Who is running in Waukesha County, Wisconsin in 2026
- Governor / Lieutenant Governor
- David Crowley / Sarah Godlewski and Tom Tiffany / David Varnam
- Attorney General
- Josh Kaul and Eric Toney
- Secretary of State
- JoCasta Zamarripa, Pete Karas and Jay Schroeder
- State Treasurer
- Yee Leng Xiong and John Leiber
- U.S. Representative, District 5
- Andrew Beck and Scott Fitzgerald
- State Senate, District 5
- Robyn Vining and Mike Roberts
- State Senate, District 33
- Mike Van Someren and Chris Kapenga
- Assembly District 13
- Amy Zimmerman and Mike Morgan
- Assembly District 15
- Stephen Tryon and Adam Neylon
- Assembly District 24
- Matt Brown and Dan Knodl
- Assembly District 82
- Rico Camacho and Bryson Reyes
- Assembly District 98
- Matt Philibert and Jim Piwowarczyk
Waukesha County
Wisconsin elects its sheriff and clerk of circuit court in midterm years, and both are unopposed this fall. City council and school board elections in Wisconsin are held in April, so there are none on this ballot. A special election for county executive is coming separately: a primary on November 17 if needed, then the election on December 15. State Sen. Chris Kapenga and Rep. Adam Neylon, both on this November ballot for the Legislature, have filed for that race.
Sheriff
Vote for oneUnopposed. Sheriff Eric Severson is retiring, and Ollinger beat John Gscheidmeier in the August Republican primary.
Nick Ollinger
Compromised RepublicanHas spent 13 years in law enforcement, as deputy, lieutenant and now captain. Says "I fully support our involvement in the 287g program," the jail's partnership with ICE, and was endorsed by Severson and the county police chiefs' association.
Sources: Campaign site, FOX6, Wisconsin Right Now, Primary results
Unopposed county office
No contestClerk of Circuit Court (Monica Paz, Republican).
State and federal
Waukesha County is split among two state Senate districts and nine Assembly districts. Check your sample ballot on MyVote Wisconsin to see which are yours.
Governor / Lieutenant Governor
Vote for oneOpen seat: Gov. Tony Evers is not running again. Governor and lieutenant governor are elected together as a ticket. Jamie Jo Carothers (Independent) is a registered write-in candidate for governor.
David Crowley / Sarah Godlewski
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratThe first Black county executive in Milwaukee County history, he worked with state lawmakers of both parties on the 2023 shared revenue overhaul that let the county raise its sales tax to cover pension costs. Godlewski was state treasurer before becoming secretary of state in 2023.
Sources: Wikipedia, Milwaukee County, Wikipedia
Tom Tiffany / David Varnam
Not good people RepublicanEndorsed by Donald Trump. He objected to certifying the 2020 presidential results and joined a brief backing a lawsuit to throw out certified returns in swing states, Wisconsin among them.
Sources: PBS Wisconsin, Wisconsin Watch, Wikipedia
Attorney General
Vote for oneA rematch of 2022.
Josh Kaul
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratSued to challenge Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban after Roe fell. When his opponent faulted crime lab delays, he pointed out that the Legislature turned down his requests for more lab and DNA analysts.
Sources: Wisconsin Watch, FOX6, Marquette Law
Eric Toney
Compromised RepublicanRunning on "public safety over politics" and faster crime lab work. His backing leans heavily on police unions: the state Fraternal Order of Police, the Milwaukee Police Association and most of the state's sheriffs.
Sources: Urban Milwaukee, Wikipedia
Secretary of State
Vote for oneOpen seat. In Wisconsin this office keeps state records and helps manage public trust lands; it does not run elections.
JoCasta Zamarripa
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratIn the Assembly she wrote bills to let undocumented immigrants get driver's licenses and pay in-state tuition. Wants to modernize the office and use it to speak up on cost of living and workers' rights.
Sources: Women in Wisconsin, Ballotpedia, Wikipedia
Pete Karas
Seems like good people GreenWants the office made nonpartisan, plus ranked-choice voting and better open records, and won't take corporate donations. Beat a Democratic challenge to keep his name on the ballot.
Sources: WUWM, Wisconsin Green Party
Jay Schroeder
Not good people RepublicanSupports Donald Trump and has questioned the 2020 election results. Wants to abolish the Wisconsin Elections Commission and put the secretary of state in charge of elections.
Sources: Wisconsin Watch, Campaign site
State Treasurer
Vote for oneTwo decent people. Leiber has kept a one-person office small; Xiong would bring local budget experience.
Yee Leng Xiong
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratWould be the first Hmong American elected to statewide office in Wisconsin. Says he'd be a taxpayer watchdog and push for full transparency on the Common School Fund.
Sources: WUWM, Civic Media, Ballotpedia
John Leiber
Seems like good people RepublicanSays he has run the office with no staff and kept it small on purpose. Opposes weighing environmental and social criteria in state investments.
Sources: Campaign site, Ballotpedia, Wikipedia
Constitutional amendments
Yes or noWe describe what each amendment does and don't make recommendations. All three were put on the ballot by the Republican-led Legislature.
- Question 1, partial veto: Bars the governor from using the partial veto to create or raise any tax or fee. A yes vote adds that limit. It follows Gov. Evers' 2023 budget veto that let school districts raise revenue for 400 years.
- Question 2, places of worship during an emergency: Bars the state and local governments from closing places of worship or banning gatherings in them during a declared emergency, including a public health emergency. A yes vote adds that ban.
- Question 3, government discrimination: Bars state and local government from discriminating against, or giving preferential treatment to, anyone on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in public jobs, schools, contracts and administration. A yes vote adds that rule, which supporters aim at diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
U.S. Representative, District 5
Vote for oneAndrew Beck
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratRunning on prescription drug prices, Social Security and gun violence prevention, and criticizes Fitzgerald's vote against certifying the 2020 election. Endorsed by the Wisconsin AFL-CIO and the National Education Association.
