As Wisconsin residents head to the polls for the Aug. 11 primary election, they’ll find a crowded field of candidates in the governor’s race.
While a few campaign-season shakeups have reduced the number of Democratic candidates actually vying for governor, all seven original candidates for that party’s nomination will still appear on the ballot. The two Republican candidates will show up on the ballot too.
Here’s a look at all of the candidates voters will find on their ballots for the Aug. 11 primary election.
Who are the Democratic candidates?
Francesca Hong
Francesca Hong is a state Representative who represents downtown Madison in the State Assembly. Before the State Assembly, Hong was co-owner and co-chef of Morris Ramen in Madison.
David Crowley
David Crowley has served as Milwaukee County executive since 2020. Crowley suspended his campaign early in the race, only to restart it later and earn an endorsement from current Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers.
Kelda Roys
Kelda Roys serves in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing the 26th District in Dane County, where she has served since being elected in 2020. Roys serves on the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, which oversees state budgets.
Joel Brennan
Joel Brennan is the current president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee and former Department of Administration secretary under Gov. Tony Evers. Brennan was previously the CEO and president of the Discovery World science museum and vice president of Visit Milwaukee.
Mandela Barnes
Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes suspended his campaign July 30 amid reporting from the Journal Sentinel on an investigation into allegations Barnes used his position to have sexual encounters with women. Barnes did not endorse another candidate on the way out, but has called Hong the clear frontrunner.
Sara Rodriguez
Current Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out of the race July 17 after faulty campaign finance reports put her campaign in disarray. She was previously endorsed by Crowley and Hughes, who had both suspended their campaigns to make their endorsements. Crowley got back in the race shortly after Rodriguez dropped out.
Missy Hughes
Former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Missy Hughes was the first Democratic candidate to suspend their campaign. Hughes dropped out June 22 after Democratic Party straw polls showed her trailing other candidates.
Who are the Republican candidates?
Tom Tiffany
Tom Tiffany represents Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Tiffany has aligned himself closely with President Donald Trump, earning his endorsement and the endorsement of former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson.
Andy Manske
Andy Manske is a medical services technician from Greenfield. Manske promotes himself as a moderate, adopting policy stances from Republicans and Democrats alike.
Why are Barnes, Rodriguez and Hughes still on the ballot?
All primary candidates passed the deadline to remove their names from Wisconsin ballots.
Ballots must be printed in advance in order to align with absentee mail-in voters’ timelines and smooth operations at polling places.
Even though they suspended their races, Barnes, Rodriguez and Hughes will still appear on primary voters’ ballots.
Can I change my vote if my candidate dropped out?
No.
On July 29, Dane County Circuit Judge David Conway reaffirmed that Wisconsin law does not allow voters to spoil and recast a vote if they have already voted.
The guidance came back into the conversation when a trio of voters with state Democratic Party backing pushed a lawsuit to change the primary voting rule after the major shakeup among viable candidates for the governor’s race.
Voters who turned in ballots for Barnes, Rodriguez or Hughes will not be able to change their cast ballots despite their candidates dropping out of the race.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin governor’s race: All 9 primary candidates on the ballot
Reporting by Caden Perry, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Caden Perry, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
