Nov. 4, 2026 1:30a
(WGTD)---Donald Vandervest will be Racine County’s next sheriff, replacing Christopher Schmaling who’s retiring. Vandervest, an investigator in the department running as a Democrat, narrowly defeated Sheriff’s Dept. Captain Cary Madrigal. In Kenosha County, Sheriff Dave Zoerner defeated write-in candidate Gary Roberts. In Walworth County, Tom Hausner easily defeated his opponent to replace the retiring Dave Gerber.
The candidate endorsed by outgoing Kenosha County Clerk of Courts Rebecca Matoska-Mentink won his race. Brian Sheffler, who currently serves as Register in Probate and Juvenile Clerk, defeated former Kenosha County Board Supervisor Zach Rodriguez.
There were a number of K-through-12 funding questions on the ballot. In Kenosha County, voters said ‘no’ to proposals from Trevor/Wilmot Consolidated and the Twin Lakes School District. In Walworth County, a proposal from the Woods School lost by a single vote. A referendum in the Delavan-Darien School District also lost, but a referendum in Williams Bay was approved.
There were three statewide questions on the ballot. Voters narrowly approved a measure that takes away the governor’s ability to use his partial veto power to raise taxes or fees. Voters defeated a measure that would’ve prohibited the closure of places of worship during emergencies. That proposal stemmed from restrictions put in place during the pandemic. Voters approved a measure that would bar any governmental entity from giving preferential treatment to certain groups in contracting, employment and education. Critics of the proposal called it the anti-DEI amendment.
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