Compiled by Kim McDarison
Across the state of Wisconsin voters will be heading to the polls on Tuesday, Aug. 9.
Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The partisan primary will see races in which multiple candidates from within each political party are vying for an open seat. Winners in the primary election will advance to the Nov. 8 general election, during which the winners for each open seat will ultimately be decided.
One candidate from each party vying for each available seat will advance to the general election.
Voters are asked to select candidates on the primary ballot from within a single party.
Voters looking to check their registration status as well as find their polling place can visit: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/.
Names of countywide candidates running for U.S. House of Representatives, the State Senate, Assembly, sheriff and clerk of circuit court will be found on the primary ballot.
Brief biographical information for each of the candidates follows.
A story about candidates whose names will appear on the primary ballot running in statewide races is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/primary-election-guide-statewide-races-on-aug-9-ballot/.
U.S. House of Representatives
Across the state of Wisconsin, there are eight congressional districts. A map showing the eight districts is here: https://www.zipdatamaps.com/politics/national/districts/map-of-wisconsin-congressional-districts.
Jefferson County
Jefferson County is included within Wisconsin’s 5th Congressional District.
Voters within the district, including Fort Atkinson and the portion of Whitewater residing in Jefferson County, will find the names of the Republican incumbent Scott Fitzgerald, who is running for his party’s nomination as a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives seat, and Mike Van Someren, who is running in the Democratic primary for nomination to the seat. Both will advance to the November election.
Scott Fitzgerald
According to his official website, Scott Fitzgerald was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020. Prior to his election to Congress, he served in the Wisconsin State Senate representing the 13th District from 1995 to 2021. Fitzgerald joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 1981 and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Armor Branch in 1985. He completed the Army Command and General Staff College and served in a number of assignments during his 27 years of service, including Battalion Commander. In 2009, he retired from service at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Born in Chicago, he moved to Wisconsin, graduated from Hustisford High School, and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1985. He is a former owner of the Dodge County Independent News in Juneau and the Watertown Daily Times. His father, Stephen Fitzgerald, was sheriff of Dodge County for 14 years, served as the U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Wisconsin and most recently served as the superintendent of the Wisconsin State Patrol until his retirement in 2016. His brother, Jeff, was an Assembly Representative from Dodge County who served as the Assembly Speaker for the 2011-2012 legislative session. Scott and his wife live in Clyman. The couple has three children. Fitzgerald’s official website can be found online. His Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Scott_Fitzgerald.
Mike Van Someren
According to his campaign page, Mike Van Someren is the son of an over-the-road truck driver. He is a former public school basketball and football player, and played football in college at UW-Madison and UW-River Falls. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history. He holds a law degree from Marquette Law School. Van Someren began his law career in Waukesha, focusing on real estate law. He serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity of Waukesha County and the Veterans Community Foundation. He has also served as a board member of ArtWorks for Milwaukee. Van Someren is married and the couple has two children. The family lives in Delafield. His campaign page can be found online. His Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Mike_Van_Someren.
Walworth County
Most of Walworth County is included within Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District.
Voters within the district, including those living in the Walworth County portion of the city of Whitewater, will find the names of the Republican incumbent Bryan Steil, who is running for his party’s nomination as a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives seat, and Ann Roe, who is running in the Democratic primary for nomination to the seat. Both will advance to the November election.
Bryan Steil
According to his official website, Bryan Steil was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in Wisconsin’s 1st District in 2018. His predecessor was Paul Ryan. Prior to his election, Steil worked in Wisconsin’s manufacturing industry, first with an industrial motion control manufacturer in Beloit, and then with a plastics manufacturer in Milton. In 2016, he was appointed to serve on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. He is a native of Janesville, graduating from Janesville Craig High School, and has attended Georgetown University and the University of Madison Law School. Steil’s official website can be found online. His Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Bryan_Steil.
Ann Roe
According to her campaign page, Ann Roe is a small business owner, former educator, working mom and the daughter of a Korean War veteran. She has worked in corporations, small businesses, nonprofits and the educational system. She has served as president of the Downtown Janesville board for the last year. She has lived in Janesville for 25 years, with her husband, who is a pediatrician. The couple has two children. Roe’s campaign page can be found online. Her Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Ann_Roe.
State Senator
Wisconsin Legislative maps underwent redistricting in April. New maps adopted will remain in place for the next 10 years. Within Wisconsin, there are 99 Assembly districts and 33 State Senate districts. A story about the state’s new maps is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/musical-maps-assembly-and-state-senate-districts-drawn/.
Senate District 11, shown above, is represented by State Sen. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater, and contains Assembly Districts 31, 32 and 33. The district includes, in part or full, the communities of Jefferson, Helenville, Sullivan, Fort Atkinson, Hebron, Palmyra, Whitewater, Milton, Avalon, Elkhorn, Delavan, Johnstown, Richmond, Darien, Clinton, Sharon, Williams Bay, Lake Geneva, Fontana, Walworth, Beloit and Genoa.
