2012 Wisconsin Senate election should not be confused with 2012 United States Senate election in Wisconsin.
| Election Name: | 2012 Wisconsin Senate election |
| Country: | Wisconsin |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2010 Wisconsin Senate election |
| Previous Year: | 2010 |
| Next Election: | 2014 Wisconsin Senate election |
| Next Year: | 2014 |
| Seats For Election: | 16 of 33 seats in the Wisconsin Senate |
| Majority Seats: | 16 |
| Election Date: | November 6, 2012 |
| Image1: | Sen. Fitzgerald (3523124714).jpg |
| Image1 Size: | x150px |
| Leader1: | Scott Fitzgerald |
| Party1: | Republican Party of Wisconsin |
| Seats Before1: | 16 |
| Seats Needed1: | 1 |
| Seats1: | 8 |
| Seats After1: | 18 |
| Seat Change1: | 2 |
| Swing1: | 13.8 |
| Popular Vote1: | 593,893 |
| Percentage1: | 45.28% |
| Image2 Size: | x150px |
| Leader2: | Mark F. Miller (retired as leader) |
| Party2: | Democratic Party of Wisconsin |
| Seats Before2: | 17 |
| Seats2: | 8 |
| Seats After2: | 15 |
| Seat Change2: | 2 |
| Swing2: | 12.6 |
| Popular Vote2: | 696,773 |
| Percentage2: | 53.13% |
| President | |
| Before Election: | Fred Risser |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party of Wisconsin |
| After Election: | Michael G. Ellis |
| After Party: | Republican Party of Wisconsin |
| Outgoing Members: | 2012 (recall) |
The 2012 Wisconsin Senate elections were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. Sixteen of the 33 seats in the Wisconsin Senate were up for election - the even-numbered districts. This was the first Senate general election to take place after redistricting following the 2010 United States census. Before the election, 17 Senate seats were held by Democrats and 16 seats were held by Republicans. 10 Democratic seats and 6 Republican seats were up in this election. The primary election took place on August 13, 2012.[1]
Republicans flipped two Democratic-held Senate seat and won the chamber majority, entering the 101st Wisconsin Legislature with 18 of 33 State Senate seats.
| Seats | Party (majority caucus shading) | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | ||||
| nowrap colspan=2 | Last election (2010) | 6 | 11 | 17 | |
| nowrap style="font-size:80%" colspan=2 | Total after last election (2010) | 14 | 19 | 33 | |
| nowrap style="font-size:80%" colspan=2 | Total before this election | 17 | 16 | 33 | |
| Up for election | 10 | 6 | 16 | ||
| of which: | nowrap style="font-size:80%" | Incumbent retiring | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| nowrap style="font-size:80%" | Vacated | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| nowrap style="font-size:80%" | Unopposed | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| nowrap style="background:#ccc" colspan=2 | This election | 8 | 8 | 16 | |
| nowrap style="font-size:80%" colspan=2 | Change from last election | 2 | 2 | ||
| nowrap style="font-size:80%" colspan=2 | Total after this election | 15 | 18 | 33 | |
| nowrap style="font-size:80%" colspan=2 | Change in total | 2 | 2 | ||
Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
| Dist. | Incumbent | This race[4] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Primary election candidates | General election candidates | Result | ||||
| 2 | Robert Cowles | Republican | 1987 | Robert Cowles (Rep.) | Robert Cowles (Rep.) 98.54% | Incumbent re-elected. | |||
| 4 | Lena Taylor | Democratic | 2004 | Lena Taylor (Dem.) | nowrap | Incumbent re-elected. | |||
| 6 | Spencer Coggs | Democratic | 2003 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. | |||||
| 8 | Alberta Darling | Republican | 1992 | nowrap | Incumbent re-elected. | ||||
| 10 | Sheila Harsdorf | Republican | 2000 | nowrap | Incumbent re-elected. | ||||
| 12 | Jim Holperin | Democratic | 2008 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican gain. | |||||
| 14 | Luther Olsen | Republican | 2004 | nowrap | Incumbent re-elected. | ||||
| 16 | Mark F. Miller | Democratic | 2004 | nowrap | Incumbent re-elected. | ||||
| 18 | Jessica King | Democratic | 2011 | Incumbent lost. New member elected. Republican gain. | |||||
| 20 | Glenn Grothman | Republican | 2004 | nowrap | Incumbent re-elected. | ||||
| 22 | Robert Wirch | Democratic | 1996 | nowrap | Incumbent re-elected. | ||||
| 24 | Julie Lassa | Democratic | 2003 | nowrap | Incumbent re-elected. | ||||
| 26 | Fred Risser | Democratic | 1962 | nowrap | Incumbent re-elected. | ||||
| 28 | Mary Lazich | Republican | 1998 | nowrap | Incumbent re-elected. | ||||
| 30 | Dave Hansen | Democratic | 2000 | nowrap | Incumbent re-elected. | ||||
| 32 | Jennifer Shilling | Democratic | 2011 | nowrap | Incumbent re-elected. | ||||