Dane County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
Who is running for County Sheriff and Wisconsin Assembly and more, and where they stand on schools, health care and agriculture.
County offices
SheriffKalvin Barrett (D)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Kalvin Barrett (Democratic) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Dane County Sheriff.
Kalvin Barrett
Top priorities
- Expanded mental health response and treatment programs
- Re-entry programs for formerly incarcerated people
- Community trust, transparency and accountability
Per the campaign site.
About Kalvin Barrett
Serves as Dane County sheriff, a post he was appointed to in 2021 and won a full term in 2022, according to the Cap Times. He previously worked in law enforcement and taught criminal justice at Madison College, per his campaign site. The Dane County Sheriff's Office says he leads an agency of more than 600 employees.
Incumbent Kalvin Barrett won the August 11 Democratic primary for Dane County sheriff over Jack Ordman with about 79 percent of the vote, per the county clerk's canvass, and no Republican is on the November ballot.
Full race pageBy address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
Dane County is split across 14 Wisconsin Assembly and Senate districts.
Find your districts by addressWisconsin Assembly: 12 districtsDistricts 42, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81
Wisconsin Assembly District 42Keith F. Miller (R) · Maureen McCarville (D)
Keith F. Miller
Keith F. Miller is the Republican candidate for Wisconsin Assembly District 42 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Maureen McCarville
Maureen McCarville worked for 40 years at Madison Gas & Electric, including 17 years as a union officer with OPEIU Local 39, per her official legislator biography. She served in the Wisconsin National Guard for more than a decade and has held local office on the DeForest Village Board and the Dane County Board of Supervisors. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Keith F. Miller (Republican), Maureen McCarville (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Maureen McCarville is the sitting member, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's incumbent listing and the Legislature's roster. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Assembly District 46John Donohue (R) · Joan Fitzgerald (D)
John Donohue
John Donohue is the Republican candidate for Wisconsin Assembly District 46 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Joan Fitzgerald
Joan Fitzgerald taught high school math in the Jefferson public schools for 33 years before retiring, per her official legislator biography. She later served on the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors and was elected to the Assembly in 2024. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
John Donohue (Republican), Joan Fitzgerald (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Joan Fitzgerald is the sitting member, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's incumbent listing and the Legislature's roster. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Assembly District 47Sandy Bakk (R) · Randy Udell (D)
Sandy Bakk
Sandy Bakk is the Republican candidate for Wisconsin Assembly District 47 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Randy Udell
Top priorities
- Expand broadband and high-speed internet to rural and underserved areas
- Continue Child Care Counts and create a state Child Tax Credit
- Accept federal funds to expand Medicaid in Wisconsin
Per the campaign site.
About Randy Udell
Randy Udell is finishing a first term as the State Representative for Wisconsin Assembly District 47, per the campaign site. Udell served on the Fitchburg City Council from 2020 to 2024 and as a Dane County Board supervisor from 2024 to 2026, per the campaign site. Udell has been Treasurer of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin since 2015, per the campaign site.
Sandy Bakk (Republican), Randy Udell (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Randy Udell is the sitting member, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's incumbent listing and the Legislature's roster. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Assembly District 48Mark Kjorlie (R) · Andrew Hysell (D)
Mark Kjorlie
Mark Kjorlie's campaign site, read October 4, 2026, carries no readable biography, per the campaign site.
Andrew Hysell
Andrew Hysell is a practicing attorney who previously served as a legislative aide to Wisconsin Senate and Assembly Democrats, per his official legislator biography. He later worked as a vice president at Save the Children and as director of the Campaign for Healthy Kids, focused on public education and children's health issues. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Mark Kjorlie (Republican), Andrew Hysell (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Andrew Hysell is the sitting member, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's incumbent listing and the Legislature's roster. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Assembly District 50Jon Aleckson (R) · Bill Oemichen (D)
Jon Aleckson
Top priorities
- Make housing affordable to buy when young and keep when old
- Strict state laws on data centers and AI with no cost-shifting to families
- Smarter schools and civics education in every public school
Per the campaign site.
About Jon Aleckson
Jon Aleckson is a retired educational software company founder who led Web Courseworks, per the campaign site. Aleckson holds a PhD in Educational Leadership from UW-Madison and formerly taught as an adjunct professor at UW-Platteville, per the campaign site. Aleckson has lived in the Town of Springdale since 2008 and serves on the board of a free health clinic in Middleton, per the campaign site.