Voters within Senate District 11, will find two candidates on the ballot. They are the incumbent, Nass, running for the Republican party nomination, and Steven J. Doelder, who is running for the Democratic party nomination. Both will advance to the November election.
Stephen Nass
According to his Ballotpedia profile, Stephen Nass has served in his position as State Senator for seven years, assuming office in 2015. Prior to serving in that role, he served in the State Assembly from 1990 to 2015. From 1978 to 1981, he served on the Whitewater Common Council. Nass is a graduate of Whitewater High School and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and a master’s degree in school business management. He has served professionally as a negotiator/payroll benefits analyst. He is a member of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, and served in the Middle East in operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He also is a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Mukwonago Business Breakfast Club and Jefferson County Agribusiness Club. His official website can be found online. His Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Stephen_Nass.
According to his Ballotpedia profile, Steven J. Doelder was born in Sheboygan. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and a graduate degree from Carthage College. According to his campaign page, Doelder also holds an associate degree from Gateway Technical College. He completed his certification in teaching chemistry awarded through UW-Madison, and has served professionally as a lifelong teacher. He has served as president of the Racine Education Association. He also has written columns for the Racine Labor paper and the Lake Geneva Regional News. Doelder is the father of two grown children. His campaign page can be found online. His Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Steven_Doelder.
State Assembly seats
In April, new maps were adopted for the 99 State Assembly districts. Among them are districts 33, which includes the city of Fort Atkinson and a portion of Whitewater which resides in Jefferson County, and 31, which includes the portion of the city of Whitewater which resides in Walworth County.
Assembly District 33, shown above, underwent changes from its earlier configuration in place before new maps were adopted in April. Earlier changes made to the boundaries of Assembly District 33, which had formerly included a portion of Mukwonago, left Rep. Cody Horlacher, R-Mukwonago, residing outside of his district. He has since announced that he will not seek another term in the Assembly.
Before final maps were adopted in April, an earlier set of redistricted maps was briefly adopted in February. Within the earlier set, the 33rd Assembly District included portions of Jefferson, Waukesha and Walworth counties, holding within its boundaries the communities of Cambridge, Jefferson, Fort Atkinson, Hebron, Palmyra, Eagle and Mukwonago.
After maps were adopted in February, boundaries excluded Mukwonago and added, in part or full, the communities of Johnson Creek, Rome, Sullivan, Ixonia, Lebanon, Neosho and Watertown.
Final maps approved in April included the communities, in part or full, of Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Milton, Helenville, Hebron, Sullivan, Oakland and Palmyra. A portion of the city of Whitewater, which resides in Jefferson County, also is included.
Also with the adoption of maps in April, Rep. Don Vruwink, D-Milton, no longer lives in the 43rd district which he represents. Before changes made in April, Vruwink had announced he would be running for reelection. His name will appear on the primary ballot as a candidate running for an Assembly seat representing the 33rd district.
Voters in the 33rd Assembly District will find three candidates on the ballot. They are Vruwink, the representative in District 43 who, after redistricting, is running for a seat in the 33rd District. Vruwink is the only Democrat seeking his party’s nomination in the primary. He will run in November against the prevailing Republican party nominee. The candidates are Scott Johnson and Dale Oppermann.
Don Vruwink
According to his Ballotpedia profile, Don Vruwink assumed office representing the state’s 43rd Assembly District in 2017. According to his campaign page, Vruwink grew up on a dairy farm in central Wisconsin. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and a master’s degree in social studies from UW-Whitewater. Now retired, he spent 42 years as a school teacher, serving, since 1979, as a history teacher at Milton High School. He also served as a coach for more than 90 high school teams. After retiring in 2011, Vruwink served on the Milton City Council and the Milton School Board. He has earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Milton Area Chamber of Commerce. Vruwink is married and the couple has one child. Vruwink’ campaign page can be found online. His Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Don_Vruwink.
Scott Johnson
According to his Ballotpedia profile, Scott Johnson is a Republican candidate whose name will appear on the primary ballot. The profile offers no further information about the candidate. The candidate is a resident of Jefferson. According to his Linkedin profile, Johnson has served as a consultant for Johnson Enterprises for 38 years. The company provides farm and financial management and debt restructuring services. Johnson is a former member of the Fort Atkinson School Board, serving from 1999 to 2014. During that time, he writes, “I initiated and led the process of educating the school board, administration, staff, and public on the value of utilizing Geo-Thermal Energy Technology to retrofit four of our schools; replacing old inefficient conventional HVAC systems.” Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a graduate of the leadership program offered through the University of Wisconsin-Extension. He holds a master’s degree earned at UW-Whitewater in school business management. Johnson is a graduate of the Milton High School. His Linkedin profile can be found online. His Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Scott_Johnson_(Wisconsin).
