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The highest profile race on April 7 will be for state Supreme Court, determining whether liberals will gain a 5-2 majority on the bench or if conservatives will hold on to the current 4-3 split.
But there are other significant local races. Nearly one-third of the Dane County Board of Supervisors is facing competitive races. There are also three competitive races for city council and two for the Madison school board.
This guide to the Spring 2026 election breaks down what voters need to know, whether they plan to vote early or on Election Day. We have included websites where voters can find out their polling place and see what’s on their ballot. With this resource citizens should have what they need to exercise their right to vote, and there should be no surprises at the ballot box.
State Supreme Court
Chris Taylor, a state court of appeals judge for the Madison-based southwestern fourth district, is competing for a seat on the state’s high court against Maria Lazar, a state court of appeals judge for the Waukesha-based southeastern second district. Though the race is officially nonpartisan, Taylor is supported by Democrats and Lazar by Republicans.
Taylor served as a Dane County Circuit Court judge from 2020 until 2023. She is also a former state Assembly member who represented the Madison area from 2011-2019 as a Democrat; her signature issues included reproductive healthcare rights and gun control. Lazar previously served as a circuit court judge in Waukesha County from 2015-2022.
Dane County Circuit Court
Two candidates are running for Branch 1 of the Dane County Circuit Court. Incumbent Judge Ben Jones, appointed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in 2025, is being challenged by Huma Ahsan, founder of Madison Immigration Law and former chief justice of the Court of Appeals of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.
City council
Even-numbered Madison city council districts are up for election again this year after candidates competed for one-year terms in spring 2025; the winners this election will be awarded two-year terms. That’s being done to permit staggered aldermanic elections in which even-numbered districts are voted upon in even-numbered years and odd-numbered districts in odd-numbered years.
You can check which district you’re in using this website.
Bobby Gronert and Ellen Zhang, both UW-Madison students, are vying for the District 8 campus-area seat currently held by Ald. MGR Govindarajan, who is not seeking reelection. Gronert is a sophomore majoring in political science; Zhang is a sophomore majoring in sociology and economics.
Noah Lieberman, a stay-at-home dad, and Kate Blood, a grief and addiction counselor, are competing for the southside Madison District 14 seat held by Ald. Isadore Knox Jr., who is not seeking reelection.
Islam Khilji, who has previously run for city council under the name Sammy Khilji, is challenging incumbent Ald. Barbara Harrington-McKinney for her District 20 seat on Madison’s west side.
Incumbent Alds. William Ochowicz, Mike Verveer, Davy Mayer, Yannette Figueroa Cole, Julia Matthews, Sean O’Brien and Carmella Glenn are seeking reelection unopposed.
Madison school board
Seats on the Madison school board are not geographically bound, meaning that if you live within the school district, you’ll see both below races on your ballot.
Daniella Molle, an equitable teaching researcher at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, is challenging incumbent school board member Blair Mosner Feltham, who has served on the school board since 2023.
Dana Colussi-Lynde, an IT manager, is challenging incumbent board member Nicki Vander Meulen, who has served on the school board since 2017.
Dane County Board of Supervisors
There will be 13 competitive races for seats on the Dane County Board of Supervisors. You can check which district you are in on this website. Incumbents are noted with an (i).
District 2: Carlos Rodríguez Lewison v. Heidi Wegleitner (i)
District 7: John Fons v. Erin Welsh (i)
District 9: Simran Arora v. Aria Trucios
District 12: Sean Burke v. Tommy Rylander (i)
District 15: Amy Larson v. Anthony Nino Amato
District 16: Goodwill Chekwube Obieze v. Rick Rose (i)
District 20: Paula Brandmeier v. Jeff Weigand (i)
District 22: Stephen Ratzlaff v. Gussie Lewis
District 25: Dick Greffin v. David Boetcher (i)
District 26: Mitch Herl v. Lisa Jackson (i)
District 28: Nathan McGree v. Michele Doolan (i)
District 30: Jeremy Pings v. Patrick Downing (i)
District 37: Katie Michel v. Kerry Marren (i)
Additionally, Donald Dantzler Jr. is running unopposed to replace incumbent Supv. Randy Udell.
