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The top race in Wisconsin may be the battle for governor, but there are other high-stakes contests too. The outcome of Wisconsin’s congressional races in play could help determine which party controls Congress in 2027. Control of the state Legislature could also be up in the air, with some of the first opportunities to test the competitiveness of newly drawn maps.

There’s plenty to sort through on the ballot, and plenty to help you develop a plan to vote. This guide breaks down what voters need to know, whether they plan to vote early or on Nov. 3. We have included links to both our election coverage and to other trusted sources of information.

This fall’s partisan election may bring some upsets. But with this resource, there should be no surprises when you’re at the ballot box.

Federal elections

Representative in Congress District 2

First elected in 2012, Democratic U.S. Congressman Mark Pocan is running unopposed for what will be his eighth term representing south-central and south-west Wisconsin. Of the eight U.S. House races in Wisconsin, this is the only district where there’s just one candidate on the ballot.

Statewide races

Governor/Lieutenant Governor

It’s an open race for Wisconsin’s next governor. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is the Republican nominee and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is the Democratic nominee. Isthmus profiled this race in our October cover story.

The two candidates will meet for just one debate, at 7 p.m. on Oct. 21, which will air live on WISN and stream on wisn.com (those in Madison can watch on WKOW). Topics will include the cost of living, taxes, immigration enforcement, data centers and election security.

In Wisconsin, governors don’t get to pick their lieutenant governors. David Varnam, a former mayor of Lancaster in southwest Wisconsin, is running on the Republican ticket. Sarah Godlewski, Wisconsin secretary of state and former state treasurer, is running on the Democratic ticket.

Attorney General 

It’s déjà vu in the race for attorney general. Republican Eric Toney, the Fond du Lac County district attorney, is again challenging Democrat Josh Kaul for the position. Kaul was first elected attorney general in 2018, and was re-elected in 2022 after facing a challenge from Toney, who has been elected four times as DA.

Secretary of State 

There are not two but three candidates on the ballot this election. Republican and MAGA activist Jay Schroeder is running to make the secretary of state the chief election official of Wisconsin; contrary to most other states, the office does not oversee elections in Wisconsin. Democrat JoCasta Zamarripa is a Milwaukee Common Council member and former state legislator. Pete Karas, a former Racine Common Council member, is running as a Wisconsin Green candidate to end “the undemocratic two-party stranglehold on our elections.”

State Treasurer 

Republican incumbent John S. Leiber is running for another four-year term as state treasurer. He faces Democrat Yee Leng Xiong, a nonprofit executive and former Marathon County board supervisor.

State Legislature

This will be the second election under Wisconsin’s freshly redrawn legislative maps. Though Republicans have led both chambers of the legislature for 16 years, Democrats could be poised to take control of the state Senate or, less likely, the state Assembly. In total, 14 legislative Republicans are not running for re-election. 

State Representative

State representatives serve two-year terms, and all 99 seats in the Wisconsin Assembly are on the ballot. The following races fall within the Dane County area:

Assembly District 42: In this district in northern Dane County and southern Columbia County, incumbent Democratic Rep. Maureen McCarville will face Republican Keith F. Miller, a farmer, Army veteran, and Columbia County supervisor.

Assembly District 46: In this district covering eastern Dane County and western Jefferson County, incumbent Democratic Rep. Joan Fitzgerald will face Republican John Donohue.

Assembly District 47: This district south of Madison includes the cities of Fitchburg and Stoughton. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Randy Udell will face a challenge from Republican Sandy Bakk.

Assembly District 48: This district northeast of Madison includes the city of Sun Prairie. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Andrew Hysell will face a challenge from Republican Mark Kjorlie.

Assembly District 51: This district represents western Dane County, all of Iowa and Lafayette counties, and parts of Grant County. As he seeks his seventh term in office, incumbent Republican Rep. Todd Novak faces a dual challenge from Democratic conservation warden Ben Gruber and the American Solidarity Party’s Nathan Tataje.

