Get Ready to Vote! Spring Election Set for April 7
Posted Feb. 20, 2026
We spent much of 2025 talking about the important elections coming up in 2026. Well, 2026 is here now. And the first important elections are happening on the Spring Election set for April 7. Details about that election follow. We’ll provide more information on the Fall Partisan Primary Election on August 11 and the Fall general election on November 3 as we get closer to those dates.
Remember: Your vote is critical! Make sure you are registered to vote on the My Wisconsin Vote website: https://myvote.wi.gov/ Select the Register to Vote icon on the website to check whether you’re registered and learn how you can do so if you’re not. You can also register on an election day with proper identification.
Additional note: While there are several ways to register (see details below), the easiest and fastest way is throughwww.myvote.wi.gov if you have internet access. Registering to vote online gives you valuable time to correct defects like how your name is spelled or if you moved recently and your new address is not yet in the system.
April 7 Spring General Election
Wisconsin Supreme Court
The highest-profile race on the Spring Election ballot is for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. This is officially a nonpartisan race despite attracting heavy political involvement in recent years. The Supreme Court race pits Chris Taylor against Maria S. Lazar. See Ballotpedia’s Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, 2026 page for more details on what’s at stake in the Supreme Court race.
Of interest to Democrats is that liberals are expected to have a majority on the court until at least 2028. If Lazar wins, the court would maintain its 4-3 liberal majority. If Taylor wins, the liberal majority would increase from 4-3 to 5-2.
See the Supreme Court candidates’ official websites for more information: Chris Taylor; Maria S. Lazar.
Other races on April 7 ballot
Other races on the April 7 ballot in Sawyer County include all 15 county board supervisors. The winning candidates will serve two-year terms. See the Sawyer County website for a list of the incumbent supervisors up for re-election.
Also up for election are incumbents on school boards, city, village, and town boards. Check the What’s on my ballot page of the My Vote Wisconsin website to see what’s on your spring election ballot. Note: As of Feb. 20, sample ballots for the April 7 election were not yet available. Keep checking My Vote Wisconsin at https://myvote.wi.gov for that information.
Deadlines for the April 7 Spring Election
Voter Registration Deadlines for the April 7, 2026 Spring Election
Voters can register in several ways. All voters must provide a Proof of Residence document when registering to vote by mail, in-person in the clerk’s office, or at the polls on Election Day. All deadlines are listed on the My Vote Wisconsin website.
March 18: Deadline to register by mail. Your voter registration form, along with proof of residence must be postmarked to your municipal clerk no later than March 18, 2026. Find your municipal clerk’s contact information here.
March 18: Deadline to register to vote online. Voters who are able to match their name, date of birth, Wisconsin Driver License or State ID number, and address with the Wisconsin DMV can register to vote online through March 18, 2026.
April 3 @ 5 p.m.: Deadline to register at your municipal clerk’s office. Voters may register in person at their municipal clerk’s office during the clerk’s business hours until 5 p.m. on April 3, 2026. Find your municipal clerk’s contact Information here.
April 7 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Register to vote at your polling place. Voters can register to vote at their polling place on Election Day, April 7, 2026. Find your polling place here.
Absentee Voting Deadlines for the April 7, 2026 Spring Election
All voters in Wisconsin may request an absentee ballot by mail for any reason. Voters must be registered before they can ask for an absentee ballot. Voters may request their absentee ballot in writing. To ask for an absentee ballot on MyVote.wi.gov, click here. You must provide a photo ID with your absentee ballot request. See more information on photo ID here.
March 17: Deadline for municipal clerks to send absentee ballots to voters with an active request already on file. Municipal clerks can begin mailing absentee ballots once official ballots are received and have until March 17, 2026 to send ballots to all voters with a request on file by that day. Requests received from voters after March 17, 2026 must be fulfilled within one business day.
April 2 @ 5 p.m.: Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot—Regular and Temporary Overseas Voters. If you are a regular or temporarily overseas voter, your must be received by your municipal clerk no later than 5 p.m. on April 2, 2026.
April 3 @ 5 p.m.: Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot—Indefinitely Confined and Military. If a voter is indefinitely confined or a military voter, your absentee ballot request must be received by your municipal clerk no later than 5 p.m. on April 3, 2026.
March 24, possibly through April 5: In-Person (Early) Absentee Voting period. Voters can possibly request and vote an absentee ballot in-person at their municipal clerk’s office through April 5, 2026. Office hours vary by municipality. Some municipal offices may not offer additional in-person absentee hours. Please contact your municipal clerk for absentee voting hours.
April 7 @ 5 p.m.: Deadline for Hospitalized Voters. Voters who are in a hospital may request a ballot be brought to them by an appointed agent if they are hospitalized in the 7 days preceding the election. Hospitalized electors may request an absentee ballot between March 31, 2026 and April 7, 2026 at 5 p.m.
