Wisconsin Appeals Court election upended after candidate kicked off ballot

A high-spending race to replace a liberal judge on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals District 2 was derailed when one candidate was disqualified for improper paperwork.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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A Wisconsin Appeals Court election in District 2 that was shaping up to be another high-spending race was upended when one of the candidates, Christine Hansen, was kicked off the ballot for filing improper paperwork. With Hansen out, conservative candidate Anthony LoCoco will now run unopposed in the April 7 election to replace retiring liberal Judge Lisa Neubauer. Prior to Hansen's disqualification, LoCoco had raised over $200,000, far outpacing his opponent, and the race was expected to approach the million-dollar spending levels seen in recent District 2 Appeals Court contests.

Why it matters

The Wisconsin Court of Appeals has become an ideological battleground, with the four districts in the state split between liberal and conservative control. District 2, which covers southeastern Wisconsin outside of Milwaukee, has seen the most hotly contested and expensive races in recent years as the two sides fight to maintain or flip the court's partisan balance. The stakes are high, as the Court of Appeals has the final say on the vast majority of cases appealed from lower courts, making it an important check on the state's political power structure.

The details

Before Hansen was knocked off the ballot, LoCoco was gearing up for a contest that could have matched the previous spending heights of $1 million or more seen in District 2 Appeals Court races in 2021 and 2022. LoCoco raised $209,603 by the end of 2025, far outpacing the $50,000 raised by Hansen, who self-funded her campaign. The high spending reflects the growing involvement of political parties and special interest groups in these typically low-profile judicial races, driven by polarization over hot-button issues and Wisconsin's narrow ideological divide.

  • On January 13, 2026, the Wisconsin Elections Commission disqualified candidate Christine Hansen from the race.
  • The April 7, 2026 election will now feature only conservative candidate Anthony LoCoco.

The players

Christine Hansen

An administrative law judge for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections who was disqualified from the Appeals Court race for filing improper paperwork.

Anthony LoCoco

An attorney known for his work with conservative legal groups like the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, who is now the sole candidate in the race after Hansen was kicked off the ballot.

Lisa Neubauer

The retiring liberal presiding judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals District 2, whose seat is now up for grabs.

Wisconsin Elections Commission

The bipartisan state agency that voted 5-1 to disqualify candidate Christine Hansen from the Appeals Court race.

Wisconsin Court of Appeals

The state's intermediate appellate court, which has become an ideological battleground in recent years with liberal and conservative judges split across the four districts.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.