Brad Schimel leads the Wisconsin Supreme Court race by five points, according to a poll released by the Institute for Reforming Government.
Schimel, a Waukesha County circuit judge, had 40% to 35% for Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford. Another 23% weren’t sure, and 2% said they won’t vote. RMG Research conducted the online survey for Napolitan News Service. It reached 800 registered voters Jan. 17-21, and the margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Crawford has ground to make up, and with 23% of voters undecided, she has room to do it.
Voters were clear about what they want from a justice. Ninety-one percent said justices should rule based on the Constitution and the law. Asked what they want in a candidate, 52% picked one who cares about the issues important to them and 27% picked one who is tough on crime.
On who should make major policy decisions, 32% trust the Legislature most, 18% the governor, 15% judges and 8% state agency bureaucrats. Seventy-six percent said voters and elected officials should be able to overturn regulations.
Given a choice, 47% would rather have a candidate who supports Act 10, the 2011 law that ended most collective bargaining for teachers and other government employees, and 37% would rather have one who opposes it.
On abortion, the poll gave three options. Forty-six percent said the court should overturn Wisconsin’s abortion ban and allow abortions up to 20 weeks, 24% said it should ask the Legislature and governor to pass a new law and 22% said it should uphold the ban.
On mobile voting units, 38% said they create a risk of election fraud and another 11% said they give some candidates and parties an advantage and should be banned. Twenty-eight percent said they’re important for making voting easier.
Drop boxes split voters. Last year the liberal majority reversed the court’s earlier ruling and allowed absentee ballot drop boxes before the 2024 elections. Fifty percent of voters favor that change and 43% oppose it. Asked more broadly about the court reversing past rulings because its makeup changed, 48% disapproved and 32% approved.
Schimel leads by five points. Nearly a quarter of voters haven’t picked a side. The election is April 1.