April 7 @ 8 p.m.: Deadline to Return Absentee Ballot. If you have already received an absentee ballot, you must return your absentee ballot by mail or delivery to your municipal clerk. Your ballot must be received by your municipal clerk no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, April 7, 2026.
For more information
General Election Information
Recruiting Candidates for Local Office
October 2, 2023
Recruiting and nurturing candidates for local office are two of the most important roles a local Democratic party can play. Electing officials who uphold and advance Democratic party values and principles at the community level is critical to the health of our democracy and our society.
City council, county board, township board, school board and more: No elected office is “too small” to fill with responsible, civic-minded citizens committed to promoting justice and opportunity for everyone in their communities.
Besides providing valuable service to their communities, local officeholders also gain the experience to move on to higher offices at the state or national level, if they wish.
Whether you want to nurture community members to run for office, or you’re thinking of running yourself, you’ll need information about resources. Here are a few places to find help for first-time candidates:
· Wisconsin Progress is a Wisconsin-based candidate recruitment and training organization dedicated to advancing the progressive movement and electing leaders to champion our most important causes. Select the “Trainings” link from the top menu of the Wisconsin Progress website for the latest information on training opportunities.
· Emerge Wisconsin is an organization that recruits, trains and provides a powerful network to Democratic women who want to run for office. Select the “Candidate Training” link at the top of the Emerge Wisconsin website to apply for the six-month, cohort-based program or to nominate someone for the program.
· Adelante is a Wisconsin-based organization that supports candidates of color through training and networking support. Adelante wants to make sure every voice is heard and that marginalized communities have a seat at the table. Keep up to date on the Adelante website for future opportunities.
· The Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) “Candidates” page contains valuable information about getting on the ballot and running for local, state, or federal office. (This page is also linked from the WisDems site, under the “Run for Office” tab. Select the “Run for Office” block to access the WEC page.)
· The WisDems “Candidate Resources” page is available under the “Run for Office” tab. Select the “Candidate Resources” block and then request access to this password-protected page.
· The National Democratic Training Committee page contains information about training for Democrats interested in running for office, working on a campaign, or driving progressive values through local leadership. Training is free, but you’ll need to register to access tools and resources. WisDems periodically partners with the National Democratic Training Committee to provide training and tools for potential candidates.
Identifying and Assisting Local Candidates
October 6, 2023
Recruiting and nurturing candidates for local office are two of the most important
roles a local party can play. Electing officials who uphold and advance Democratic
party values and principles at the community level is critical to the health of our
democracy and our society. See the “Run for Office” page (link below) of the WisDems’
website for residency requirements, eligibility rules and more information for local
candidates.
Steps for Recruiting Candidates
Following are steps suggested for use by party members in identifying and
assisting candidates for local office.
Prioritize races: Ask yourself which offices are most important to you and why.
This will help you identify potential candidates. Local offices include the following (Source: Wisconsin Elections Commission):
Partisan
Sheriff
County Clerk
County Treasurer
Clerk of Circuit Court
Coroner
Register of Deeds
Non-partisan
County Executive
County Supervisor
Municipal Offices, e.g., mayor, city council member, clerk, treasurer, judge, assessor
School Board member
Special District posts
List issues important to the local party: Naming these issues will help you identify
potential candidates who share your positions on these issues.
List candidate qualities important to the local party: Naming these qualities will
help you identify potential candidates who possess them.
Identify potential candidates: Consider people who are already leaders or
otherwise active in your community. These include:
● Sawyer County/LCO Democratic party members
● LCO Tribal Council member
● Appointed members of public boards and commissions
● Non-profit organization leaders1
● Business leaders
● Youth group leaders
Decide where to focus your energy: This will depend in large part which race or
races you wish to prioritize in a particular election cycle.
Persuade a possible candidate to run: A party member or members with
connections to a potential candidate should plant the idea of running in their
head. Getting someone to “yes” will likely take several conversations. Remember
to:
● Explain how they could make a difference in the community.
● Explain how they would personally benefit.
● Offer to help them run by providing moral support and assistance with the
nuts and bolts of running, including connecting them with wisdom’s and
other candidate training resources.
Assisting Candidates
Once the party has persuaded someone to run for a local office, individual party
members may provide volunteer and/or financial support. Remember, though,
that the party will not endorse a candidate or provide financial support as a party
until he or she survives a primary or runoff—if applicable.
Again, candidate recruitment is one of the most important functions of a local
party. Every party member should keep an eye out for people who can further
Democratic principles and values in our community.
For More Information
Run for Office - Democratic Party of Wisconsin (wisdems.org)