Assembly District 76: Comedian, food service worker, and Madison Ald. Dina Nina Martinez Rutherford emerged from a crowded primary to be the Democratic nominee in this deeply blue district representing Madison’s isthmus and east side. She is strongly favored to win. If she does, she’ll become the first transgender member of the state Legislature and will replace outgoing Rep. Francesca Hong.

Republican Nina Chat, a Madison resident and parent who does not have a campaign website, tells Isthmus she is running a word-of-mouth campaign focused on education reform, lower property taxes, and enhanced charter school options.

Assembly District 77: Incumbent Democratic Rep. Renuka Mayadev will face a challenge from Republican Jane McCormick.

Assembly District 78: Incumbent Democratic Rep. Shelia Stubbs will face a challenge from Republican Henry Johnson, a student at UW-Madison.

Assembly District 79: Incumbent Democratic Rep. Lisa Subeck will face a challenge from Republican John Fons.

Assembly District 80: Incumbent Democratic Rep. Mike Bare will face a challenge from Republican Simran Arora.

Assembly District 81: Incumbent Democratic Rep. Alex Joers will face a challenge from Republican Mark S. Maier.

State Senate

Wisconsin state senators serve four-year terms. Odd-numbered seats are on November’s ballot.

Senate District 17: This district includes southwest Dane County, as well as Green, Lafayette, Iowa, Grant and Crawford counties. Howard Marklein, a co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee, is one of the few Republican incumbents running for re-election. Democrat Jenna Jacobson, a current state representative, is challenging Marklein as he seeks his fourth term in office.

Senate District 27: In this district that represents northwest Dane County, Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, a Democrat, is running unopposed for re-election.

County races

Dane County Sheriff

Democrat Kalvin Barrett is running unopposed for re-election as Dane County sheriff. He was first appointed to the office in 2021 and elected to a full term in 2022. 

Dane County Clerk of Circuit Court

Clerks of court administer circuit courts, including maintaining a court’s records and finances. Jeff Okazaki, appointed in 2024, is running unopposed for his first full term.

Ballot questions

Voters across Wisconsin will see three constitutional referendums on the ballot. Each measure was approved by the state Legislature in successive sessions. Unlike other legislation, constitutional amendments cannot be vetoed by the governor if they are approved by voters.

Question 1 concerns the governor’s partial veto power. It asks: “Shall section 10 (1) (c) of article V of the constitution be amended to prohibit the governor, in exercising his or her partial veto authority, from creating or increasing or authorizing the creation or increase of any tax or fee?”

Question 2 concerns the emergency powers of public health officials in places of worship. It asks: “Shall section 18 of article I of the constitution, which deals with religious liberty, be amended to prohibit the state or a political subdivision of the state from ordering the closure of, or forbidding gatherings in, places of worship in response to a state of emergency, including a public health emergency?"

Question 3 concerns the prohibition of discrimination and preferential treatment. It asks: “Shall section 27 of article I of the constitution be created to prohibit governmental entities in the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, or public administration?"

The State Democracy Research Initiative has published detailed explainers on each of these proposed constitutional amendments. Wisconsin Watch has also published an explainer with political context.

Voting before Election Day

I’m already registered

Vote by mail: If you are registered to vote, you can request an absentee ballot and return the completed ballot by mail, at an absentee ballot drop box, or in-person to the City Clerk’s Office at 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Your request for an absentee ballot must be received by the City Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. on Oct. 29 — though if you request it that late, it may not come in time for Election Day — and your completed ballot must be received by the City Clerk’s Office by 8 p.m. on Election Day for it to count.

The earlier you send it off, the better. The City Clerk’s Office recommends allowing at least one week for your ballot to travel through the mail. City of Madison voters may also bring completed ballots to drop-off sites throughout the city through Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. You may also bring your absentee ballot to your polling place on Election Day.

Vote early in-person: Early in-person voting, also called in-person absentee voting, begins Oct. 20 and ends Oct. 31. To vote early in person, you will need to bring a photo ID. For Madison voters, the City Clerk’s Office maintains a list of in-person absentee voting locations and the hours they are open. Voters outside Madison can consult check MyVote for more information.