Sources: Campaign site, EIN Presswire, Wikipedia
Scott Fitzgerald
Not good people RepublicanOn January 6, 2021, voted to object to certifying the 2020 presidential results from Arizona and Pennsylvania. Endorsed by Donald Trump this year.
Sources: Wisconsin Watch, Wikipedia, Wikipedia
State Senate, District 5
Vote for oneOpen seat: Republican Sen. Rob Hutton is retiring. Covers Brookfield, Pewaukee, Wauwatosa and West Allis.
Robyn Vining
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratHelped pass Gail's Law on breast cancer screening and the postpartum Medicaid extension. Endorsed by the Sierra Club, Wisconsin Conservation Voters and the Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians.
Sources: Campaign site, Wikipedia, Climate Cabinet
Mike Roberts
Compromised RepublicanFirst run for office, promising to "treat government spending like it's your money." Backed by the Milwaukee County Republican Party and the International Union of Police Associations.
Sources: WUWM, Urban Milwaukee, iVoterGuide
State Senate, District 33
Vote for oneMike Van Someren
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratSays there are no credible claims of widespread fraud in 2020, and backs voter ID if utility bills and bank statements count. Endorsed by the Wisconsin AFL-CIO and the Sierra Club; he was the Democratic nominee for Congress here in 2022.
Sources: Campaign site, Ballotpedia, iVoterGuide
Chris Kapenga
Not good people RepublicanIn 2021, after Trump attacked Wisconsin GOP leaders for not overturning the 2020 result, Kapenga wrote him a deferential letter saying they were doing everything they could. In 2023 he urged the Assembly to impeach the state's nonpartisan elections administrator, Meagan Wolfe. He is also running for county executive in December.
Sources: Urban Milwaukee, PBS Wisconsin, Waukesha County Clerk
Assembly District 13
Vote for oneOpen seat: Rep. Robyn Vining is running for state Senate. Covers part of Brookfield and most of Wauwatosa.
Amy Zimmerman
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratWants to restore full union rights and pause data center projects until the state sets rules for them. Endorsed by the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, the WEAC teachers' union and Citizen Action Wisconsin.
Sources: Campaign site, Endorsements, Ballotpedia
Mike Morgan
Compromised RepublicanRuns on backing police, fire and EMS and "holding criminals accountable." Endorsed by the state and Milwaukee County Republican parties.
Sources: Campaign site, WUWM, Republican Party of Wisconsin
Assembly District 15
Vote for oneCovers the city and village of Pewaukee, most of Brookfield and part of the city of Waukesha.
Stephen Tryon
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratRunning on affordable health care and housing and more regional transit. Was the Democratic nominee for Congress in Utah in 2016.
Sources: WUWM, The Ballot Brief, iVoterGuide
Adam Neylon
Not enough info RepublicanWrote the state's REINS Act limiting agency rules and co-wrote the 2024 law requiring disclosure of AI deepfakes in campaign ads. Also running for county executive in December.
Sources: Wikipedia, Wisconsin Right Now, Waukesha County Clerk
Assembly District 24
Vote for oneCovers Menomonee Falls, Lannon and part of Germantown.
Matt Brown
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratWas an AFSCME union member and bargaining board member; wants data center oversight and more state school funding. Has called claims of a stolen 2020 election "the lie."
Sources: Campaign site, WUWM, Bob Tatterson
Assembly District 82
Vote for oneOpen seat: Rep. Scott Allen is retiring after losing the Waukesha mayor's race. Covers most of the city of Waukesha.
Rico Camacho
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratWants to suspend the state gas tax, cut income taxes for people earning under $83,000 and fully fund special education. Endorsed by the Wisconsin AFL-CIO and SEIU Wisconsin.
Sources: Campaign site, WUWM, iVoterGuide
Bryson Reyes
Compromised RepublicanFirst run for office, on tax cuts and "ensuring Wisconsin lives within its means." Endorsed by the Milwaukee Police Association, the Waukesha deputy sheriffs' union, the Wisconsin Realtors Association and the NRA.
Sources: WUWM, iVoterGuide, WisPolitics
Assembly District 98
Vote for oneMatt Philibert
Not enough info (best choice in this race) DemocratRunning on economic security, public schools and rebuilding the middle class. First run, no record.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Campaign site
Jim Piwowarczyk
Not good people RepublicanCo-founded the conservative site Wisconsin Right Now. Wrote a bill to force sheriffs to cooperate with ICE, which Gov. Evers vetoed, and campaigns on banning gender transition surgery for minors.
Sources: Wikipedia, Campaign site, Urban Milwaukee
Unopposed Assembly seats
No contestDistrict 83 (Dave Maxey), 84 (Chuck Wichgers), 97 (Cindi Duchow) and 99 (Barbara Dittrich), all Republicans.
Local referendums
We describe what each referendum does and don't make recommendations. Some other towns and school districts in the county have their own questions; check your sample ballot.
Elmbrook School District, $100 million building bonds
Yes or noLets the district borrow up to $100 million to renovate and add on to four schools built between 1958 and 1969: Pilgrim Park Middle (about $50.4 million), Tonawanda Elementary, Swanson Elementary and Wisconsin Hills Middle. The district says it has set aside $90 million from regular budgets for smaller repairs. District details and tax calculator.
City of New Berlin, public safety levy increase
Yes or noLets the city exceed the state levy limit by $3,122,149 a year, ongoing, to hire 12 firefighter-paramedics and add police staff. The city estimates $41.60 a year per $100,000 of assessed value, about $156 a year on a $375,246 home. City details.