On Tuesday, Feb. 20, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse students will have the opportunity to set the course for the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the La Crosse County Treasurer races. 

In the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, there are three candidates, Madison attorney Tim Burns, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Rebecca Dallet, and Sauk County Circuit Judge Michael Screnok. The two candidates with the most votes will face off one April 3 for the Wisconsin Supreme Court seat. 

Burns, who is running as a Democrat in this non-partisan race, is campaigning under the statement “This race isn’t about Tim, it is about you and your rights.”  

If elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, he hopes to protect citizens’ right to vote, which would include changes to the voter identification laws; to work to protect the Wisconsin environment and the ability for citizens to enjoy outside activities without pollution; to support employees when they wish to ask for a raise, whether they choose to do so by themselves or with others; and to shelter the right of Wisconsinites to build their own small businesses and farms, while allowing them to also compete with major corporations.  

“I know the challenges and the problems Wisconsin families face. I have spent my career, first as a prosecutor, and now as a judge, working to make our community safer,” said Dallet in a statement on her website, “I am prepared to fight and represent our values on day one.”  

Dallet, if elected, hopes to help support Wisconsin families and citizens during their times of need. She plans to help parents be able to take care of their children, especially if they are already doing their best by working two jobs. She has witnessed families losing their homes because of medical bills becoming too overwhelming, and she hopes to limit such events from occurring in the future. Her goals include protecting those who are victims of violent crimes and enabling those who are stuck in a criminal justice in need of reform to once again take control of their lives.  

“Judge Screnock is a brilliant legal mind with a moral compass that is above reproach,” Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch once said about the third Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate. Screnock, who is expected to be the only candidate backed by conservatives, according to the Wisconsin State Journal, views the court system as a branch of government that must be stable and that is required to interpret the laws of the state. Screnock is also backed by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who Screnock had assisted along with a group of attorneys when Walker passed Act 10, limiting the collective bargaining rights of the majority of Wisconsin public workers.  

The fight for the democratic candidate for La Crosse County Treasurer will be included in this election. Democrats Amy Twitchell and Chadwick Hawkins will face off to see who will later be set up against Republican candidate Pamela Hollnagel on April 3.  

Twitchell has almost ten years of experience with the county, having worked in the register of deeds, clerk’s office and the treasurer’s office itself. Her goals include serving the public with “dignity and respect.” 

Hawkins, who has served as the full-time Campbell clerk/treasurer for the past six years, studied accounting and business at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He has additional experience from working as an office manager at the Harley-Davidson office in Onalaska.  

In an email to students Monday evening, the UWL Student Association said, “Voting is an easy way to make sure that your voice is heard on issues that impact our community, state, and country.”  

To vote, students must have a valid Wisconsin photo ID and are required to be registered under their current address. If students need to reregister, the easiest way to do so is with the proof of residency found in their Wings account. Computers will be available at voting locations to open the Wings website, but phones are also acceptable to use. 

University students who live on campus can vote at the Eagle Recreational Center from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 20. Students off-campus can find their voting location on www.myvote.wi.gov.