6 Candidates Meet Signature Requirement for Gov. Walker Recall Election

Note: Final signature tallies for each candidate are listed below as part of the last update from April 10.

Update, 10:15 pm: The GAB continues to verify that potential recall candidates have enough signatures to put their names on the ballot. As of 10:02 pm, the GAB had the following updates for the gubernatorial election. Some candidates do not have any signatures registered, but Magney pointed to a disclaimer on the GAB website:

"A listing of '0' signatures should not be construed as the candidate having filed insufficient signatures," the website states.

• Arthur Louis Kohl-Riggs (R) - 2,182
• Michael Mangan (R) - 303
• Tom Barrett (D) - 3,455
• Kathleen Falk (D) - 3,654
• Gladys Huber (D)* - 3,659
• Doug La Follette (D) - 3,520
• Kathleen Vinehout (D) - 2,875
• Hariprasad Trivedi (I) - 2,274
• Nathan Graewin (L) - 0

Update, 9:45 pm: Some names have been removed from the lists of potential candidates because as of 7:36 pm, the GAB's candidate document shows these individuals did not return their nomination papers:

• Patrick O'Brien (R) - Governor
• Thomas Elbert (D) - Governor
• Mick Wynhoff (D) - Governor
• Keith Dickinson (I) - Governor
• Dustin Johnson (Revolution) - Governor
• Andrew Mielke (D) - State Senate (Wanggaard)

Original Story: Fourteen challengers filed candidate papers on Tuesday to challenge Gov. Scott Walker in Wisconsin's first gubernatorial recall election.

Nominees have to turn in 2,000 valid signatures to get their name on the ballot. The Government Accountability Board will verify those signatures and confirm the candidate list throughout the evening.

Of the gubernatorial hopefuls who indicated they would file nomination packets, three are Republicans, seven are Democrats, two are Independents, one is a Libertarian and one identifies himself as part of the Revolution party.

Names of those who returned their materials by the 5 pm April 10 deadline include:

• Arthur Louis Kohl-Riggs (R)
• Michael Mangan (R)
• Tom Barrett (D)
• Kathleen Falk (D)
• Gladys Huber (D)*
• Doug La Follette (D)
• Kathleen Vinehout (D)
• Hariprasad Trivedi (I)
• Nathan Graewin (L)

"These are preliminary lists," said Reid Magney, communications director for the GAB. "The signature totals will be updated throughout the night."

There are "protest" candidates in each recall race, including Gladys Huber running as a Democrat in the gubernatorial race. Magney said the GAB has not received any complaints about this current group of candidates, but challenges can come from anyone. "Protest" candidates are indicated with an asterick in each list.

"Unlike the recall petition signatures, which can only be challenged by the one targeted, nomination signatures can be challenged by anyone," he said. "The only thing I can say about the complaint we received regarding protest candidates from last summer is that we have it. Beyond that, I can't really comment."

According to Wispolitics.com, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk was the first Democratic candidate to submit papers with 4,000 signatures, twice the minimum required and also the maximum accepted by the state.

Barrett's wife, Kris, and former Lt. Gov. Barb Lawton, endorsed the Milwaukee mayor in the governor’s race and were present when he turned in his signatures.

Those whose candidate papers are confirmed will square off in a primary May 8. The winners will face Walker in a recall election set for June 5.

Patch will continue to update this story as information becomes available.

In the race against Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, five candidates, all Democrats, have put their names into consideration:

• Bruce Berman
• Mahlon Mitchell
• Dale Paul
• Ira Robins
• *

State Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) has two challengers, each of them as Democrats:

• John Lehman
• Tamra Varebrook*

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald also has three challengers, two Democrats and one Libertarian:

• Lori Compas (D)
• Gary Ellerman (D)*
• Terry Virgil (L)

Terry Moulton in Senate District 23 has two challengers, both of whom are Democrats:

• Kristen Dexter (D)
• James Engel (D)*

Rounding out the list are two Democratic challengers and a Republican for Sen. Pam Galloway:

• Jerry Petrowski (R)
• Jim Buckley (D)*
• Donna Seidel (D)