Conway David Conway 75,096 99.29% Douglas 1 Kelly J. Thimm Kelly J. Thimm 4,678 99.17% 2 George L. Glonek George L. Glonek 4,581 98.94% Dunn 2 Rod W. Smeltzer Christina Mayer 3,496 53.71% Nicholas P. Lange 3,013 46.29% 3 --New Seat-- Luke M. Wagner 5,070 100.0% 3 Richard J. Nuss Andrew J. Christenson 9,142 51.44% Laura Lavey 8,625 48.53% Catherine A. BlockDawn M. Sabel Grant 2 Craig R. Day Craig R. Day 5,660 99.54% Green 1 James R. Beer Faun Marie Phillipson 4,142 48.93% Jane Bucher 4,057 47.93% 2 Thomas J. Vale Thomas J. Vale 6,585 98.52% Jackson 1 Anna L. Becker Anna L. Becker 2,959 100.0% 2 --New Seat-- Daniel Diehn 2,189 61.49% Robyn R. Matousek 1,371 38.51% Kenosha 1 Larisa V. Benitez-Morgan Gerad Dougvillo 10,720 50.68% Larisa V. Benitez-Morgan 10,364 49.00% 5 David P. Wilk David P. Wilk 15,789 98.00% 6 Mary K. Wagner Angelina Gabriele 11,745 53.33% Angela D. Cunningham 10,218 46.39% Elizabeth Pfeuffer 8 Chad G. Kerkman Chad G. Kerkman 15,476 97.94% La Crosse 5 Gloria L. Doyle Gloria L. Doyle 13,828 98.08% Lafayette Duane M. Jorgenson Duane M. Jorgenson 2,852 100.0% Langlade John Rhode John Rhode 3,531 100.0% Marathon 1 Suzanne C. O'Neill Suzanne C. O'Neill 17,564 98.96% 6 --New Seat-- Scott M. Corbett 13,772 58.19% Daniel T. Cveykus 9,865 41.68% Menominee–Shawano 1 Katie Sloma Katie Sloma 5,133 100.0% Milwaukee 1 Jack L. Dávila Jack L. Dávila 62,459 98.96% 3 Clare L. Fiorenza Katie Kegel 60,089 64.81% Susan Roth 32,299 34.83% 6 Ellen R. Brostrom Ellen R. Brostrom 62,100 98.84% 12 David L. Borowski David L. Borowski 62,165 98.67% 15 J. D. Watts J. D. Watts 62,074 98.99% 19 Kori L. Ashley Kori L. Ashley 62,074 98.99% 22 Timothy M. Witkowiak Timothy M. Witkowiak 61,264 98.88% 30 Jon Richards Jon Richards 62,942 99.11% 37 T. Christopher Dee T. Christopher Dee 61,445 99.03% 42 Reyna Morales Reyna Morales 62,906 99.08% 46 David A. Feiss David A. Feiss 61,130 99.05% Outagamie 6 Vincent R. Biskupic Vincent R. Biskupic 20,313 100.0% Ozaukee 1 Paul V. Malloy Paul V. Malloy 13,513 98.82% 3 Sandy A. Williams Sandy A. Williams 13,434 98.74% Racine 6 David W. Paulson David W. Paulson 16,757 98.56% 8 Faye M. Flancher Faye M. Flancher 16,877 98.57% Rock 5 Mike Haakenson Mike Haakenson 14,416 99.17% Sawyer John M. Yackel John M. Yackel 2,304 98.00% Sheboygan 1 L. Edward Stengel Samantha Bastil 14,162 99.18% 4 Rebecca Persick Rebecca Persick 14,283 99.29% Taylor Ann N. Knox-Bauer Ann N. Knox-Bauer 4,397 99.71% Walworth 3 Kristine E. Drettwan Kristine E. Drettwan 12,238 98.59% Washington 4 Sandra J. Giernoth Sandra J. Giernoth 16,283 100.0% Waukesha 7 Maria S. Lazar Maria S. Lazar 48,711 98.99% 8 Michael P. Maxwell Michael P. Maxwell 48,406 99.04% 9 Michael J. Aprahamian Michael J. Aprahamian 48,795 99.06% 10 Paul Bugenhagen Jr. Paul Bugenhagen Jr. 48,458 99.05% Wood 3 Todd P. Wolf Todd P. Wolf 8,958 99.37%

Local elections Dane County

Dane County executive Incumbent Joe Parisi was re-elected to a third full term as County Executive, he defeated challenger Mary Ann Nicholson with 79% of the vote.

Sheboygan County

Sheboygan mayor A regularly scheduled mayoral election was held in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, at the Spring general election, April 6, 2021. City council president Ryan Sorenson was elected mayor, defeating the incumbent mayor Mike Vandersteen. Sorenson, at age 27, became the youngest mayor in the city's history.

Sheboygan Area School Board Three members of the Sheboygan Area School District's board were also elected.

Waupaca County

Clintonville School Board Three seats were up for election on the Clintonville School Board. Eight candidates entered the primary, which narrowed the field to six. The six candidates advancing are Larry Czarnecki, Chadwick J. Dobbe, Glen Lundt, Laurie A. Vollrath, Jason L. Moder, and Ben Huber.

Manawa mayor Manawa's primary narrowed the field of mayoral candidates from 3 to two, with Mark Zelmer and Michael Frazier advancing.

References

External links Wisconsin Elections Commission