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Evers, Holtz move on to April election

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) - State Superintendent Tony Evers says his victory in Tuesday's primary is a win for the state's 860,000 public school students.

Evers was the top vote-getter in the primary, with former Beloit Superintendent Lowell Holtz coming in a distance second.

Holtz and Evers will face each other April 4.

Holtz is running as the conservative candidate in the officially nonpartisan race.

Holtz supports expanding the private school voucher program, while Evers does not want it to grow.

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Wisconsin's Spring Primary election is Tuesday, February 21, 2017. 

Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. 

Click here to register to vote. 

Click here to find out where you vote. 

You'll need a valid ID in order to vote in the Spring Primary. 

 

What's on my ballot? 

State offices to be elected are State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Supreme Court Justice, Court of Appeals Judge (Districts 1,2, and 4), and Circuit Court Judge. 

The field of candidates running for Wisconsin state schools superintendent are being narrowed. Three candidates are on the ballot Tuesday for the post as Wisconsin's top education official running the state Department of Public Instruction.

The two highest vote-getters will advance to the April 4 general election.

Incumbent Tony Evers is running for a third term.

He's being challenged by consultant John Humphries and former Beloit Superintendent Lowell Holtz.

Long-shot write-in candidate Rick Melcher is also running.
 
Humphries shook up the race last week by making public a document he said shows Holtz had offered him a deal for a $150,000 state job and broad control over the largest school districts if he dropped out of the race. Humphries said the deal also applied if Holtz dropped out.
 
Holtz has said there was no offer and he was just discussing ideas brought forward by other unnamed business people.
 
The dispute enlivened an otherwise sleepy race. The state Elections Commission broke with tradition and didn't make a turnout prediction, although turnout for primaries in the past three state superintendent races has averaged at less than 6 percent.
 
Evers is a two-term incumbent who is backed by Democrats and public school advocates. He opposes expansion of the private school voucher program, supports the Common Core curriculum and argues for increasing funding to help struggling schools, particularly in urban areas.
 
Humphries and Holtz are school choice backers who want to overturn Common Core.
 
Humphries has called for creation of a state school board, which Holtz and Evers oppose.
 
Humphries also wants to overhaul the state report card and create a way for low-performing schools to be reorganized into charter or private voucher schools.
 
Holtz is calling for better discipline in schools to make classrooms more safe and secure. He also wants to increase local control and empower teachers.
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