2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court election
April 7, 2026
 
Candidate Chris Taylor Maria Lazar
Popular vote 905,490 600,256
Percentage 60.09% 39.84%
Taylor:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Lazar:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Tie:      40–50%      50%      No data/No votes
Justice before election

Rebecca Bradley

 Elected Justice

Chris Taylor

The 2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court election was held on April 7, 2026, to elect a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court for a ten-year term. Wisconsin Court of Appeals judge Chris Taylor defeated fellow Court of Appeals judge Maria Lazar in a landslide, expanding the court's liberal majority from 4–3 to 5–2. Taylor was sworn in at the start of the next judicial term, on August 1, 2026.

Incumbent justice Rebecca Bradley chose not to seek reelection after serving on the court since October 2015. Bradley was associated with the conservative minority on the court, meaning that the 2026 election could not change the ideological majority of the court. Since control of the court was not at risk, this race had a much lower profile than recent Wisconsin Supreme Court elections. The 2023 and 2025 elections were the most expensive judicial races in world history, with total spending in those races exceeding $45 million and $100 million, respectively; the 2026 election, on the other hand, saw less than $9 million spent by the campaigns and outside interests. Voter turnout was also down significantly from the high bar set in 2023 and 2025.

Taylor won the election by about 20 percentage points, far exceeding pre-election polling and the spread seen in recent Supreme Court elections. This election marked the largest margin of victory in a contested Wisconsin Supreme Court race since 2000. Because of the schedule of upcoming judicial elections, Taylor's victory likely secures a liberal majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court until at least August 2030.

Background

The Wisconsin Supreme Court tipped from a 4–3 conservative majority to a 4–3 liberal majority due to the 2023 election, which at that time was the most expensive judicial election in history. The liberals retained their 4–3 majority in the 2025 election, when that race became the most expensive judicial election in history. The incumbent in 2026, Rebecca Bradley, is a member of the conservative minority, and therefore the outcome of the election would not change the court's ideological majority in any case.

Bradley initially announced in April 2025 that she would run for reelection.[1] Political observers, however, noticed that she was not engaged in any fund-raising activity for a reelection campaign, and on August 29, 2025, she announced she was withdrawing from the race.[2]

Historically, it has been rare for incumbents to lose reelection to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Due to this, open-seat races have generally been regarded as valuable opportunities to potentially alter the court's ideological composition.[3] Only 23 of the more than 136 previous elections held for the court have been for open seats.[4][a] It has also been rare for contested Wisconsin Supreme Court races to be held without the need for a primary.[4]

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Campaign

Without the court's ideological majority hanging in the balance, the election attracted far less attention and fundraising than the 2025 election, which was the most expensive judicial election in American history. As the race neared its end in March, spending was less than $9 million total, far below the $100 million in the prior election.[15][16][17] The decline in fundraising and advertising greatly lowered the profile of the race, with only a small proportion of the electorate paying close attention.[18] In line with previous elections, however, voting rights remained at the forefront of the campaign with Taylor and Lazar taking opposite positions on recent redistricting litigation, as well as other issues such as abortion and labor rights.[19] Taylor held a considerable fundraising lead in the leadup to the election, as liberals sought to expand their majority on the Court.[20]

This fundraising advantage, as well as her lead in pre-election polling, had most, including many Republicans, predicting Taylor as favored to win the election. Some characterized the Republicans as both organizationally and motivationally demoralized after having lost the previous three Supreme Court elections by wide margins. The low turnout in early voting, muted voter enthusiasm, and large number of undecided voters in polling still left the outcome uncertain, however, with the same predictors conceding a Lazar upset as a possibility. [21]

Endorsements

Maria Lazar
U.S. representatives
Statewide officials
Judicial officials
  • Annette Ziegler, Wisconsin Supreme Court justice (2007–present) and former chief justice (2021–2025)[24]
Individuals
Labor unions
Organizations
Political parties
Chris Taylor
Executive branch officials
U.S. senators
Judicial officials
Local officials
  • David Crowley, Milwaukee County executive (2020–present); former state representative (2017–2020)[36]
Party officials
Individuals
Labor unions
Organizations
Newspapers
Political parties
Declined to endorse
Newspapers

Debate

2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court election debate
No. Date Host Moderators Link Candidates
 P  Participant   A  Absent   N  Non-invitee   I  Invitee  W  Withdrawn
Lazar Taylor
1[66] April 2, 2026 WISN-TV Matt Smith,
Gerron Jordan		 YouTube P P

