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Portrait of Howard MarkleinPhoto: docs.legis.wisconsin.gov

WI · Officeholder

Howard Marklein

RState Senator · District 17

On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: Wisconsin Senate District 17

Biography

Howard Marklein is a Republican member of the Wisconsin State Senate who has represented District 17 since January 2015 and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026, general election.[1][2] A certified public accountant, he chairs the Senate Finance Committee and co-chairs the Joint Finance Committee.[1]

Howard Marklein earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1976 and became a certified public accountant in 1978.[1] He has been a partner at Baker Tilly (formerly Virchow Krause) since 1984 and works in forensic accounting and white collar crime investigation.[1]

Marklein represented Assembly District 51 before moving to the Senate, where he assumed office on January 5, 2015.[1] In the 2025-2026 session he co-chairs the Joint Finance Committee, chairs the Senate Finance Committee, and serves on the Joint Legislative Audit, Joint Legislative Council, Agriculture and Revenue, and Employment Relations committees.[1]

  1. 1.Howard Marklein · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.

Wisconsin Senate District 17

Howard Marklein is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Wisconsin Senate District 17 as R. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.

Ballotpedia ↗

Other candidates for this seat

Portrait of Jenna JacobsonJenna JacobsonAssembly Member · District 50DAlso on the 2026 ballot: Wisconsin Senate District 17Wisconsin

Votes by issue

Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Republicans voted. How topics are assigned

Where they stood out

Voted against most of their party on 3 of 183 party-divided votes on file.

  • Relating to: requiring state employees to perform their work at the offices of their employer.

    What it does: Requires state agencies to have employees work in person at agency offices for at least 80 percent of scheduled hours each month, exempting duties performed off site before March 2020 and the State of Wisconsin Invest…

    Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 0–15, Republicans 17–1

    Oct 14, 2025Official record ↗

  • Relating to: emergency medical services education, tuition and materials reimbursement for emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners, and a live 911 pilot program.

    What it does: Requires grants to technical colleges for emergency medical services courses, a Higher Educational Aids Board program reimbursing tuition and materials for initial EMS certification, and a pilot program funding live v…

    Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 0–14, Republicans 17–1

    Jun 18, 2025Official record ↗

  • Relating to: emergency medical services education, tuition and materials reimbursement for emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners, and a live 911 pilot program.

    What it does: Requires grants to technical colleges for emergency medical services courses, a Higher Educational Aids Board program reimbursing tuition and materials for initial EMS certification, and a pilot program funding live v…

    Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 0–14, Republicans 17–1

    Jun 18, 2025Official record ↗

How this is counted

Their votes on the most contested roll calls

The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank

See all their split votes

Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.

AB 1 · WI SENATE

Relating to: changes to the educational assessment program and the school and school district accountability report.

YesVOTED

Motion: CONCURRENCE

Failed 15–18·Substantive·May 13, 2026Roll call ↗
AB 387 · WI SENATE

Relating to: correction bill for 2025 Wisconsin Act 15 and making an appropriation.

YesVOTED

Motion: CONCURRENCE

Passed 29–4·Substantive·Mar 17, 2026Roll call ↗
AB 1034 · WI SENATE

Relating to: name, image, and likeness rights for University of Wisconsin System student athletes; maintenance costs for University of Wisconsin–Madison intercollegiate athletic facilities; and making an appropriation.

YesVOTED

Motion: CONCURRENCE

Passed 17–16·Substantive·Mar 17, 2026Roll call ↗
AB 1032 · WI SENATE

Relating to: the sale of property under Department of Natural Resources jurisdiction to prevent the spread of avian flu.

YesVOTED

Motion: SHALL THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR STAND — SSA1 OFFERED BY HABUSH SINYKIN

Allows the Natural Resources Board to sell state-owned land under Department of Natural Resources control that is adjacent to or within one mile of a commercial egg farm to prevent the spread of avian flu, waiving the usual conservation-need requirement.

AI summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 18–15·Procedural·Mar 17, 2026Roll call ↗
AB 1027 · WI SENATE

Relating to: requiring information relating to the food stamp program to be compiled and provided to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

YesVOTED

Motion: SHALL THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR STAND — SSA1 OFFERED BY ROYS

On the version voted Feb 20, 2026: Changes FoodShare rules to match 2025 federal law, raising the work-requirement age cutoff from 50 to 65, narrowing the child exemption to under 14, limiting eligibility to qualified immigrants, and requiring DHS to share recipient data with USDA.

AI summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 18–15·Procedural·Mar 17, 2026Roll call ↗
AB 757 · WI SENATE

Relating to: the appointment of certain employees of the University of Wisconsin System and faculty governance.

YesVOTED

Motion: REJECT AMENDMENT — SSA1 OFFERED BY LARSON

On the version voted Feb 12, 2026: Bars the UW Board of Regents from delegating limited appointments such as chancellors, requires it to approve and annually report their titles, salaries and descriptions, redefines faculty for shared governance, and bars faculty from limiting committee or program leadership by rank, tenure or degree.

AI summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 18–15·Procedural·Mar 17, 2026Roll call ↗
AB 700 · WI SENATE

Relating to: an appropriation for refundable long-term care insurance assessment credits and making an appropriation.

YesVOTED

Motion: CONCURRENCE

Passed 30–3·Substantive·Mar 17, 2026Roll call ↗
AB 676 · WI SENATE

Relating to: creating a tax credit for insurers for certain investments in community development entities.

YesVOTED

Motion: CONCURRENCE

Passed 32–1·Substantive·Mar 17, 2026Roll call ↗
AB 670 · WI SENATE

Relating to: exempting persons engaged in certain contract research services from the sales and use tax.

YesVOTED

Motion: CONCURRENCE

Passed 32–1·Substantive·Mar 17, 2026Roll call ↗
AB 659 · WI SENATE

Relating to: tuition and fee remission or grants for certain veterans and their dependents enrolled in the University of Wisconsin System, a technical college, or a private nonprofit institution of higher education; and the University of Wisconsin System nonresident tuition exemption for certain veterans.

YesVOTED

Motion: REJECT AMENDMENT — SA1 OFFERED BY DASSLER-ALFHEIM

Passed 18–15·Procedural·Mar 17, 2026Roll call ↗

Showing 10 of 232 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.