Wisconsin › Door County › Wisconsin Assembly District 1
2 candidates are tracked for Wisconsin Assembly District 1 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Joel Kitchens and Renee A. Paplham. Candidate information follows official Door County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Joel Kitchens (Republican), Renee A. Paplham (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Joel Kitchens 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.
Republican · Incumbent
Joel Kitchens has worked as a farm animal veterinarian in Door and Kewaunee counties for more than 30 years, co-founding a veterinary practice in Sturgeon Bay in 1984, per his official legislator biography. He served on the Sturgeon Bay School Board, including as its president, before his election to the Assembly in 2014. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 7, 2026.
Democratic
Renee Paplham works as a mediator with the Mediation Center of Green Bay, per Door County Daily News. She is a lifelong resident of Kewaunee County with a bachelor's degree from UW-Green Bay, and this is her second campaign for the seat after running against Rep. Joel Kitchens in 2024. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 7, 2026.