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of March 23, 2026
Candidate Raised Spent Cash on hand
Maria Lazar $862,176 $645,497 $217,859
Chris Taylor $6,126,855 $5,290,379 $332,389
Source: WI Ethics Commission[67]

Polling

Pollster Dates
administered		 Sample
size[h]		 Margin
of error		 Chris
Taylor		 Maria
Lazar		 Other Undecided
Marquette University Law School[68] March 11–18, 2026 597 (LV) ± 5.3% 30% 22% 1%[i] 47%
850 (RV) ± 4.4% 23% 17% 7%[j] 53%
Marquette University Law School[69] February 11–19, 2026 818 (RV) ± 4.3% 17% 12% 5%[k] 66%

Results

Taylor won the election by a wide margin, securing liberal control of the court until at least 2030.[70] Despite most predicting that she would win, her margin of victory was substantially larger than anticipated, 20 percentage points, double the margin of the past three liberal Supreme Court victories. Taylor became the first democratic-aligned candidate since 2015 to win a majority of the state's counties, although analysis of each county's individual margins compared to her statewide margin produces similar voting patterns to that of the 2024 presidential election, suggesting a persistence of political polarization among the electorate. Taylor's performance in the WOW counties, once the state's foremost Republican strongholds, were particularly notable, winning Ozaukee County outright and holding Lazar to much narrower margins than usual in Waukesha and Washington counties.[71]

Turnout in the race was approximately one third of registered voters, above average for state supreme court elections, though still a drop of about 860,000 votes from the 2025 election.[72]

2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court election[73]
Candidate Votes %
Chris Taylor 905,490 60.09
Maria Lazar 600,256 39.84
Write-in 1,096 0.07
Total votes 1,506,842 100.00

By congressional district

Taylor won seven of eight congressional districts, including five held by Republicans.[74]

District Lazar Taylor Representative
1st 42.4% 57.6% Bryan Steil
2nd 20.4% 79.6% Mark Pocan
3rd 39.3% 60.7% Derrick Van Orden
4th 18.9% 81.1% Gwen Moore
5th 54.3% 45.7% Scott L. Fitzgerald
6th 47.9% 52.1% Glenn Grothman
7th 48.7% 51.3% Tom Tiffany
8th 46.5% 53.5% Tony Wied

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ (excludes elections to fill newly-created seats for which there was no incumbent)
  2. ↑ Described by media outlets as conservative[5]
  3. ↑ Described by media outlets as liberal[7]
  4. ↑ Described by media outlets as conservative[9]
  5. ↑ Described by media outlets as liberal[12]
  6. 1 2 Described by media outlets as liberal[9]
  7. ↑ Described by media outlets as conservative[14]
  8. ↑ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  9. ↑ "Will not vote in that election" with 1%
  10. ↑ "Will not vote in that election" with 7%; "Refused" with 0%
  11. ↑ "Will not vote in that election" with 5%; "Refused" with 0%

