1976 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

none August 2025 August 2025 1976 Wisconsin Supreme Court election Wisconsin presidential No 1975 Wisconsin Supreme Court election 1975 1977 Wisconsin Supreme Court election 1977 April 6, 1976 Ronald B. Day (Wisconsin Supreme Court justice) portrait, circa 1976 (3x4).jpg Roland B. Day c0c0c0 621,885 53.22% Leander J. Foley Jr. (1976 candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court) illustration.jpg Leander J. Foley Jr. c0c0c0 546,721 46.78% 250px Justice Roland B. Day Roland B. Day 1969 Wisconsin Supreme Court election 1969 1986 Wisconsin Supreme Court election 1986 The 1976 Wisconsin Supreme Court election was held on April 6, 1976, to elect a justice to the Wisconsin Supreme Court for a ten-year term. Incumbent justice Roland B. Day (who had been appointed in 1974 to fill a vacancy) was elected. Background Incumbent Justice Roland B. Day had been appointed in 1974 by Governor Patrick J. Lucey to fill a vacancy on the court created by the retirement of E. Harold Hallows,Day Was Logical Choice for Supreme Court https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5238716/roland_b_day_19192008/ The Post-Crescent July 25, 1974 23 Newspapers.com May 12, 2016 who retired due to the mandatory retirement age of 70.Justice Beilfuss Will Again Run https://www.newspapers.com/image/1035397807 Newspapers.com subscription West Bend News April 17, 2026 2 December 28, 1972 In accordance with the specifications of the state constitution, the 1976 election was an early contest for the seat and was for a fresh ten-year full term (as opposed to being a special election to only a partial unexpired term).Portraits of Justice https://www.wicourts.gov/courts/supreme/docs/portraitsofjustice.pdf Wisconsin Courts Wisconsin Historical Society Press 27 March 2025 IX, X, and 59 2003 The general election coincided with the Wisconsin presidential primaries. Candidates Advanced to general election Roland B. Day, incumbent justice since 1974Court Hopefuls Talking Tough; Roland Day https://www.newspapers.com/image/1065507460 Newspapers.com UPI subscription The Waukesha County Freeman April 10, 2026 7 March 31, 1976 Leander Foley, Wisconsin Circuit Court judge since 1959Court Hopefuls Talking Tough; Leander Foley https://www.newspapers.com/image/1065507460 Newspapers.com UPI subscription The Waukesha County Freeman April 10, 2026 7 March 31, 1976 Eliminated in primary Christ Alexopoulos, attorney from Milwaukee,Alexopoulos Eliminated; Foley, Day, Win High Court Nomination The Associated Press https://www.newspapers.com/image/272805348 Newspapers.com subscription Wausau Daily Herald April 10, 2026 1 February 18, 1976 perennial judicial candidateAlexopolous had unsuccessfully run For Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1959, 1961, 1963, 1974, 1975; had unsuccessfully run for Circuit Court in 1960 and 1962; and had run other civil court campaigns as far back as 1954For State Supreme Court; Alexopoulos Tries Again https://www.newspapers.com/image/293516541 Newspapers.com subscription Herald-Times-Reporter The Associated Press 10 April 2026 8 February 5, 1976 Campaign Much of the discourse of the campaign centered upon the request of court's incumbent justices' (including Day) that the state establish an intermediate appellate court. Both Foley and Alexopolous were opponents of this proposal, arguing that such a court would be an unnecessary use of tax dollars and would increase the legal fees incurred by litigants seeking to fight their cases all the way to the Supreme Court. As an alternative, Foley proposed expanding the Supreme Court from seven justices to eleven, and splinting it into two panels (one sitting for civil cases, one sitting criminal cases, and the full court membership sitting only for the most consequential matters). Foley also spoke against the general approach of many judges, who he argued often acted like legislators. He argued that many judges crafted solutions to social problems, rather than demanding that the legislature do its own job and legislate such solutions. The Associated Press wrote of the political leanings of both Day and Foley, "both have Democratic trappings, but the Supreme Court ballot is nonpartisan." Foley's lead over the incumbent Day in the primary election was widely regarded as a surprise. His vote lead in the primary was widely attributable to a strong showing for him in Milwaukee County, a populous county in which he was a longtime elected judge. During the general election, Day's rhetoric centered on asserting that Wisconsin courts needed to be harder on criminals, leading many analysts to believe he adopted "tough-on-crime" rhetoric in an attempt to overcome a deficit of support evidenced in the primary elections result. Foley accused Day of adopting a tough stance on crime in response to his showing in the primary, arguing that Day's record on crime was in-fact less tough than his own record on crime. Foley also characterized Day as inexperienced; noting that before his recent appointment to the Court, Day had lacked any judicial experience. Results 1976 Wisconsin Supreme Court electionhttp://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1977 The state of Wisconsin 1977 Blue Book State of Wisconsin 1977 Theobald H. Rupert Robbins Patricia V. Elections in Wisconsin 855, 858 January 5, 2020 | colspan="5" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Primary election (February 17, 1976) Nonpartisan politician Leander J. Foley Jr. 186,688 50.48 Nonpartisan politician Roland B. Day (incumbent) 130,006 35.15 Nonpartisan politician Christ Alexopoulos 53,127 14.37 369,821 100 | colspan="5" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General election (April 6, 1976) Nonpartisan politician Roland B. Day (incumbent) 621,885 53.22 Nonpartisan politician Leander J. Foley Jr. 546,721 46.78 1,168,606 100 Notes References Category:Wisconsin Supreme Court elections Supreme Court Wisconsin