As Wisconsin encounters lawsuits to delay the April 7 election because of coronavirus concerns, a federal district court ordered a deadline extension to give people more time to register to vote online and request an absentee ballot.
Wisconsinites have until Monday to register online. The change allows for more online votes, and therefore, less in-person contact at the polls during the pandemic.
On the ballots for April are a number of contested judicial races, including for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The following list provides information about the candidates running in contested judicial races. A complete list of judicial races across the state is available here.
Wisconsin Supreme Court
Dan Kelly (Incumbent)
Appointed to the state Supreme Court in 2016 by Gov. Scott Walker
Before serving on the high court, Kelly was a commercial litigator and founding partner of Rogahn Kelly in Waukesha.
He believes justices should apply the law as it is written and without substituting their own judgment.
Kelly believes he’s been nonpartisan in the decisions he’s made since his appointment, and he said he views the state Supreme Court as a whole as nonpartisan.
Elected to the Court of Appeals in 2008 and reelected in 2014
The Wisconsin Supreme Court appointed her to serve as the Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in 2015 and re-appointed her in May 2018.
Her campaign website said she is seeking reelection because “I care about making sure our courts keep our communities safe and uphold the rule of law.”
Bugenhagen was elected to the Waukesha County bench in 2015.
He presides over the Waukesha County’s family and probate court divisions and was made head of the family court division in 2018.
Judge Paul Bugenhagen Jr.’s campaign website said he is running for the Wisconsin Court of Appeals because “Wisconsin deserves a judge who will uphold the rule of law and our Constitution — including the religious liberties of all Wisconsinites.”
President and CEO of the nonprofit Cream City Foundation
Previously served as a director at the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin and Wisconsin State Public Defender
Blomme said he is running for the Milwaukee County Circuit Court because “nothing in our broken justice system will change unless we change who we elect as judges.”
Waukesha County Circuit Court Branch 5 (Judge Lee S. Dreyfus, Jr. filed a notification of noncandidacy)
Jack Melvin
Attorney with the Labor and Industry Review Commission
Previously served as the Division Administrator for Gaming for the State of Wisconsin
Melvin said after serving in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, he had a renewed appreciation for the rule of law and experienced the importance of the pursuit of justice.
Attorney at Law Offices of Sarah A. Ponath who focuses on business law, real estate law and estate planning
Also spent nearly 20 years in business roles involving debt collection and remediation, employee supervision, business operations and financing
Ponath said she is running because she wanted to continue giving back to her community and resolve disputes, with the goal of influencing people to make positive changes in their lives.
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