I need to register

You must be registered in order to cast a ballot. You also must be registered at your current address unless you have lived there for fewer than 28 days. You can register to vote at the polls on Election Day, but registering early can save time and avoid confusion.

No matter what options you choose to register, you will need to provide proof of residence. The Madison City Clerk’s Office maintains a list of what counts as valid proof of residence, such as a pay stub or a bank statement, which can be shown in either paper or electronic form.

Madison voters can register in-person in the City Clerk’s Office, or at the front desk at a Madison public library or other city agency, until Oct. 20. From Oct. 20 to Oct. 30, Madison residents can register at an absentee early voting site. Registration at early voting sites ends before early voting does because voter registration is not allowed on the Saturday, Sunday or Monday before Election Day.

Register online or by mail: Online and mail registration closes on Oct. 14, per a state law that only allows in-person registration for 20 days before an election.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

I just moved. Where do I vote?

Wisconsin state statute requires you to be a resident for 28 days prior to voting in a district. In most cases, if you moved after October 6, 2026, then you’ll want to vote from your immediate previous address. If you moved on or before October 6, you’ll need to register to vote at your new address.

I am involved in the carceral system. Can I vote?

It depends. If you have been convicted of a felony, you can vote once you are “off paper,” meaning you have completed probation, parole, or extended supervision. If you have been charged but not yet convicted, you can vote. You still must register to vote.

If you have been convicted of a misdemeanor you can still vote in most instances, even if you are incarcerated. The Wisconsin ACLU addresses more situations for justice-involved people.

I need help getting to the polls.

If you’re in Madison, Union Cab provides free rides to the polls on Election Day only. Rides are only available from home to polling place to home. These cannot be scheduled in advance. Call 608-242-2000 on Election Day for a ride.

The city of Fitchburg Senior Center can provide free rides to the polls for Fitchburg residents age 60 or older, on Election Day. You need to schedule your ride before Election Day. Call 608-270-4290.

I need other help with voting.

The League of Women Voters provides resources (en español) on voter eligibility and registration. They provide help in Spanish or English on general voting questions through their helpline: 608-285-2141.

Wisconsin has some of the most decentralized elections of any state in the country. There are more than 1,800 local election clerks. One of them is your local municipal clerk, who is typically happy to answer your specific voting question. Look up your local clerk.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission launched the Election Information Hub earlier this year. It provides a detailed calendar of dates and deadlines, election resources, statistics and data, a FAQ, and more explainers. The Commission’s Voter Information Center is also helpful.

Previewing your ballot and researching candidates

MyVote Wisconsin, a service of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, allows you to preview what’s on your ballot based on your address. You can also find your polling place and track your ballot.

The League of Women Voters maintains Vote411.org, which allows you to see races and candidates on your ballot. The group’s “Candidate Answers,” which surveys candidates on the ballot, is also available. 

Ballotpedia offers a ballot lookup tool in English and Spanish. Enter your address to find who’s on your ballot.

Wisconsin Watch has compiled a voting guide for federal and state candidates. Enter your address to find information about the candidates.

Wisconsin Public Radio surveyed listeners for questions, then posed those questions to the candidates for governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, U.S. House of Representatives and the state legislature. You can read their answers in its voting guide.

The Recombobulation Area, a Milwaukee-based independent outlet, has provided a rundown of every race in both the state Assembly and the state Senate.

WUWM has produced a cheat sheet on how this midterm election is politically consequential up and down the ballot.

Who is funding the candidates?

County candidates’ campaign finance reports are here.

Campaign finance reports for state candidates are available using Sunshine, the state’s new campaign finance system. You do not need to login or register to use the tool.

Federal campaign finance reports are searchable at the Federal Elections Commission. The nonpartisan group OpenSecrets also maintains an easy-to-use database to track campaign contributions for federal and state candidates.

How do election results get reported?

All vote tallies on Election Night are unofficial, and there is no official website where results are reported.

Instead, county clerks and central count locations post unofficial results online. You can view those results here; results in Dane County will be posted here.

In the weeks following the election, local clerks, county boards of canvassers, and then the state Elections Commission will certify the results.