2025 Dane County Executive election

2025 Dane County Executive election
April 1, 2025
 
Candidate Melissa Agard Stephen Ratzlaff
Popular vote 199,932 46,432
Percentage 80.81% 18.77%
County executive before election

Melissa Agard

 Elected County executive

Melissa Agard

The 2025 Dane County Executive election was held on April 1, 2025. Incumbent County Executive Melissa Agard, who had just been elected months earlier in a 2024 special election, ran for re-election to a full term. Agard's only opponent was salesman Stephen Ratzlaff, a former State Assembly candidate.

In seeking re-election, Agard noted that her "number one priority" was "be[ing] a responsible and good steward of tax dollars," noting that her "approach focuses on fiscal responsibility, smart investments and accountability in government spending."[1] Ratzlaff, meanwhile, ran on a single-issue platform of reducing property taxes, arguing that "property taxes have increased at a rate that is unsustainable."[2]

Agard won re-election in a landslide, receiving 81 percent of the vote to Ratzlaff's 19 percent.[3]

General election

Candidates

  • Melissa Agard, incumbent County Executive[4]
  • Stephen Ratzlaff, salesman, former State Assembly candidate[5]

Declined

  • Dana Pellebon, County Supervisor, 2024 candidate for County Executive[4]

Endorsements

Melissa Agard
Organizations

Results

2025 Dane County Executive election[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Melissa Agard (inc.) 199,932 80.81%
Nonpartisan Stephen Ratzlaff 46,432 18.77%
Write-in 1,059 0.43%
Total votes 247,423 100.00%

References

  1. ^ DuClos, Liam (March 17, 2025). "Dane County executive race Q&A: Melissa Agard and Stephen Ratzlaff". The Capital Times. Madison, Wisconsin. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  2. ^ DuClos, Liam (January 10, 2025). "Melissa Agard and Steinhafels salesman vie for Dane County executive". The Capital Times. Madison, Wisconsin. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  3. ^ Pollack, Nicole (April 2, 2025). "Dane County Executive Melissa Agard reelected". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Beran, Liam (March 21, 2025). "Dane County Executive Melissa Agard does have an opponent". Isthmus. Madison, Wisconsin. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  5. ^ Cremeens, Crowenna (March 25, 2025). "Stephen Ratzlaff challenges Melissa Agard for Dane County Executive". WORT. Madison, Wisconsin. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  6. ^ "Editorial: Reelect Dane County Executive Melissa Agard". The Capital Times. Madison, Wisconsin. March 26, 2025. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  7. ^ "2025 Spring Election Endorsed Candidates". Wisconsin State AFL-CIO. 2025. Archived from the original on April 5, 2025. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  8. ^ "2025 Spring Election". Dane County Clerk. 2025. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
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