Wisconsin Assembly District 40
Tue, Nov 3 · Represented by Karen DeSanto Democratic · Member list as of Oct 28
Karen DeSantoDemocratic · Incumbent2 years since first winJulie HelmerRepublican
No published poll names both candidates.Last result · 2024 general: Karen DeSanto (D) 54.1, Jerry Helmer (R) 45.9
- Last election
- Karen DeSanto (Democratic) won by 8.2 points, 2024
- On the 2026 ballot
- 2 candidates
Side by side
Left column: DeSantoRight column: Helmer
- Races
- Won 1 of 1
- None listed
- Years since first win
- 2
- Not available
How these are counted
Wins and losses count the races in our results files, the same as each profile.
More about this race
Candidates on the ballot
- Karen DeSantoIncumbentDemocratic
- Julie HelmerRepublican
Source: elections.wi.gov, dated Oct 6
All Assembly districts
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- Democratic
- Republican
- Independent
- Nonpartisan
- More than one party
- No member listed
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Official results for Wisconsin
History (27 elections for this seat)
- Votes for listed candidates
- 33,186
- Election day
- November 5, 2024
- District map
- Older district map (2024)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2024, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticKaren DeSantoWon Democratic 17,94954.1% RepublicanJerry Helmer Republican 15,22145.9% Scattered write-ins Write-in 160.1% - Votes for listed candidates
- 25,716
- Election day
- November 8, 2022
- District map
- Older district map (2022)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2022, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanKevin PetersenWon(incumbent) Republican 19,36175.3% IndependentHenry Fries Independent 6,29624.5% Scattered write-ins Write-in 590.2% - Votes for listed candidates
- 31,568
- Election day
- November 3, 2020
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2020, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanKevin PetersenWon(incumbent) Republican 21,90269.4% DemocraticDeb Silvers Democratic 9,65430.6% Scattered write-ins Write-in 120.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 24,555
- Election day
- November 6, 2018
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2018, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanKevin PetersenWon(incumbent) Republican 15,79464.3% DemocraticErin Tracy Democratic 8,75935.7% Scattered write-ins Write-in 20.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 27,678
- Election day
- November 8, 2016
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2016, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanKevin PetersenWon(incumbent) Republican 17,86664.5% DemocraticDmitri Martin Democratic 9,80135.4% Scattered write-ins Write-in 110.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 18,617
- Election day
- November 4, 2014
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2014, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanKevin PetersenWon(incumbent) Republican 18,42499.0% Scattered write-ins Write-in 1931.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 21,403
- Election day
- November 6, 2012
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2012, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanKevin PetersenWon(incumbent) Republican 21,12798.7% Scattered write-ins Write-in 2761.3% - Votes for listed candidates
- 18,442
- Election day
- November 2, 2010
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2010, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanKevin David PetersenWon(incumbent) Republican 12,74969.1% DemocraticJon Baltmanis Democratic 5,68230.8% Scattered write-ins Write-in 110.1% - Votes for listed candidates
- 25,278
- Election day
- November 4, 2008
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2008, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanKevin David PetersenWon(incumbent) Republican 14,74158.3% DemocraticKevin M. Kuehl Democratic 10,53741.7% - Votes for listed candidates
- 19,810
- Election day
- November 7, 2006
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2006, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanKevin David PetersenWon Republican 10,43052.6% DemocraticDan Naylor Democratic 9,38047.4% - Votes for listed candidates
- 26,506
- Election day
- November 2, 2004
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2004, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanJean L. HundertmarkWon(incumbent) Republican 18,34069.2% DemocraticCornelius D. Vanhandel Democratic 8,16630.8% - Votes for listed candidates
- 12,115
- Election day
- November 5, 2002
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2002, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanJean L. HundertmarkWon(incumbent) Republican 12,115100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 17,707
- Election day
- November 7, 2000
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 2000, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanJean L. HundertmarkWon(incumbent) Republican 17,707100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 15,272
- Election day
- November 3, 1998
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1998, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanJean L. HundertmarkWon Republican 9,55762.6% OtherWilliam D. Lorge(incumbent) Other 5,71537.4% - Votes for listed candidates
- 18,895
- Election day
- November 5, 1996
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1996, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanWilliam D. LorgeWon(incumbent) Republican 13,39570.9% DemocraticCornelius D. Vanhandel Democratic 5,50029.1% - Votes for listed candidates
- 10,146
- Election day
- November 8, 1994
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1994, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanWilliam D. LorgeWon(incumbent) Republican 10,146100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 23,446
- Election day
- November 3, 1992