Dale Oppermann
According to his Ballotpedia profile, Dale Oppermann is a Republican candidate whose name will appear on the primary ballot. The profile offers no further information about the candidate. He is a resident of Jefferson. According to his Linkedin profile, Oppermann is the mayor of the city of Jefferson. He has served in that position for more than 12 years. Professionally, he has worked as a sales representative with Milwaukee Plate Glass Company for 26 years. Oppermann holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and lists additional education coming through Dr. Martin Lutheran College in elementary eduction. He earned his high school diploma through attendance at Lakeside Lutheran High School. Under “organizations,” Oppermann lists WPPI Energy Policy Communication and Leadership Council. Oppermann’s Linkedin profile can be found online. His Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Dale_Oppermann.
Assembly District 31, shown above, includes the following Rock and Walworth county communities, in full or part: Whitewater, Elkhorn, Darien, Avalon and Clinton.
Voters within the district will find four candidates on the ballot. Vying for the Republican nomination are Jason Dean, Ellen Schutt and Maryann Zimmerman. The successful candidate will face Democratic nominee Brienne Brown, who is the only Democratic candidate whose name will appear on the primary ballot.
Brienne Brown
According to her Ballotpedia profile, Brienne Brown is running in the primary for a seat in the Assembly representing District 31. The profile offers no further information about the candidate. According to her campaign page, Brown has worked to create a weekly farmers market in Whitewater and has served on the Library Board. She helped reorganize the Whitewater Community Foundation, and writes grant proposals for the Whitewater Grocery Cooperative. She is serving her second term as a City of Whitewater Common Council member and serves on the city’s Plan Board. Brown and her husband both teach at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Brown has worked as a managing editor for an open-source intelligence company, and as an epidemiologist for the Texas Department of Health. Brown’s campaign page can be found online. Her Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Brienne_Brown.
Maryann Zimmerman
According to her Ballotpedia profile, Maryann Zimmerman was born in Milwaukee. According to her campaign page, she grew up in Milwaukee and Glendale, graduating from Nicolet High School and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is married and has four children, ranging in age from 3 to 23. The family lives on a hobby farm. She has lived in Whitewater for seven years. She loves chickens and is a state certified pullorum tester. She is the president of the Whitewater Middle School PTO, and is a member of the Whitewater Unified School District Board of Eduction. Zimmerman writes that her family is involved in 4-H. She also serves on the Disability Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission for the city of Whitewater and the southeastern Wisconsin regional planning commission of food security. Zimmerman’s campaign page can be found online. Her Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Maryann_Zimmerman.
Jason Dean
According to his Ballotpedia profile, Jason Dean is running for an Assembly seat in District 31. The profile offers no further information about the candidate. According to his campaign page, he is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, father of three, private sector business leader and an active volunteer. While serving as a Marine, he deployed for multiple tours of duty in Iraq. He received a Purple Heart Medal after he was wounded in action in 2006 by enemy fire. After retiring from the military, Dean volunteered for U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil’s campaign, serving as field director. Professionally, he works for ABC Supply Company, Inc., serving on a divisional leadership team. He also serves as an advanced EMT with the Lauderdale-LaGrange Fire Department and was elected to the Whitewater Fire Department, Inc., Board of Directors, serving as vice president. He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Dean is married, and the family lives in LaGrange. Dean’s campaign page can be found online. His Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Jason_Dean.
Ellen Schutt
According to her Ballotpedia profile, Ellen Schutt is running for a seat on the Assembly in District 31. The profile offers no further information about the candidate. According to her campaign page, Schutt is a native of Darien and was raised on her family’s farm. She was a member of 4-H and FFA. She graduated from Delavan-Darien High School and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She helped “re-form” the Young Americans for Freedom chapter on campus and established a chapter of the Luce Society. She also interned for State Rep. Amy Loudenbeck and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan. She has also worked as a research assistant for State. Rep. Tony Kurtz of Wonewoc. Schutt is married and lives in Clinton. Her campaign page is found online. Her Ballotpedia profile is here: https://ballotpedia.org/Ellen_Schutt.
County sheriff, clerk of circuit court
Walworth County
In Walworth County, candidates for the positions of sheriff and clerk of circuit court will appear only on the Republican side of the primary ballot. Candidates for sheriff include Craig Konopski and Dave Gerber. Sheriff Kurt Picknell has announced that he will retire at the end of this year. Kristina Secord is the only republican candidate whose name will appear on the ballot for clerk of circuit court.
Jefferson County
In Jefferson County, candidates for the positions of sheriff and clerk of circuit court will appear only on the Republican side of the primary ballot. Sheriff Paul Milbrath is the only candidate running for the potion of sheriff. Cindy R. Hamre Incha is the only candidate whose name will appear on the ballot for clerk of circuit court.
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