Bill Oemichen
Top priorities
- Secure sustainable state investment in public school financing
- Expand state support for affordable housing
- Expand state investment in affordable childcare access
Per the campaign site.
About Bill Oemichen
Bill Oemichen is a Professor of Practice in law and local government education at UW-Madison's Division of Extension, per the Monroe Times. He previously served as Wisconsin's chief consumer protection official at the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and as president and CEO of Cooperative Network, and he is serving his third term as New Glarus School Board President. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Jon Aleckson (Republican), Bill Oemichen (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Assembly District 51Nathan Tataje (American Solidarity) · Todd Novak (R) · Ben Gruber (D)
Nathan Tataje
Top priorities
- Permanent property tax relief through a dedicated Rural School Endowment
- Protecting local zoning authority from state and corporate overreach
- Environmental stewardship regarding large-scale data centers' impact on property values and aquifers
Per the campaign site.
About Nathan Tataje
Nathan Tataje is a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from Peru and Nicaragua, and he lives in rural Arena, per his American Solidarity Party candidate page. He serves as Grand Knight of Knights of Columbus Council 7811 and describes his campaign as rooted in working-class experience rather than a political career.
Todd Novak
Todd Novak is a candidate for re-election to the Wisconsin State Assembly in the 51st District, per the campaign site. Novak is a lifelong Iowa County resident who worked as an associate editor at the Dodgeville Chronicle and served as Mayor of Dodgeville for 12 years, per the campaign site. Novak was named chair of the Assembly task force on water quality formed after the Southwest Wisconsin Groundwater and Geology Study, per the campaign site.
Ben Gruber
Top priorities
- Lowering everyday costs for families
- Rebuilding rural communities and protecting natural resources
- Strengthening workers' right to organize
Per the campaign site.
About Ben Gruber
Ben Gruber has worked as a volunteer EMT, firefighter, paramedic, police officer and conservation warden, per his campaign website. He grew up in a rural, working-class family as the oldest of three children.
Nathan Tataje (American Solidarity), Todd Novak (Republican), Ben Gruber (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Todd Novak is the sitting member, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's incumbent listing and the Legislature's roster. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Assembly District 76Nina Chat (R) · Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford (D)
Nina Chat
Nina Chat is the Republican candidate for Wisconsin Assembly District 76 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford
Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford serves on the Madison Common Council, per Channel3000/WISC-TV. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Nina Chat (Republican), Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot. The seat is open: Francesca Hong filed a notification of noncandidacy, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Assembly District 77Jane McCormick (R) · Renuka Mayadev (D)
Jane McCormick
Top priorities
- Raise education standards and support teachers
- Lower taxes and encourage more housing choices
- Support public safety and strengthen mental health systems
Per the campaign site.
About Jane McCormick
Jane McCormick launched and managed the Madison office of Plunkett Raysich Architects and later led regional expansion for the consulting firm Affiliated Engineers, per her campaign website. She founded Shore Bluff Realty as an independent real estate brokerage in 2015 and is a UW-Madison graduate who has lived on Madison's Near West Side for more than 40 years.
Renuka Mayadev
Top priorities
- Reproductive freedom
- Strengthen public education
- Healthcare for all
Per the campaign site.
About Renuka Mayadev
Renuka Mayadev serves as the State Representative for Wisconsin Assembly District 77 and is the Ranking Member of the Committee on Constitution and Ethics, per the campaign site. Before the Assembly, Mayadev was a program advisor for maternal and child health at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, per the campaign site. Mayadev was executive director of Children's Defense Fund-Ohio for nearly six years and holds a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, per the campaign site.
Jane McCormick (Republican), Renuka Mayadev (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Renuka Mayadev is the sitting member, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's incumbent listing and the Legislature's roster. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Assembly District 78Henry Johnson (R) · Shelia Stubbs (D)
Henry Johnson
Henry Johnson is the Republican candidate for Wisconsin Assembly District 78 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Shelia Stubbs
Top priorities
- Defend reproductive freedom and access to abortion
- Reform Wisconsin's criminal justice system
- Support public schools, colleges and universities
Per the campaign site.