References

  1. ↑ "Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley planning to seek reelection in 2026". WisPolitics. April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  2. ↑ Wagtendonk, Anya van (August 29, 2025). "Justice Rebecca Bradley will not seek reelection, setting up wide open Wisconsin Supreme Court race". WPR. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  3. ↑ Multiple sources:
  4. 1 2 Ostermeier, Eric (January 13, 2025). "Wisconsin Supreme Court 2025 Election by the Numbers". Smart Politics (University of Minnesota). Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Spicuzza, Mary; Bice, Daniel (August 29, 2025). "Conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley will not seek reelection". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  6. ↑ Spicuzza, Mary (October 1, 2025). "Maria Lazar launches Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign, taking over conservative lane from Rebecca Bradley". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
  7. ↑ Beck, Molly (April 5, 2025). "Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley announces she'll seek another 10-year term". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  8. ↑ Bauer, Scott (May 20, 2025). "Judge who previously fought for abortion rights wants to join Wisconsin Supreme Court". Associated Press. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 "Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley planning to seek reelection in 2026". WisPolitics. April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Clark County judge tells WisPolitics she's passing on Supreme Court bid in '26". WisPolitics. May 2, 2025. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Taylor campaign: 100 current and former judges endorse Judge Chris Taylor for Wisconsin Supreme Court". WisPolitics. June 26, 2025. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  12. ↑ "THU PM Update: Three liberals looking at run for Supreme Court following Bradley retirement". Wispolitics.com. April 11, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  13. ↑ Nir, David; Singer, Jeff (April 17, 2025). "Morning Digest: New challenger to 12-term Democrat calls on 'next generation to step up'". The Downballot. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  14. 1 2 Bice, Daniel; Spicuzza, Mary (August 29, 2025). "What happens now that Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley is not running for re-election?". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  15. ↑ DeVooght, Destiny (March 24, 2026). "A year after breaking records, spending in Wisconsin Supreme Court race dries up". Courthouse News Service. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Taylor, allies outspending Lazar, her backers 15-to-1". WisPolitics. March 26, 2026. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  17. ↑ McGuire, Catherine (March 25, 2026). "Wisconsin Supreme Court race sees decline in campaign spending, voter awareness". The Badger Herald. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  18. ↑ Lozada, Jade (March 6, 2026). "One year after Elon Musk's Wisconsin spending blitz, the state's Supreme Court race falls quiet". Wisconsin Watch. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  19. ↑ Nichanian, Daniel; Burness, Alex (March 6, 2026). "Eyeing Voting Rights, Liberals Aim to Secure Wisconsin's Supreme Court through 2030". Bolts. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  20. ↑ Edelman, Adam (March 15, 2026). "Liberals aim to extend their Wisconsin Supreme Court race winning streak". NBC News. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  21. ↑ Svirnovskiy, Gregory (April 4, 2026). "A subdued Wisconsin Supreme Court race tilts Democrats' way". POLITICO. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Tiffany campaign: Wisconsin Republican house members endorse Maria Lazar for state supreme court". State Affairs. March 6, 2026. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
  23. ↑ Carloni, Britanny (March 23, 2026). "Two judges, two paths: Here's what sets the Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates apart". Wisconsin Watch. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  24. ↑ Kertscher, Tom (April 3, 2026). "Has Supreme Court candidate Lazar been endorsed by Wisconsin judges?". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  25. ↑ "Election Deniers Who Tried To Overturn The 2020 Election Are Lining Up Behind Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidate Maria Lazar". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  26. ↑ "WI FOP Endorses Judge Maria S. Lazar for Wisconsin Supreme Court". WI Fraternal Order of Police (Press release). March 16, 2026. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  27. ↑ "NFIB Wisconsin PAC Endorses Judge Maria Lazar for the Wisconsin Supreme Court". NFIB. March 31, 2026. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Voter Guide - Wisconsin Supreme Court". WisGOP. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
  29. 1 2 "Eric Holder Endorses Judge Chris Taylor for the Wisconsin Supreme Court". NDRC (Press release). February 5, 2026. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  30. ↑ Herken, Olivia (April 3, 2026). "Fact check: Did Chris Taylor file as Democrat on FCC paperwork?". The Cap Times. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  31. ↑ Hunt, Lucas (July 8, 2025). "Senator Tammy Baldwin endorses Judge Chris Taylor's 2026 state Supreme Court bid". Civic Media. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  32. ↑ Murphy, Chris (April 2, 2026). "I'm endorsing Chris Taylor for the Wisconsin Supreme Court today. The independence of the judiciary is more important now than ever, and she has spent her career defending the rule of law and protecting human rights in Wisconsin. This election is Tuesday, so get out there and help another Chris win a really important race!". Instagram.
  33. ↑ "Supreme Court candidate Judge Chris Taylor visits Wausau, earns endorsement from former Chief Justice". WSAW-TV. March 14, 2026. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  34. 1 2 3 Releases, Wisconsin Press (June 26, 2025). "Taylor campaign: 100 current and former judges endorse Judge Chris Taylor for Wisconsin Supreme Court". WisPolitics. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  35. 1 2 3 4 "Taylor campaign: Announces endorsements from Justices Rebecca Dallet, Jill Karofsky, Janet Protasiewicz and Justice-elect Susan Crawford". WisPolitics (Press release). May 21, 2025. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  36. ↑ Carloni, Britanny (December 8, 2025). "As fundraising email shows, line between nonpartisan and partisan Wisconsin elections continues to erode". Wisconsin Watch. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  37. 1 2 "WisDems Endorse Judge Chris Taylor For Wisconsin Supreme Court" (Press release). October 6, 2025.
