League of Women Voters releases voter guide for spring primaries

In the first election of 2021, voters will choose the candidates in the race for the next Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction and other local races. On Tuesday, the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin (LWVWI) released its voter guide to help people make their decision. 

The voter guide, found at VOTE411.ORG, provides personal information and answers to pertinent questions from candidates. 

“In the spring elections, voters will be making important decisions about the future of our courts, schools and leadership in our local communities, and they need convenient and accessible tools to make decisions about the candidates running to represent them,” LWVWI voter education manager Eileen Newcomer said in a news release. “That is why we are committed to providing voters with election information for all races and questions on the ballot.”

The Spring Primary is set for Feb. 16. 

The race to run the state Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has drawn seven candidates from across the state and the February election will determine which two candidates will run for the non partisan office in the April election. The seat is open after State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor, appointed by Gov. Tony Evers to replace him, announced that she would not seek another term. 

The candidates for superintendent are Sheila Briggs, Joe Fenrick, Troy Gunderson, Shandowlyon Hendricks-Williams, Deborah Kerr, Steve Krull and Jill Underly. All seven responded to the LWVWI’s questions. 

Also on the ballot this spring are candidates to be judges in Courts of Appeals in three of the state’s four appellate districts and local circuit courts, local nonpartisan roles and in the special elections for two seats in the state Legislature. 

The voter guide also provides information for getting registered to vote and requesting an absentee ballot. All information for requesting a ballot and the required deadlines are available at myvote.wi.gov. 

The deadline to register to vote online or by mail for the February primary is Jan. 27. Voters can also register in person at their municipal clerk’s office until Feb. 12 and on election day at the polls. 

For most voters, the deadline to request an absentee ballot is Feb. 11, though indefinitely confined voters have until Feb. 12 and in-person absentee voting is available Feb. 2-14, though can vary by municipality. 

Absentee ballots must be returned to municipal clerks by 8 p.m. on Feb. 16. Voters requesting a ballot for the spring primaries are able to opt into automatically receiving an absentee ballot for every election in 2021.