2025 Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction election
| Elections in Wisconsin |
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The 2025 Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction election was a state-wide election held on April 1, 2025, to elect the Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin for a four-year term. The incumbent superintendent, Jill Underly, was elected to her second four-year term, defeating education consultant Brittany Kinser.[1]
Although the election is technically nonpartisan, Underly received support from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and Kinser received support from the Republican Party of Wisconsin. Underly won the election with roughly 53% of the vote. Turnout was unusually high for a spring election in Wisconsin, driven by the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election on the same ballot.
Underly and Kinser advanced to the general election as the top two vote-getters in the February 18, 2025, nonpartisan primary. Sauk County superintendent Jeff Wright was eliminated in the primary.
Primary election
Candidates
While Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction elections are officially nonpartisan, media outlets have identified Jill Underly and Jeff Wright as Democratic-aligned candidates, and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin endorsed Underly.[2] Brittany Kinser's campaign was supported by the Republican Party of Wisconsin, though she described herself as both a moderate and a Blue Dog Democrat.[3][4]
Advanced
- Brittany Kinser, education consultant[5]
- Jill Underly, incumbent superintendent (2021–present)[6]
Eliminated in primary
- Jeff Wright, Sauk Prairie School District superintendent and former Democratic candidate for State Assembly in 2016 and 2018[7]
Endorsements
Brittany Kinser
Jill Underly
- U.S. representatives
- Gwen Moore, U.S. representative from WI-04 (2005–present)[10]
- State legislators
- LaTonya Johnson, state senator from the 6th district (2017–present)[11]
- Kelda Roys, state senator from the 26th district (2021–present)[12]
- Jeff Smith, state senator from the 31st district (2019–present)[13]
- Political parties
- Labor unions
Jeff Wright
- State legislators
- Dale Schultz, former state senator for the 17th district (1991–2015)[15]
- Labor unions
Underly
- Underly—30–40%
- Underly—40–50%
- Underly—50–60%
Kinser
- Kinser—30–40%
- Kinser—40–50%
- Kinser—50–60%
Wright
- Wright—30–40%
- Wright—40–50%
- Wright—50–60%
Results
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jill Underly (incumbent) | 177,626 | 37.90% | |
| Brittany Kinser | 161,636 | 34.49% | |
| Jeff Wright | 128,292 | 27.38% | |
| Write-in | 1,055 | 0.23% | |
| Total votes | 468,609 | 100.0% | |
General election
Post-primary endorsements
Brittany Kinser
- State officials
- Tommy Thompson, former Governor of Wisconsin (1987–2001) and former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (2001–2005)[19]
- Local officials
- Dave Cieslewicz, former mayor of Madison (2003–2011)[20]
- Individuals
- Kaleem Caire, CEO of One City Schools[21]
- Howard Fuller, academic and civil rights activist[22]
- Organizations
- Newspapers
Jill Underly
- Labor unions
- Newspapers and other media
Polling
| Pollster | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Jill Underly |
Brittany Kinser |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RMG Research (R)[29][A] | February 25–28, 2025 | 800 (RV) | ± 3.5% | 20% | 22% | 58% |
Results
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jill Underly (incumbent) | 1,148,462 | 52.90% | |
| Brittany Kinser | 1,022,380 | 47.10% | |
| Total votes | 2,170,842 | 100.00% | |
See also
Notes
- ^ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear
Partisan clients
- ^ Poll sponsored by the Napolitan Institute
References
- ^ Karnopp, Hope. "Wisconsin's next elections are in February and April. Here's what's on the 2025 ballot". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
- ^ Spears, Baylor (December 5, 2024). "State superintendent race kicks off: Underly faces challenge from Sauk Prairie superintendent • Wisconsin Examiner". Wisconsin Examiner. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Jill Underly, who is running for her second term in office with the backing of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, faces a challenge from Sauk Prairie School District Superintendent Jeff Wright, a Democrat who says he wants to improve DPI's communication.
- ^ "Wisconsin's top education official facing challengers on both flanks in 2025 primary". PBS Wisconsin. February 14, 2025. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
- ^ Meyerhofer, Kelly (February 13, 2025). "Brittany Kinser leads in 2025 Wisconsin superintendent race fundraising". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
- ^ "Reversing course, Kinser files for state schools superintendent race". Battleground Wisconsin. WisPolitics. December 17, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
- ^ a b "State superintendent race kicks off: Underly faces challenge from Sauk Prairie superintendent". Wisconsin Examiner. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
- ^ "Jeff Wright announces candidacy for Wisconsin State Superintendent of Public Instruction". WEAU News. October 7, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ "CFC Action Fund Endorses Brittany Kinser for Wisconsin State Superintendent of Public Instruction". Urban Milwaukee (Press release). January 17, 2025.
- ^ Spears, Baylor (February 19, 2025). "Incumbent Jill Underly and education consultant Brittany Kinser advance in state superintendent race". Wisconsin Examiner.
- ^ "Underly campaign: Wisconsin Congresswoman Gwen Moore endorses Jill Underly for reelection as state superintendent". WisPolitics. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
- ^ "Underly campaign: Sen. LaTonya Johnson endorses Jill Underly for re-election as State Superintendent". WisPolitics. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
- ^ "Underly campaign: Sen. Kelda Roys endorses Jill Underly for re-election as state superintendent". WisPolitics. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
- ^ "Underly campaign: Wisconsin state Sen. Jeff Smith endorses Jill Underly for re-election as state superintendent". WisPolitics. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
- ^ "Underly campaign: Wisconsin AFL-CIO endorses Jill Underly for re-election as State Superintendent of Public Instruction". WisPolitics. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ "Former GOP State Sen. Dale Schulz endorses Jeff Wright for DPI superintendent; "Jeff brings people together"". Jeff Wright for State Superintendent (Press release). Retrieved January 17, 2025 – via WisPolitics.
- ^ "Association of Wisconsin School Administrators: School leaders support Jeff Wright for state Superintendent of Public Instruction". WisPolitics. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ "State Superintendent Jill Underly will face primary challenge in February". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ "2025 Spring Primary Results". Wisconsin Elections Commission. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ "Kinser campaign: Governor Tommy G. Thompson endorses Brittany Kinser for DPI Superintendent". wispolitics.com (Press release). March 17, 2025.
- ^ Cieslewicz, Dave (March 30, 2025). "More on My Kinser Endorsement". Yellow Stripes & Dead Armadillos.
- ^ "Kaleem Caire endorses Brittany Kinser for State Superintendent of Public Instruction" (PDF) (Press release). March 25, 2025.
- ^ "Kinser campaign: Dr. Howard Fuller endorses Brittany Kinser in race for DPI superintendent". wispolitics.com (Press release). March 17, 2025.
- ^ "Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin: Endorses Brittany Kinser for State Superintendent". wispolitics.com (Press release). March 24, 2025.
- ^ "Democrats for Education Reform Endorses Brittany Kinser for DPI Superintendent". Democrats for Education Reform (Press release). March 13, 2025.
- ^ "Our endorsement for Wisconsin superintendent of schools". Wisconsin State Journal. March 30, 2025. Archived from the original on March 30, 2025.
- ^ "Union-Recommended Candidates and Referenda". Wisconsin Education Association Council.
- ^ "Editorial: Support public schools by reelecting Underly". The Cap Times. March 12, 2025.
- ^ "Endorsements for the April Wisconsin Election". The Shepherd Express. February 27, 2025.
- ^ "Wisconsin Election Update: Supreme Court and Superintendent of Public Instruction Races". Napolitan News Service. March 6, 2025.
External links
- Official campaign websites