Running for office in Wisconsin

This page covers what's specific to Wisconsin. Start with the general guide for the steps every candidate follows regardless of state.

Filing in Wisconsin

Running for local office in Wisconsin means filing nomination papers rather than paying a filing fee. You circulate paper petitions, collect signatures from qualified electors in your district, then file the signed papers with the correct filing officer before the deadline. There's no statewide online candidate-filing portal. The county clerk handles county offices, the municipal clerk handles city, village, and town offices, and the school district clerk handles school board races.

Some local offices are partisan (sheriff, county clerk, county treasurer, clerk of circuit court, coroner, register of deeds) and follow the state's partisan primary and general calendar. Most others, including county executive, county supervisor, mayor, alderperson, village and town offices, and school board, are nonpartisan and run on Wisconsin's separate spring election calendar.

Before collecting signatures, you generally need to be a U.S. citizen, at least 18, meet the residency requirement for that office, and have no unpardoned felony conviction. Candidates also typically file a Local Candidate Registration Statement (form CF-1L) with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission.

Deadlines and numbers

• Spring 2026 nonpartisan election (most county board, municipal, and school board seats): papers circulated starting December 1, 2025, due to the local filing officer by 5:00 p.m. January 6, 2026
• Fall 2026 partisan cycle: papers due by 5:00 p.m. Monday, June 1, 2026, ahead of the August 11 primary and November 3 general
• Signature ranges by city class (Wisconsin Statutes section 8.10): 1st class city (Milwaukee) citywide office 1,500-3,000, district alderperson 200-400. 2nd/3rd class city citywide office 200-400, district alderperson 20-40. 4th class city citywide office 50-100, district alderperson 20-40
• County board supervisor: roughly 20-100 signatures, though counties with population 100,000-750,000 may set their own range by ordinance
• Write-in candidates file the same CF-1L before raising or spending money, no later than noon the Friday before the election

The dossier could not confirm whether any Wisconsin local office allows a filing fee as an alternative to signatures. The statute is built around signature-based nomination papers with no standard cash fee found. Verify for your specific office or county, or ask in /engage.

Where to go

• Wisconsin Elections Commission, Local Candidates page: elections.wi.gov/candidates/local-candidates
• WEC's 2026 Election Information Hub: elections.wi.gov/2026
• CF-1L form and campaign finance forms: ethics.wi.gov/pages/candidates.aspx
• Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 8, section 8.10, for signature ranges by office and population
• Your county clerk, municipal clerk, or school district clerk for office-specific instructions