  38. 1 2 "Reproductive Freedom for All Endorses Judge Chris Taylor for Wisconsin State Supreme Court". Reproductive Freedom for All (Press release). February 4, 2026.
  39. ↑ "AFSCME Council 32: Endorses Judge Chris Taylor for Wisconsin Supreme Court". WisPolitics (Press release). February 18, 2026. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
  40. ↑ "Spring 2026 Election". AFT-Wisconsin. February 6, 2026. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  41. ↑ "COPE Endorsements (Spring 2026)". AFT, Local 212 MATC. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  42. ↑ "2026 Spring Election". madisonteachers.org. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  43. ↑ "Endorsement Alert: SEIU Wisconsin State Council endorses Judge Chris Taylor for the Wisconsin Supreme Court!". Instagram. April 2, 2026. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  44. ↑ "Wisconsin". UAW Endorsements. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  45. ↑ Silver, Maayan (March 10, 2026). "Meet the candidates for Wisconsin Supreme Court". WUWM 89.7 FM. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  46. ↑ "WEAC members recommend Judge Chris Taylor for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice". WEAC (Press release). March 30, 2026. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  47. ↑ "Taylor campaign: Wisconsin Laborers' District Council endorses Judge Chris Taylor for Wisconsin Supreme Court". WisPolitics (Press release). July 24, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  48. ↑ "Judge Chris Taylor for Wisconsin Supreme Court". WI AFL-CIO. October 10, 2025.
  49. ↑ "Electing Judge Chris Taylor would ensure Wisconsin's highest court continues to protect our health and our environment". Facebook. March 18, 2026. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  50. ↑ "Citizen Action of Wisconsin endorses Chris Taylor for State Supreme Court". Instagram. March 2, 2026. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  51. ↑ "DLCC Spotlights Wisconsin Supreme Court Race & Maxes Out on Investment". DLCC (Press release). February 26, 2026. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  52. ↑ "EMILYs List: Endorses Justice Anita Earls and Judge Chris Taylor for North Carolina and Wisconsin state Supreme Courts". WisPolitics (Press release). August 20, 2025.
  53. ↑ "Endorsements". End Citizens United. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  54. ↑ "Fair Wisconsin PAC endorses Chris Taylor for Wisconsin Supreme Court in the 2026 Spring Election!". Facebook. March 25, 2026. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  55. ↑ "FFRF Action Fund endorses Judge Chris Taylor for the Wisconsin Supreme Court". FFRF Action Fund (Press release). Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  56. ↑ "JDCA Endorsed Candidates". Jewish Democratic Council of America. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  57. ↑ "The Wisconsin Social Workers Political Action Committee endorses Judge Chris Taylor to serve as a Justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court". Instagram. March 5, 2026. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  58. ↑ "Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin Endorses Judge Chris Taylor for Wisconsin Supreme Court". Urban Milwaukee (Press release). February 23, 2026. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
  59. ↑ "Chris Taylor for Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 7". Third Act (Press release). February 24, 2026. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  60. ↑ "Wisconsin Conservation Voters Endorses Judge Chris Taylor for Wisconsin Supreme Court". Urban Milwaukee (Press release). February 12, 2026. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
  61. ↑ "Young Democrats of Wisconsin: Endorse Chris Taylor for Wisconsin Supreme Court & local candidates". WisPolitics (Press release). April 6, 2026. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  62. ↑ "Taylor is uniquely qualified to serve on the Supreme Court". The Capital Times. March 11, 2026. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  63. ↑ "Appellate Judge Chris Taylor for State Supreme Court". The Shepherd Express. March 17, 2026. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
  64. ↑ "Wisconsin Working Families Party - Our Candidates". Working Families Party. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
  65. ↑ "OUR VIEW: Wisconsin needs a better way to select Supreme Court justices". Wisconsin State Journal. February 23, 2026. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  66. ↑ "WISN 12 Hosts Rescheduled Wisconsin Supreme Court Debate on April 2nd". WISN-TV. March 26, 2026.
  67. ↑ "Sunshine: Wisconsin Campaign Finance Supreme Court 2026 Spring General".
  68. ↑ Franklin, Charles (March 24, 2026). "Detailed results of the Marquette Law School Wisconsin Poll-March 11 – 18, 2026". Marquette University Law School. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  69. ↑ Marquette Law School Supreme Court Poll February 11 - 19, 2026 (Report). Marquette University Law School. February 25, 2026. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  70. ↑ Bauer, Scott (April 7, 2026). "Taylor wins the 2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court election". PBS Wisconsin. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  71. ↑ Coleman, J. Miles (April 8, 2026). "Another Big Night for Democrats: Tuesday's Wisconsin and Georgia Results". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  72. ↑ "What was voter turnout in the 2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court election?". Up North News. April 10, 2026. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  73. ↑ "WEC Canvass Reporting System Canvass Results for 2026 Spring Election - 4/7/2026 5:00:00 AM" (PDF). WIvote.gov. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  74. ↑ "2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court". VoteHub.
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