The
2018 Wisconsin general election was held on November 6, 2018 to elect all 99 members of the
Wisconsin State Legislature, the
unicameral legislature of
Wisconsin. Wisconsin is the only state with a
parliamentary system of government, and one of only two states (along with
Nebraska) with a unicameral legislature.
Paul Ryan, the incumbent
State Executive, a member of the
Republican Party, announced on July 15, 2018 that he would step down following the election.
Jerry Petrowski was chosen as his replacement as leader of the
Wisconsin Republican Party, but was defeated in the general election by the
Progressive Party, led by
Tammy Baldwin, who became State Executive. Just four seats short of
majority government, the Progressives were able to form
minority government with
supply and confidence support from the
Farmer-Labor Party, who retained the right to otherwise vote on
conscience.
Phil Anderson won election as the sole
Libertarian member of the legislature, while
Jim Ott, an
independent candidate who had formerly been a member of the Republican Party, was re-elected.
Baldwin became the first woman to be State Executive of Wisconsin, as well as the first openly gay person to hold the position. She became the first Progressive Executive since 2002, ending the sixteen years of Republican administration led by
Tommy Thompson and then Paul Ryan. She is expected to be the final State Executive sworn in during the
Governorship of
Allan Selig, whose term expires in 2019. The
next general election is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, although one could be held earlier, in case of an
early dissolution.