About Shelia Stubbs
Shelia Stubbs is a Wisconsin State Representative seeking re-election to the Assembly, per the campaign site. Stubbs served 18 years on the Dane County Board and has authored or co-authored more than 25 bills signed into law, per the campaign site. Stubbs has served as First Vice President of the NAACP Madison Branch and holds degrees from Tougaloo College, Mount Senario College and Cardinal Stritch University, per the campaign site.
Henry Johnson (Republican), Shelia Stubbs (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Shelia Stubbs is the sitting member, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's incumbent listing and the Legislature's roster. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Assembly District 79John Fons (R) · Lisa Subeck (D)
John Fons
John Fons is the Republican candidate for Wisconsin Assembly District 79 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the campaign site. Fons ran for the Dane County Board of Supervisors in the April 7 spring election as a nonpartisan candidate, per the campaign site. Fons says members of the Republican Party recruited Fons to run for Assembly District 79, per the campaign site.
Lisa Subeck
Top priorities
- Reproductive freedom and access to healthcare
- Keeping our communities safe
- A strong economy that works for all
Per the campaign site.
About Lisa Subeck
Lisa Subeck is the State Representative for Wisconsin's 79th Assembly District and was first elected in 2015, per the campaign site. Subeck serves as Democratic Caucus Chair and is the ranking Democrat on the Health Committee, per the campaign site.
John Fons (Republican), Lisa Subeck (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Lisa Subeck is the sitting member, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's incumbent listing and the Legislature's roster. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Assembly District 80Simran Arora (R) · Mike Bare (D)
Simran Arora
Top priorities
- Parental rights and a stronger education system
- Evidence-based mental health and substance use programs
- Property tax relief for homeowners
Per the campaign site.
About Simran Arora
Simran Arora is a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in substance use disorder with 15 years of direct counseling experience, per the campaign site. Arora previously worked at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services as a substance use services section supervisor and as a Dane County drug court supervisor, per the campaign site. Arora holds a master's degree in psychology from UW-Madison, per the campaign site.
Mike Bare
Mike Bare worked as an advocate for low-income residents at the Community Advocates Public Policy Institute and taught graduate students at UW-Milwaukee's Zilber School of Public Health, per his official legislator biography. He previously served as an aide to U.S. Senator Russ Feingold and on the Dane County Board and Verona City Council before his election to the Assembly in 2022. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Simran Arora (Republican), Mike Bare (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Mike Bare is the sitting member, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's incumbent listing and the Legislature's roster. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Assembly District 81Mark S. Maier (R) · Alex Joers (D)
Mark S. Maier
Mark S. Maier is the Republican candidate for Wisconsin Assembly District 81 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Alex Joers
Top priorities
- Lower everyday costs
- Protect fundamental rights
- Strengthen public schools
Per the campaign site.
About Alex Joers
Alex Joers was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2022 and serves District 81, per the campaign site. Joers was elected to the Dane County Board in 2020 and re-elected in 2022, and serves on the Assembly committees on Small Business Development, Colleges and Universities, Tourism, and Rules, per the campaign site. Joers holds a dual degree in political science and public administration from UW-La Crosse, per the campaign site.
Mark S. Maier (Republican), Alex Joers (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Alex Joers is the sitting member, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's incumbent listing and the Legislature's roster. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Senate: 2 districtsDistricts 17, 27
Wisconsin Senate District 17Howard Marklein (R) · Jenna Jacobson (D)
Howard Marklein
Howard Marklein has served the 17th Senate District in the Wisconsin State Senate since 2014 and co-chairs the Joint Committee on Finance, per the campaign site. Marklein is a retired CPA, per the campaign site.
Jenna Jacobson
Top priorities
- Fully fund public schools
- Clean air, safe drinking water and healthy soils
- Support family farms
Per the campaign site.
About Jenna Jacobson
Jenna Jacobson is a candidate for Wisconsin's 17th Senate District who has represented the 50th Assembly District, per the campaign site. Jacobson is the ranking member of the Assembly committees on Agriculture and Sporting Heritage and earlier served on the Village of Oregon board, per the campaign site. Jacobson holds a B.S. in consumer financial planning from Purdue University and previously worked as a housing program specialist, per the campaign site.
