The polling place at Village on Park on Madison's South side in 2023. (Henry Redman | Wisconsin Examiner)

Wisconsin polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. so voters can weigh in on the three-way primary race for the nonpartisan state superintendent. It’s the only statewide election on ballots in February. 

The state superintendent is responsible for overseeing Wisconsin’s 421 public school districts and leads the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) — an agency whose responsibilities include administering state and federal funds, licensing teachers, developing educational curriculum and state assessments and advocating for public education.

Incumbent State Superintendent Jill Underly is running for her second term in office and faces two challengers — Sauk Prairie Schools Superintendent Jeff Wright and education consultant Brittany Kinser. 

Underly, a Democrat, has said she wants to continue her work advocating for Wisconsin public schools, including calling for increased funding from the state, limiting school vouchers and supporting schools through the impacts of the new Trump administration. In her reelection campaign, she has defended herself against critiques on changes to the way the state measures standardized tests and her attempts to work with the Republican-led Legislature. She has the backing of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and AFT-Wisconsin.

Kinser, a school choice proponent, has said she wants to improve reading and math education, “restore high standards” and supports increased state spending for Wisconsin’s school voucher programs. She previously served as principal and executive director of Rocketship schools in Milwaukee, worked for the City Forward Collective, a Milwaukee-based advocacy group that lobbies for school choice, and has worked as a special education teacher. She has raised the most money of any candidate with financial help from Republican megadonors.

Wright, a Democrat, has said that he wants to improve communication between DPI, the Legislature and the public, supports increasing funding for public schools and wants greater transparency and accountability for voucher schools. He is endorsed by the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators, and was recommended for the position by the political action committee of Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), the state’s largest teacher’s union, although the full union hasn’t made an official endorsement.

The top two vote getters will advance to the general election for the position on April 1.

Wisconsin voters may also see local primary elections for mayor, city and town council, county supervisor, school board members or school referendum requests on their ballot. Five school districts across the state — Tomahawk School District Kenosha School District, Northland Pines School District, Waterford Union High School District and Mauston School District — will vote on whether to approve a total of $176 million in funding requests.

Voters can check their voter registration status here, see what will be on their ballot here and find their polling location here. 

There will be no primary on Tuesday in the race for an open state Supreme Court seat, since there are only two candidates in the race —  Susan Crawford, a Dane County Circuit Court judge and former prosecutor for the state Department of Justice, and Brad Schimel, a Waukesha County Circuit Court judge and former Republican attorney general.

Wisconsin residents can register to vote at their polling places on Election Day. To do so, they need to show a proof of residence document, which must contain the voter’s name and current residential address such as a bank statement, recent electric bill, or a current and valid Wisconsin driver’s license or state ID card. 

Voters need to present an acceptable photo ID to vote. Acceptable IDs include a Wisconsin driver’s license, state ID card, U.S. passport, military or veteran’s ID, tribal ID, a certificate of naturalization or a student ID with a photo.