Judge Rules Republican Candidate Michele Skinner Remains on Ballot

Dane County Circuit Court Judge Jacob Frost denied a temporary injunction on August 20 that sought to remove Republican candidate Michele Magadance Skinner from the November ballot for Wisconsin's 31st State Senate District. The Wisconsin State Senate Democratic Committee filed the lawsuit, alleging Skinner was constitutionally ineligible for office because she was a legal resident of Georgia.

Plaintiffs presented evidence including tax paperwork, social media posts, and a 2021 Georgia voting record to argue that Skinner used a Georgia home as her primary residence. Skinner testified that she has lived in Altoona, Wisconsin, since 2000 and spends seven months of the year there. She explained that the Georgia property is owned solely by her husband, a disabled veteran, and that she only considered changing her residency during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Judge Frost ruled that the evidence did not show a reasonable probability that Skinner is not a Wisconsin resident. While he described her Georgia voting record as "a little suspicious," he noted that married couples may legally maintain residences in different states and that Skinner's travel patterns are common for retirees spending winters in the South. The Wisconsin State Senate Democratic Committee expressed disagreement with the ruling but stated the decision now rests with the voters. Skinner is challenging incumbent Democratic State Senator Jeff Smith.