An initial review by the Wisconsin Elections Commission found Minocqua Brewing Co. owner Kirk Bangstad fell short of the 2,000 valid signatures needed to qualify for the ballot.
Still, Bangstad posted on social media an email from the Elections Commission that noted he will have the opportunity to correct errors such as the 40 pages where all signatures were struck because circulators provided incorrect information or dates. Circulators also omitted required information such as the municipality where they live.
The petitions Bangstad filed included pages that listed Aug. 11 as the date of the general election; that’s when the primary will be held.
“Bangstad is NOT DEAD YET!” read one post on the Minocqua Brewing Co. Facebook page.
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In all, the agency’s review found 1,504 valid signatures. Along with Bangstad having the opportunity to rehabilitate the signatures, it is ultimately up to the six-member Elections Commission to decide if the signatures he submitted were sufficient to qualify for the ballot.
Bangstad will have until Sunday afternoon to file affidavits seeking to fix the errors. There is also the opportunity for others to challenge the signatures he’s turned in.
In all, the Elections Commission’s initial review of nomination papers found seven Dems had turned in the minimum of 2,000 needed to qualify for the ballot: former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, former DOA Secretary Joel Brennan, Milwaukee County Exec David Crowley, state Rep. Francesca Hong, former WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez and state Sen. Kelda Roys.
It also found sufficient signatures filed by two Republicans: U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, of Minocqua, and Andy Manske, a medical services technician from Greendale.
Manske wasn’t on the initial list of candidates the Elections Commission released of those who turned in nomination papers by Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline. But the agency yesterday afternoon posted an update that listed 2,040 valid signatures from his campaign.
The agency also found David King, a perennial candidate who has typically run as a Republican but filed for governor as an independent, was short of the 2,000 signatures needed to qualify for the ballot.
Note: This item was updated June 3, 2026, with additional information.