If you walked into a Kwik Trip in Janesville or a coffee shop in Eau Claire last April, you couldn’t escape it. The TV in the corner was blasting ads. Your mailbox was stuffed with glossy flyers. Everyone was talking about the Spring Election Wisconsin 2025. Honestly, for a "nonpartisan" election held in the middle of a muddy Wisconsin spring, it felt a lot more like a heavyweight title fight.
Most people think these spring races are just about local school boards or boring judicial seats. They're wrong. This one was different. It was the most expensive judicial race in the history of the United States. Over $104 million was dumped into a single seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Why? Because in Wisconsin, the "spring fling" is where the real power lives.
The $104 Million Bench: Susan Crawford’s Massive Win
The headline of the night was Susan Crawford defeating Brad Schimel. Crawford, a Dane County judge, and Schimel, a former Republican Attorney General, weren't just fighting for a robe. They were fighting for the tie-breaking vote on a court that decides everything from abortion access to how your voting districts are drawn.
The final tally wasn't even as close as the pundits predicted. Crawford cleared the field with about 55% of the vote, while Schimel landed at 45%.
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It’s kinda wild when you think about the money involved. We aren't just talking about local donors. We’re talking about Elon Musk sinking over $20 million of his own cash to support Schimel. On the other side, you had heavy hitters like Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker backing Crawford.
Crawford leaned into this during her victory speech in Madison. She basically said, "I grew up in Chippewa Falls, and I never thought I’d be taking on the richest man in the world." And she won. That win keeps the 4-3 liberal majority on the state’s highest court, which is a massive deal for the next decade.
Why this race broke the bank
- Abortion Rights: With the 1849 ban still a hot-button issue, voters knew this court would likely be the final word.
- Redistricting: The "gerrymandering" wars in Wisconsin are never-ending. This seat was the keys to the kingdom.
- The Trump Factor: Even though he wasn't on the ballot, Donald Trump endorsed Schimel. It turned into a proxy war for 2026 and 2024 leftovers.
Jill Underly and the Battle for the Classroom
While the Supreme Court race was sucking all the oxygen out of the room, the race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction was quietly becoming its own drama. Jill Underly, the incumbent, managed to hold onto her seat against Brittany Kinser.
Underly won with about 52.7% of the vote. It was a classic "public school vs. school choice" showdown. Kinser was backed by the GOP and advocates for private school vouchers. Underly had the teachers' unions in her corner.
Basically, if you have kids in a Wisconsin public school, this race mattered more to your daily life than the Supreme Court one. Underly is now heading into her second term just as the federal Department of Education is facing major changes in D.C. She’s essentially the shield for Wisconsin’s K-12 system.
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The Referendum: A Surprise "Yes" for Voter ID
Here is where it gets interesting. Even though liberal candidates won the big seats, a very conservative-leaning referendum passed in a landslide.
Voters were asked if they wanted to enshrine voter photo ID requirements into the Wisconsin Constitution. The answer was a resounding "Yes" at 62.8%.
It’s a bit of a head-scratcher if you look at the other results. How does a state elect a liberal judge by 10 points but also vote to toughen up election rules? Honestly, it shows that Wisconsin voters don't always follow a straight party line. Most people here—regardless of who they vote for—sorta feel like showing an ID to vote is just common sense.
Even Elon Musk, after his pick for judge lost, tweeted that the referendum was the most important win of the night.
The Turnout: Young People Actually Showed Up
Usually, spring elections see about 20% to 30% turnout. It’s mostly grandpas and political junkies. But the Spring Election Wisconsin 2025 saw a record-breaking 50% turnout of the voting-age population.
That is unheard of for an April election.
University of Wisconsin campuses saw a massive surge. In some Madison wards, student turnout was up 52% compared to the 2023 spring election. Why? Musk’s involvement definitely poked the bear. Students who might have stayed home felt like their state was being "bought," and they showed up to prove otherwise.
Local Shocks and Shuffles
It wasn't just statewide stuff.
- Winnebago County: Gordon Hintz, a former Democratic leader, won the County Executive seat, flipping a key area.
- Dane County: Melissa Agard easily won the County Executive race.
- Milwaukee: There were plenty of shakeups in the Common Council and school board seats that will change the city's budget priorities for years.
What This Means for You Right Now
If you're living in Wisconsin, the dust is settling, but the impact is just starting. Susan Crawford officially takes her seat on August 1, 2025. This means the court's current ideological split is locked in for the foreseeable future.
What should you do with this info?
First, keep an eye on the Wisconsin Supreme Court docket. Cases regarding election laws for the 2026 midterms are going to hit that desk fast. Second, check your local school board's next meeting. With Underly re-elected, the push for more public school funding is going to be the main topic of the summer budget sessions.
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Finally, if you were one of the people who didn't have an ID and was worried about the referendum—get your paperwork in order now. Since it's now in the Constitution, those rules aren't going away anytime soon.
The 2025 spring cycle proved that in Wisconsin, there is no such thing as an "off-year." Every vote changes the map.