Howard Marklein (Republican), Jenna Jacobson (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Howard Marklein is the sitting member, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's incumbent listing and the Legislature's roster. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageWisconsin Senate District 27Dianne Hesselbein (D)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Dianne Hesselbein
Dianne Hesselbein served on the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Board of Education and on the Dane County Board of Supervisors for three terms, per her official legislator biography. She was elected to the Assembly in 2012, serving five terms before her election to the Senate in 2022, and is the Senate Democratic Leader. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Dianne Hesselbein (Democratic) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; Dianne Hesselbein is the sitting member, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission's incumbent listing and the Legislature's roster. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageBallot questions
5 local ballot questions from official county, city and school district lists. Countywide questions appear on every ballot in Dane County; city, school district and special-district questions only inside the jurisdiction named. Statewide measures are listed separately.
Operating referendum, 2027-28 through 2030-31Evansville Community School District · The district asks voters to authorize it to exceed the state revenue limit by $5,300,000 per year for four years, for operational and maintenance expenses including student resources, educational programming, and facility maintenance.
The district asks voters to authorize it to exceed the state revenue limit by $5,300,000 per year for four years, for operational and maintenance expenses including student resources, educational programming, and facility maintenance.
Question 1: Operating referendum, 2027-28 through 2031-32School District of Lodi · The district asks voters to authorize it to exceed the state revenue limit by $5,980,000 per year for five years, for operational expenses including instructional and educational programming, technology updates, and staff compensation.
The district asks voters to authorize it to exceed the state revenue limit by $5,980,000 per year for five years, for operational expenses including instructional and educational programming, technology updates, and staff compensation.
Question 2: Bond referendum for high school and primary school facility improvementsSchool District of Lodi · The district asks voters to authorize general obligation bonds of up to $13,200,000 to renovate the high school (career and technical education spaces, indoor pool, and athletic pool locker rooms) and to build athletic practice fields and a varsity baseball field at the Primary School.
The district asks voters to authorize general obligation bonds of up to $13,200,000 to renovate the high school (career and technical education spaces, indoor pool, and athletic pool locker rooms) and to build athletic practice fields and a varsity baseball field at the Primary School.
Question 1: Recurring operating referendum, phased through 2030-31Waunakee Community School District · The district asks voters to authorize a recurring increase to its revenue limit, phased in from $4,200,000 in 2027-28 up to a total of $10,500,000 by 2030-31 and remaining at that level thereafter, for ongoing operational expenses and employee compensation.
The district asks voters to authorize a recurring increase to its revenue limit, phased in from $4,200,000 in 2027-28 up to a total of $10,500,000 by 2030-31 and remaining at that level thereafter, for ongoing operational expenses and employee compensation.
Question 2: Bond referendum for high school facility improvementsWaunakee Community School District · The district asks voters to authorize general obligation bonds of up to $97,500,000 to remove and rebuild an older portion of the high school, renovate the old middle school (High School South Campus), and make district-wide outdoor athletic field and facility improvements.
The district asks voters to authorize general obligation bonds of up to $97,500,000 to remove and rebuild an older portion of the high school, renovate the old middle school (High School South Campus), and make district-wide outdoor athletic field and facility improvements.
Voting info and more
Voting info and more
Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
Wisconsin nominees were set by the August 11 partisan primary (plurality, no runoffs) and meet on the November 3 ballot; unopposed nominees still print. All 99 Assembly seats and the odd-numbered Senate districts are up, along with sheriff, clerk of circuit court and coroner in each county; county clerk, treasurer, register of deeds and district attorney were elected in 2024 and county executives, boards and judges are elected at the spring election, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
Who is on the ballot in Dane County, Wisconsin on November 3, 2026?
Dane County sample ballot 2026: see where the county sheriff, wisconsin senate and wisconsin assembly candidates stand on schools and health care. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in Wisconsin?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Wisconsin are listed on the Wisconsin election hub. Wisconsin election hub →
What ballot questions are on the Dane County ballot?
5 ballot questions: Operating referendum, 2027-28 through 2030-31; Operating referendum, 2027-28 through 2031-32; Bond referendum for high school and primary school facility improvements; and more. Each question page explains what a yes vote and a no vote would do.
How do I see my exact Dane County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →
Sample ballot by ZIP code in Dane County35 ZIP codes
Candidate roster last updated Oct 3, 2026 from official election sources.