Three special elections have been scheduled to fill the voids left by legislators giving up their seats this fall. Two generals and one primary will be held on November 19, and the final general is scheduled for December 17.
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21st Assembly District – General Election Nov. 19
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 Elizabeth Coppola, D – South Milwaukee
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A life-long Wisconsin resident, Elizabeth Coppola, grew up in Monona but moved to South Milwaukee to attend Alverno College. She is a management professional who is involved with the United Way.
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 Jessie Rodriguez, R – Franklin
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Jessie Rodriguez was born in El Salvador and moved to the United States with her family in 1984 in the midst of a civil war. She received a B.A. from Marquette in Communications Studies, which she now puts to use as an outreach coordinator for Hispanics for School Choice.
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69th Assembly District – General Election Nov. 19
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 Kenneth Slezak, D- Neillsville
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Ken Slezak is married to Marilynn and has three daughters that they raised together in Wisconsin’s 69th Assembly District. He’s a veteran of the US Army and owned a small business for over three decades. He enjoys hunting and fishing in the woods and streams of Wisconsin and is a member of American Legion Post 73; Disabled American Veterans Chapter 57, the Neillsville Kiwanis, and St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Neillsville.
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 Bob Kulp, R – Stratford
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Bob Kulp is a business owner from Stratford. He started and owns Kulp’s of Stratford, Marathon Metals LLC, Kulp Energy Solutions LLC, and Kulp Real Properties LLC. He is an ambassador for the Wausau Region Chamber, a member of the Marshfield Rotary, and a former board member of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he serves on the board of the Wausau Area Builders Association as Chairman of the Government Affairs Committee. He has been married to his wife Laura for 28 years, and they have 7 children and 3 grandchildren.
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 Tim Swiggum, I – Owen
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Tim Swiggum is an Independent candidate for the Assembly. He is a military veteran, former restaurant owner, and is involved with local economic development efforts. He has served as the mayor of Owen, and has previously run for the Assembly as a Democrat. He is running as an Independent because he believes there is too much money in politics.
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82nd Assembly District – Primary Nov. 19, General Election Dec. 17
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 John Hermes, D – Greendale
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John Hermes spent 33 years as a federal air traffic controller at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport. He was elected a Greendale Trustee in 1998, and now serves as the Chief Elected Official in his third term as Village President. Hermes serves the community in a number of additional roles: Commissioner and Executive Council member of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, Executive member of the Milwaukee County Intergovernmental Cooperation Council, Vice President of Aerotropolis-Milwaukee Corporation, Chairman of the Root River District of the Boy Scouts of America, and Chairman of both the Greendale Community Development Authority and Planning Commission.
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 Shari Hanneman, R Franklin
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Shari Hanneman has a Master’s Degree in Applied Economics from Marquette University with a specialization in Public Policy. She helped lead the public campaign with Citizens for a Safe Wisconsin against a state-funded home for sex predators in Franklin. This grew into a state-wide effort to strengthen the state’s sex offender laws and improve what information is available to the public regarding sex offenders living in their communities. She is also involved with the Marquette Economics Alumni Advisory Board and the Root River and state Junior Woman’s Clubs. Shari and her husband Paul have two children.
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 Stephanie Mares, R – Greendale
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Stephanie Mares is a private practice attorney specializing in estate planning and probate law. She attended Marquette University, where she received a bachelor’s in business administration and her law degree. Mares served as a Greendale Village Trustee from 1996 to 2007, where she achieved a balanced budget as Chair of the Finance Committee and also brought about the construction of the new police station. In 2007, Stephanie became the President of the Greendale Public Library Board. She and her husband Paul have five children.
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 Ken Skowronski, R – Franklin
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Ken Skowronski is a small business owner and military veteran. He has been a Franklin Alderman since 2005. He is involved with the Polish Heritage Alliance, volunteers at PolishFest, and is a member of the Franklin Lions, the Franklin Seniors Association, Ducks Unlimited, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the National Rifle Association, the Knights of Columbus, and various professional organizations related to the construction and remodeling industry.
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