One of the liberal justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court announced her retirement on Thursday after 29 years.
Justice Ann Walsh Bradley announced in a statement that she will not be running for reelection for a “fourth ten-year term” with the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Her current term will end on July 31, 2025.
“Today I announce that I will not be running for a fourth ten-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court,” Bradley wrote in her statement. “In the 177-year history of this state, only four justices will have served longer than my length of service.”
Bradley’s statement comes a little over a year after Democrat Janet Protasiewicz was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, giving the liberal judges a 4-3 majority. Protasiewicz earned 55.5 percent of the vote, while her opponent, former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly, received 44.5 percent.
In her statement, Bradley added that, while she would be concluding her “tenure on the court,” her “dedication to public service remains unwavering.”
“My decision does not come lightly,” Bradley continued. “It is made after careful consideration and reflection. I know I can do the job and do it well. I know I can win re-election, should I run. But, it’s just time to pass the torch, bringing fresh perspectives to the court.”
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3 in July 2022, that absentee ballot drop boxes were illegal, an argument former President Donald Trump and his campaign had brought up during the 2020 presidential election. In March 2024, the Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments regarding the ban on ballot drop boxes.
An election for Bradley’s open seat is reportedly set to take place in April 2025, according to Fox6Now. Former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel (R) announced in December that he will be running for the seat.