1937 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

The 1937 Wisconsin Supreme Court election was held on Tuesday, April 6, 1937, to elect a justice to the Wisconsin Supreme Court for a ten-year term. Incumbent justice Joseph Martin defeated two challengers by a large margin.

Background

Joseph Martin was appointed by Governor Albert G. Schmedeman, to fill a vacancy on the court on December 31, 1934. No special election was held in the intervening years before the next regularly scheduled election in 1937.

Candidates

Ran

Joseph Martin : incumbent justice ; former chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Glenn P. Turner : lawyer, frequent Socialist candidate, former member of the state legislature
Fred M. Wylie : lawyer and state trades practice commissioner and Progressive nominee for Wisconsin Attorney General in 1934

Declined to run

Alvin C. Reis: circuit court judge

Campaign

Some liberal groups attempted to get Wylie to abandon his candidacy, believing that a campaign by Reiss instead would give Martin a stronger challenge. Wylie refused to withdraw in favor of Reiss, however. Both Wylie and Turner sought to win over Progressive and Farmer–Labor voters.