Ballot Measures, April 3, 2018
Wisconsin voters decided 1 statewide ballot measure on April 3, 2018.
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Eliminate the position of state treasurer | Failed (38.28% yes) |
General Election, November 6, 2018
Wisconsin held its general election on November 6, 2018, deciding 116 legislative seats and 5 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control.
Highlights
- Democrats won every statewide race on the ballot, ending eight years of Republican control of the governorship, while Republicans kept both legislative chambers and moved to curb the incoming Democrats' powers before they were sworn in.
- Tony Evers (D), the state schools superintendent, became the first Democrat to beat Gov. Scott Walker (R), winning by about 29,000 votes, or roughly 1 point. That margin was just too wide for Walker to request a recount under a law he himself had signed, and he conceded the next afternoon. Evers' running mate, Mandela Barnes (D), unseated Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (R).
- Josh Kaul (D) ousted Attorney General Brad Schimel (R) by about 17,000 votes and vowed to pull Wisconsin out of the 20-state lawsuit Schimel was leading against the Affordable Care Act. In December, the Republican Legislature passed bills limiting the powers of both Evers and Kaul, and Walker signed them without a single veto. Among other changes, they barred Evers from approving withdrawal from that lawsuit and limited early voting to two weeks.
- Secretary of State Doug La Follette (D) won re-election over Jay Schroeder (R), and Sarah Godlewski (D) won the open treasurer's office over Travis Hartwig (R). Godlewski had campaigned to keep the office, which voters had already saved in April by rejecting Question 1, a constitutional amendment to abolish it. Treasurer Matt Adamczyk (R) had led the push to eliminate the office, arguing it no longer had any real duties.
- In the legislature, 2 seats changed hands, one in each direction. André Jacque (R) won Senate District 1 back for Republicans from Caleb Frostman (D), who had beaten Jacque in a June special election. Frostman was the only incumbent legislator to lose. Robyn Vining (D) took the open 14th Assembly District from Republicans by about 140 votes over Adamczyk, who was leaving the treasurer's office, and Rep. Todd Novak (R) held the 51st by about 330 votes. Democratic Assembly candidates, who contested more seats, drew about 200,000 more votes than Republicans, yet Republicans kept nearly two-thirds of the chamber.
Legislature
- Assembly (99 seats): 35 D, 64 R before the election, 36 D, 63 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
- Senate (33 seats): 15 D, 18 R before the election, 14 D, 19 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
Statewide races
| Race | Winner | Others | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | Tony Evers (D) 49.54% | Scott Walker (R) 48.44% | Flipped R to D; Incumbent defeated |
| Attorney General | Josh Kaul (D) 49.4% | Brad Schimel (R) 48.8%, Terry Larson (Constitution Party) 1.8% | Flipped R to D; Incumbent defeated |
| Lt. Governor | Mandela Barnes (D) 49.5% | Rebecca Kleefisch (R) 48.3%, Phillip N. Anderson (L) 1.2% | Flipped R to D; Incumbent defeated |
| Secretary of State | Douglas La Follette (D) 52.7% | Jay Schroeder (R) 47.2% | |
| Treasurer | Sarah Godlewski (D) 50.9% | Travis Hartwig (R) 46.77%, Andrew Zuelke (Constitution Party) 2.3% | Flipped R to D |