Voting on Election Day
I’m already registered
If you’re already registered to vote, you can show up to vote in-person on Election Day, April 7. MyVote WI has a tool to check whether you’re registered and at what address. You can also check where your polling place is and what’s on your ballot. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. You will need to bring a photo ID, which does not need to show your current address.
You can also prepare and bring notes about who you want to vote for into the booth. You can take and share photos of yourself voting, but cannot show your marked ballot to others. And if you have a disability, you can vote “curbside,” in your vehicle or at the entrance to the polling place, with the assistance of poll workers.
I need to register
If you’re not registered to vote, you can register at your polling place on Election Day. In order to register, you will need proof of residence. The Madison City Clerk’s Office maintains a list of what counts as valid proof of residence, such as pay stubs or a bank statement, which can be shown in either paper or electronic form. UW and Madison College students can verify their residence through their student center portals (UW | Madison College). MG&E customers can login to their account and show their electronic utility bill.
Online and mail registration end on March 18, but voters who still need to register can do so in person at any in-person absentee voting locations (list) until 5 p.m. on April 3 or register at the polls on Election Day. State law prevents residents from registering to vote on the Saturday, Sunday or Monday before the election.
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 or in-person to the City Clerk’s Office at 210 Martin Luther King Blvd. Your request for an absentee ballot must be received by the City Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. on April 2, and your completed ballot must be received by the City Clerk’s Office by 8 p.m. on Election Day for it to count.
If you return your absentee ballot by mail, the City Clerk’s Office recommends sending it at least one week before Election Day. You can also bring your completed ballot to your polling place on Election Day.
Vote early in-person: Early in-person voting, also called in-person absentee voting, runs March 24 through April 5. To vote early in person, you will need to bring a photo ID. The City Clerk’s Office maintains a list of in-person absentee voting locations and the hours they are open.
I need to register
Register in person: You can register to vote at any in-person absentee voting location (list) until April 3. In order to register, you will need to bring 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. UW and Madison College students can verify their residence through their student center portals (UW | Madison College). MG&E customers can login to their account and show their electronic utility bill.
Register online or by mail: Online and mail registration closes on March 18, per a state law that only allows in-person registration for 20 days before an election.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t have a photo ID. How do I get one?
The city maintains a list of the documentation you will need to apply for a voter ID, including proof of citizenship, residence, identity, and name and date of birth.
The Dane County Voter ID Coalition — a collaboration between the League of Women Voters Dane County and the Dane County NAACP — is helping voters get IDs ahead of the election, providing transportation and help with the application at two Madison DMV locations. If you have more questions, you can call or text the Voter Helpline at 608-285-2141.
Where do I vote? What is going to be on my ballot?
Find where to vote here. See what will be on your ballot here.
Can I return my ballot via drop box?
The Wisconsin Supreme Court restored the ability to return absentee ballots to an absentee ballot drop box in July 2024. In the city of Madison, you can drop your ballot off at any of the city’s 14 fire stations, Goodman South Library or at the Elver Park shelter. A full list of Madison drop box locations is available here.
How can I find out about the candidates:
Isthmus has covered some of the races: Madison school board sees most contested races since 2022; The unusually quiet race for Wisconsin Supreme Court; Huma Ahsan vows grassroots challenge in Dane County Circuit Court race.
WORT-FM has conducted candidate interviews with the city council, school board and Dane County board candidates.
Who is funding the candidates?
You can view finance reports for state campaigns using the Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System here.
City of Madison campaign finance reports are available here.
Dane County candidate finance forms are available here.
Other voting guides
The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin’s voting guide can be found here. A Spanish version of the League of Women Voters’ guide is available here.
Other resources
Voters can also get help in Spanish or English on general voting questions by calling the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin’s Voter Helpline at 608-285-2141.
