Protasiewicz, Kelly advance in Wisconsin Supreme Court race

For the Tomahawk Leader

WISCONSIN – On Tuesday, Feb. 21, area voters cast ballots for local and statewide judicial races.

This week’s Primary Election saw the fields for the Oneida County Circuit Court and the Wisconsin Supreme Court narrow to two candidates each.

Oneida County Circuit Court

Oneida County Judge Mary Burns and Oneida County District Attorney Michael Schiek will face off in the Tuesday, April 4 Oneida County Circuit Court Judge race.

Unofficial election results show Burns received 3,107 votes to Schiek’s 2,479. Oneida County Corporation Counsel Mike Fugel received 1,072 votes.

Burns was appointed to the bench by Governor Tony Evers following the retirement of Judge Patrick O’Melia.

Wisconsin Supreme Court

In the statewide race for Justice of the Supreme Court, Janet C. Protasiewicz and Daniel Kelly received the most votes and will be on Spring Election ballots.

Protasiewicz received about 446,000 votes statewide, while Kelly garnered roughly 233,000, according to the Associated Press.

As the top two vote-getters, Protasiewicz and Kelly defeated Jennifer Dorrow and Everett Mitchell. Dorrow tallied about 210,000 votes, and roughly 78,000 Wisconsinites cast ballots for Mitchell.

Protasiewicz and Kelly were the top two vote-getters in Lincoln County, with Protasiewicz (1,518 votes) narrowly outpacing Kelly (1,508). Dorrow and Mitchell garnered 861 votes and 160 votes in Lincoln County, respectively.

The race is anticipated to be one of the most closely-watched in the country, with the court’s ideological majority hanging in the balance.

Although the race is officially nonpartisan, Protasiewicz has been backed by Democrats, while Kelly has received Republican support.