What’s on the ballot and how to vote in 2024 Spring elections

by Henry Redman, Wisconsin Examiner
February 19, 2024

Wisconsin’s 2024 election cycle is set to kick off Tuesday with the nonpartisan spring primary election. Local races across the state with more than two candidates vying for seats will be on the ballot to determine who will run in the spring general election on April 2. 

On Tuesday, the highest profile race will be the primary for Milwaukee mayor, in which incumbent Cavalier Johnson is running for a full term after being elected two years ago to serve out the remainder of former Mayor Tom Barret’s term. Running against him are David King and ??Ieshuh Griffin, who have both run for several positions in the past. 

The state’s fourth largest city, Kenosha is set to elect just its third mayor since 1992 this spring. On the ballot on Tuesday are nine candidates vying to replace the retiring Mayor John Antaramian in the first mayoral election since protests against police brutality swept the city following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in 2020. 

The nine mayoral candidates are Gregory Bennett Jr., David Bogdala, Elizabeth Garcia, Tony Garcia, Kelly MacKay, Andreas Meyer, Mary Morgan, Lydia Spottswood and Koerri Elijah Washington.

This year, 55 circuit court seats are up for election. However on Tuesday, just two of them will be on the primary ballot. In Kenosha County, incumbent Judge Frank Gagliardi is running against court commissioners Heather Iverson and William Michel. In Winnebago County Eric Haywood, LaKeshia Haase and Michael Rust are running for an open seat on the circuit court. 

Aside from those races, local school board and city council and county board seats across the state have competitive primaries on Tuesday. Voters can find the races on their ballot in their wards at MyVote.WI.Gov. 

In some communities, there won’t be any races on the ballot on Tuesday. 

In the April election, more seats will be on the ballot as all the elections with the primary winners and the races with just two candidates will be held. April will also include the presidential preference primary in which voters will choose who they want to represent the Republican and Democratic parties in this fall’s presidential election. 

Voters can also go to the MyVote website to find their polling location. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Voters who are  in line when polls close should remain in line and will still be able to cast a ballot. Absentee ballots can also be dropped off at a voter’s polling place on Election Day. 

Voters who are not registered to vote can register in person at the polls on Election Day. To register they need to bring a proof of their residence and an approved photo ID.

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