Price County 2026 Election Guide: Every Race, Every Candidate, What’s at Stake

Last updated: August 1, 2026 | By Price County Fun Editorial Team, Phillips, Wisconsin

Price County voters face two elections this fall: a partisan primary on August 11 and a general election on November 3. The sheriff’s race is contested for the first time in years, the coroner’s office has a primary, and the county board has already seen its biggest shakeup in a decade.
Here is everything on the ballot, who is running, and what it means for residents.

TL;DR

• August 11 primary: Contested Republican primaries for sheriff (Robert Hawn vs. Waldemar Madsen III) and coroner (Amy Casey vs. Marvin D. Nevelier)
• November 3 general: County officers, state legislature, Congress, and a special election for the District 5 county board seat
• County board: 13 seats were decided April 7. Two were contested. The board has a new chair and four new members
• Registration deadline: August 7 to register in person at the county clerk’s office

Key Dates

Polling places open at 7:00 AM and close at 8:00 PM on election days. You can check your registration status, find your polling location, and see a sample ballot at MyVote Wisconsin.

Who Is Running for Sheriff?

The most watched race on the August 11 ballot is the Republican primary for Price County Sheriff.

Robert Hawn is the incumbent chief deputy sheriff. He has appeared at county board meetings in uniform, which drew scrutiny from his opponent. Hawn has served in the sheriff’s office for years and has overseen operations during a period when the sheriff’s department has consumed an increasingly large share of the county budget — 42 cents of every general fund dollar, according to our analysis. The sheriff’s IT support contract alone ballooned from $36,000 to $76,000 over two years, raising questions about fiscal oversight that the county board has yet to fully address.

Waldemar Madsen III is the challenger, a District 11 resident. He made headlines at the June 16 county board meeting when he accused Hawn of violating what he called the “little Hatch Act of Wisconsin” by appearing at board meetings in uniform on county time. He also accused County Clerk Meredith Hueckman of election bias, citing a Hawn campaign sign in her yard. As we reported in July, Wisconsin has no Hatch Act. The federal Hatch Act applies to state and local officials only when they oversee federal funds, and Wisconsin’s ethics laws do not restrict uniformed appearances at public meetings the way Madsen claimed.

This is the first contested sheriff’s race in recent memory. The winner of the August 11 primary advances to the November 3 general election. No Democrat or independent has filed for the race as of the filing deadline, so the primary winner will likely become the next sheriff.

Why this race matters

The sheriff’s office controls the largest discretionary chunk of the Price County budget. Decisions about patrol coverage, jail operations, technology contracts, and records access all flow from this office. Our reporting has documented rising IT costs, Flock camera deployment, and a single data broker accounting for 18% of records requests — all issues the next sheriff will shape.

Coroner Primary: Two Candidates, Little Information

Two Republicans are competing for Price County Coroner in the August 11 primary.

Amy Casey currently holds the office. She was appointed to fill a vacancy, making her the first new coroner in the county in years. We profiled her appointment when the board approved her. She has appeared at county board meetings to introduce herself and explain the office’s role in death investigations.

Marvin D. Nevelier is the challenger. No campaign website or public profile is available. Voters will need to attend candidate forums or contact him directly to learn about his qualifications and platform.

The coroner in Wisconsin is an elected position responsible for investigating deaths that are sudden, unexpected, or occur under unusual circumstances. In small counties like Price, the coroner often works part-time and may contract with a forensic pathologist for autopsies.

Clerk of Circuit Court: Unopposed

Amy Walker is running unopposed in the Republican primary for Price County Clerk of Circuit Court. She will advance directly to the November general election.

The current clerk, Lisa Walcisak, filed a non-candidacy notice with the county, meaning she chose not to seek re-election. Walker has a Facebook campaign page and a LinkedIn profile listing professional experience in court administration.

The clerk of circuit court manages court records, coordinates jury selection, and handles court finances. It is an administrative role that most voters rarely think about — until they get a jury summons.

What Else Appears on the November Ballot?

Several county officers appear on the November 3 ballot without a contested primary:

• County Clerk: Incumbent Meredith Hueckman is running for re-election. She oversees elections, county board records, and marriage licenses. She was at the center of the ballot placement controversy that Madsen raised at the June 16 meeting.
• The incumbent treasurer, Renee Leinfelder, is seeking another term.
• For Register of Deeds, the incumbent is expected to file for re-election. This office records property transactions, vital records (births, deaths, marriages), and maintains the county’s official land records database.
• County Surveyor remains vacant. The Type A Notice issued by the county clerk on April 9, 2026, stated that “the position has not been filled as of 4/2/2026.” Brian Schmidt is listed as the most recent occupant. It is unclear whether anyone will run for this office in November.

