A special primary election was held for Wisconsin State Senate District 8 on Feb. 21, 2023.
Representative Jodi Habush Sinykin ran uncontested in the Democratic primary, while Rep. Janel Brandtjen, Rep. Daniel Knodl, and Van Mobley competed in the Republican primary. Knodl advanced to the general election after receiving 57.4% of the vote to Brandtjen’s 31.8% and Mobley’s 10.8%.
The special general election is scheduled for April 4, 2023. The filing deadline passed on Jan. 3, 2023.
The special election was called after Sen. Alberta Darling (R) retired on Dec. 1, 2022. Darling served from 1993 to 2022. Darling’s retirement reduced Senate Republicans’ 22-member supermajority to a 21-member majority. The results of the special election will determine whether Republicans regain a supermajority.
As of February 2023, 25 state legislative special elections have been scheduled for 2023 in 11 states. Between 2011 and 2021, an average of 74 special elections took place each year. Wisconsin has held 22 state legislative special elections from 2010 to 2022.
Additional reading:
- Jodi Habush Sinykin
- Janel Brandtjen
- Daniel Knodl
- Van Mobley
- State legislative special elections, 2023