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1992, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanWilliam D. LorgeWon(incumbent) Republican 13,68458.4% DemocraticAndrew Gussert Democratic 9,76241.6% - Votes for listed candidates
- 9,213
- Election day
- November 6, 1990
- District map
- Older district map (1984 to 1991)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1990, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanWilliam D. LorgeWon(incumbent) Republican 9,213100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 19,653
- Election day
- November 8, 1988
- District map
- Older district map (1984 to 1991)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1988, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanWilliam D. LorgeWon Republican 13,26167.5% DemocraticDelayne I. Green Democratic 6,38032.5% Scattered write-ins Write-in 120.1% - Votes for listed candidates
- 10,231
- Election day
- November 4, 1986
- District map
- Older district map (1984 to 1991)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1986, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanFrancis R. ByersWon(incumbent) Republican 10,22399.9% Scattered write-ins Write-in 80.1% - Votes for listed candidates
- 19,464
- Election day
- November 6, 1984
- District map
- Older district map (1984 to 1991)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1984, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanFrancis R. ByersWon(incumbent) Republican 14,26873.3% DemocraticKolonick Democratic 5,19226.7% Scattered write-ins Write-in 40.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 15,531
- Election day
- November 2, 1982
- District map
- Older district map (1982 to 1983)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1982, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticEarl GilsonWon Democratic 8,07752.0% RepublicanJule F. Berndt(incumbent) Republican 7,40347.7% Scattered write-ins Write-in 510.3% - Votes for listed candidates
- 21,721
- Election day
- November 4, 1980
- District map
- Older district map (1972 to 1981)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1980, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanFrancis R. ByersWon(incumbent) Republican 16,10574.1% DemocraticGeorge P. Maniates Democratic 5,61325.8% Scattered write-ins Write-in 30.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 14,560
- Election day
- November 7, 1978
- District map
- Older district map (1972 to 1981)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1978, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanFrancis R. ByersWon(incumbent) Republican 11,27377.4% DemocraticCarol F. Wall Democratic 3,28622.6% Scattered write-ins Write-in 10.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 14,426
- Election day
- November 2, 1976
- District map
- Older district map (1972 to 1981)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1976, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanFrancis R. ByersWon(incumbent) Republican 14,41399.9% Scattered write-ins Write-in 130.1% - Votes for listed candidates
- 9,196
- Election day
- November 4, 1974
- District map
- Older district map (1972 to 1981)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1974, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanFrancis R. ByersWon(incumbent) Republican 8,36591.0% DemocraticAlfred Knitt Democratic 8249.0% Scattered write-ins Write-in 70.1% - Votes for listed candidates
- 17,550
- Election day
- November 7, 1972
- District map
- Older district map (1972 to 1981)
Wisconsin Assembly District 40, 1972 to 2024, 1972, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanFrancis R. ByersWon(incumbent) Republican 13,56277.3% DemocraticHarold W. Routheaux Democratic 3,98822.7%
- 2024: MEDSL 2024 official precinct returns (individual_states zips), retrieved Oct 28, 2026. Compiled by MIT Election Data and Science Lab (MEDSL) from official returns; not an official source
- 1972 to 2022: State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse), retrieved Oct 28, 2026. Compiled by Carl Klarner (Harvard Dataverse) from official returns; not an official source
Last contest in this district on file: 2024.
Download and cite
Cite this page
Election Wrld. (2026). Wisconsin Assembly District 40, election results 1972 to 2024. https://www.electionwrld.com/wi/assembly/40. Retrieved October 31, 2026.
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Sources
Sources: Census TIGERweb Legislative MapServer (120th CDs layer 0, 119th CDs layer 4, 2026 SLD upper layer 1 and lower layer 2) (US Census Bureau, public domain), retrieved Oct 28, 2026; Open Civic Data division identifiers (census_autogenerated us_sldl/us_sldu and openstates state files); also (sld-recent.json): Open Civic Data division identifiers (country-us) (CC0 (repository); also (sld-recent.json): CC0 1.0), retrieved Oct 28, 2026; Open States people (current) CSVs (CC0-1.0 (Open States people data)), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by Open States volunteers and staff (rosters from state legislature sites) from official returns, not an official source; MEDSL 2024 official precinct returns (individual_states zips) (Not stated in the GitHub repository (an earlier label said "MIT (repo)", which the repository does not support). MEDSL's Harvard Dataverse records are CC0 1.0, but these GitHub files were not checksum-matched to the Dataverse files, so CC0 is not claimed for them.), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by MIT Election Data and Science Lab (MEDSL) from official returns, not an official source; State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse) (CC0 1.0), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by Carl Klarner (Harvard Dataverse) from official returns, not an official source.
District id: ocd-division/country:us/state:wi/sldl:40
DataState data (JSON)Sources: State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse), MEDSL 2024 official precinct returnsData as of Oct 28, 2026