State and Federal Races

Price County voters will also decide several state and federal races:

7th Congressional District (U.S. House)

Tom Tiffany (R) is the incumbent. He has held the seat since 2020 and is running for re-election. The 7th District covers much of northern Wisconsin and is reliably Republican.

State Senate District 23

Jesse James (R) is the incumbent. The 23rd Senate District includes Price County and surrounding areas.

State Assembly District 68

Rob Summerfield (R) is the incumbent. He has represented the 68th Assembly District, which includes Price County, since 2017.

State constitutional officers

Wisconsin voters will also choose:

• Governor: Tony Evers (D), incumbent
• Lieutenant Governor: Sara Rodriguez (D), incumbent
• Attorney General: Josh Kaul (D), incumbent
• Secretary of State: Sarah Godlewski (D), incumbent
• State Treasurer: John S. Leiber (R), incumbent

These are statewide races, but Price County voters will see them on the same November 3 ballot.

County Board: The April Shake-Up

The Price County Board of Supervisors is nonpartisan. Its 13 seats were on the spring ballot on April 7, 2026. Two districts had contested races. Three incumbents filed non-candidacy notices.

Contested Races (April 7)

• District 4: Jeffery Ulrich defeated Regan Kamin. Ulrich is a registered nurse with 27 years in healthcare and 20 in leadership, previously a Town of Hill supervisor. Kamin, also a nurse, had secured a $29,000 state grant for the Town of Hill. District 4 covers the Town of Hill and Ward 1 of the Town of Ogema.
• District 13: Jenifer Baratka defeated Shawn Krawczyk. District 13 covers Phillips Ward 1, Elk Ward 2, and Worcester Ward 2.

Unopposed Winners

Eleven supervisors ran without opposition: Larry Palecek (D1), Michelle Drobnik (D2), Joe Baratka (D3), Jason Hastings (D5), Paula Houdek (D6), Dennis Wartgow (D7), Jordan Spacek (D9), Robert Kopisch (D10), Patricia Stephan (D11), and Douglas Erickson (D12).

District 8: A New Chair

Brian Ernst moved from District 13 to the open District 8 seat after Alan Barkstrom retired. The board elected Ernst as its new chairman. Our complete county board roster and committee guide has every member, district, and committee assignment.

District 5: The Special Election

Preston Scheuermann was appointed to fill the District 5 vacancy on April 28, after the seat covering the Towns of Fifield and Eisenstein sat empty for two months. The seat is on the November 3 ballot as a special election — voters will decide whether Scheuermann keeps it or someone else takes over.

If you live in the Towns of Fifield or Eisenstein, you will see both the regular county officers and this special election on your November ballot.

How to Vote

Registering to Vote

• Online: Register at MyVote Wisconsin through August 7 for the primary
• In person: At the county clerk’s office, 126 Cherry Street, Phillips, through August 7
• At the polls: Same-day registration is available on election day with proof of residence

Photo ID Required

Wisconsin requires a photo ID to vote. Acceptable IDs include a Wisconsin driver’s license, state ID card, military ID, tribal ID, or U.S. passport. If you do not have an ID, you can get one free at the DMV for voting purposes.

Absentee Voting

You can request an absentee ballot at MyVote Wisconsin. The deadline to request a mailed absentee ballot is typically 5 PM on the Thursday before the election. You can also vote absentee in person at your municipal clerk’s office starting two weeks before election day.

Finding your polling place

Check MyVote Wisconsin or call the Price County Clerk’s office at 715-339-3325.

What Happens After the Primary?

1. Sheriff primary results: The winner becomes the heavy favorite for November. Watch turnout — low turnout in a summer primary can produce surprises.
2. Coroner primary results: A low-profile race where name recognition and party connections matter more than policy positions.
3. Write-in candidates: The August 7 deadline for write-in registration means last-minute candidates could still emerge for the November general election.
4. District 5 special election: Scheuermann’s appointment gives him incumbent advantage, but the November special election is a separate race on the same ballot.
5. State races at the top of the ticket: Governor and attorney general races drive turnout. If competitive statewide races draw more voters to the polls, that changes the math for every down-ballot race in Price County.

See also: what makes Price County communities special

See also: our guide to Price County public records

See also: our reporting on Price County’s surveillance cameras

Sources

• Price County Clerk, Notice of Election (Type A Notice), April 9, 2026
• Ballotpedia maintains a full candidate list for Price County
• Branch Politics provides candidate profiles for Wisconsin races
• Price County Review published an election preview on March 5, 2026
• Price County Board meeting transcripts from June 16, 2026
• The county maintains an elections information page with dates, notices, and voting resources