Menominee County sets April 15 start for 2026 candidate nomination papers

Menominee County’s 2026 election clock starts ticking now for anyone planning a run for county office. A formal notice signed in the Town of Menominee on April 13 sets April 15 as the first day to circulate nomination papers and June 1 at 5:00 p.m. as the filing deadline.

The notice puts sheriff, coroner and clerk of courts on the county ballot later in the cycle, with those terms expiring Jan. 4, 2027. Rebecca Smith is listed as Menominee County sheriff, and Delsy Kakwitch is listed as clerk of courts, making those offices the first clear markers of how the county’s political lineup may shift as the filing window opens.

That timetable matters because it is the first formal step for anyone who wants to challenge an incumbent or step into an open seat. Candidates must gather signatures, finish their paperwork and file before the June 1 deadline if they want their names on the ballot for the fall 2026 cycle. Anyone circulating nomination papers must reside in Wisconsin and be otherwise qualified to vote, a requirement the Wisconsin Elections Commission has highlighted for the 2026 fall election season.

The county notice lands as Wisconsin’s broader election calendar takes shape around the partisan primary on Aug. 11 and the general election on Nov. 3. State partisan offices include governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and state treasurer, along with U.S. representative, state senator and state representative races. That means Menominee County voters will see local power decisions and statewide contests move in tandem through the same 2026 ballot season.

For residents in Keshena, Neopit, Zoar and the surrounding communities, the county offices on the calendar are not abstract. The sheriff’s office handles public safety, and the clerk of courts manages criminal, traffic, family, civil and restraining-order matters. In a county where government services are close to daily life, the nomination period is the moment when the field begins to form around those functions.

The notice also repeats Wisconsin’s voter-ID rules. An unexpired Wisconsin driver license or ID card is acceptable photo identification for voting, and people without one can obtain a free DMV-issued ID for election use. A DMV receipt can serve as temporary voting ID while the free card is being processed, a small but important detail for voters who need time to secure the right documents before the fall election.