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Wisconsin 2026 voter guide

Know the issues to know your ballot.

The issues affecting our communities are connected to the people we elect. Use this guide to learn which offices are on your ballot and how those roles relate to the issues you care about.

Explore the issues ↓Check MyVote ↗
Young Wisconsinites gather with handmade signs at a Milwaukee rally.
Fall general electionNovember 3, 2026

Issue. Power. Choice.

Every issue has a decision-maker. Use this guide to connect what is happening in everyday life with the offices and policies on the ballot.

Good-paying jobs

01

The issue

Good-paying jobs ranked first in the platform. Wisconsin’s August 2026 unemployment rate was 3.2%, but one statewide number cannot show whether every community has stable work, fair wages, and a path forward.

Wisconsin DWD, August 2026 ↗

Who holds power

The governor proposes a state budget and directs executive agencies. The Legislature passes the budget and writes laws governing wages, workplace standards, collective bargaining, and workforce programs.

What to compare

Ask candidates about wages, worker power, apprenticeships, workforce training, public investment, and whether growth reaches rural, Black, immigrant, and working-class communities.

Affordable housing

02

The issue

Housing was the second-most selected priority in the Young People’s Platform. High rents and limited options make it harder to stay near work, school, family, and community.

Who holds power

The Legislature sets statewide landlord-tenant law. State agencies enforce rental-practice rules, while local governments make land-use and housing decisions within state law.

Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 704 ↗

What to compare

Ask candidates how they would expand affordable supply, protect renters, fund housing, and define the authority of local communities.

Health and reproductive care

03

The issue

Affordable health care ranked third in the platform. Access also includes whether people can make private reproductive-health decisions and find timely care where they live.

Who holds power

The Legislature can pass health-care and abortion laws. The governor may sign or veto them, executive agencies administer programs, and courts interpret the law.

Wisconsin Legislature ↗

What to compare

Ask candidates how they would address costs, insurance access, rural care, reproductive freedom, patient privacy, and the health-care workforce.

Young People’s Platform

What people told us matters most.

Badger Youth Action asked people across Wisconsin what they need to build a secure, dignified, joyful life. These were the five most selected priorities.

Good-paying jobs
22.9%
Affordable housing
22.5%
Affordable health care
13.1%
Fair treatment of immigrants
8.6%
Student-debt relief
7.5%

How state power works

No office acts alone.

A political trifecta exists when one party controls the governorship and both chambers of the Legislature. That makes it easier for the controlling party to advance its agenda. Democratic control could create new opportunities for progress on issues that matter to young people, from housing affordability and job opportunities to education and the environment. But every candidate should still explain what they will do with the responsibilities of the office they are seeking.

Governor

Proposes the budget, directs state agencies, and signs or vetoes legislation.

State Senate

Passes legislation and the budget, and confirms many appointments.

State Assembly

Passes legislation and the budget, and represents smaller districts.

Candidate accountability

Questions to ask every candidate.

01

How would your plan create jobs with wages and benefits that let people build a life in Wisconsin?

02

What is one action you would take in your first year to lower the cost of housing?

03

What decisions should remain private between patients and health-care providers?

04

How will you stay accountable to the people you represent after Election Day?

Make your plan

Your ballot. Your call.

Use Wisconsin’s official MyVote site to check your registration, preview your ballot, find your polling place, or request and track an absentee ballot. Local dates and options can vary, so confirm them directly with MyVote or your municipal clerk.

Open MyVote ↗Find your polling place ↗

Sources and official resources