Letter to the Editor: Supporting Jill Karofsky for Wisconsin Supreme Court

On Feb. 18, there will be a primary election for a justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. There are three candidates for this position. We are supporting Judge Jill Karofsky for this seat. The following are our reasons why.

Judge Karofsky – prior to becoming a circuit court judge – worked as a deputy district attorney in Dane County and as an assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice. She is the only candidate for the Supreme Court who has previously served as a criminal prosecutor. Judge Karofsky also previously served as the executive director of the Wisconsin Office of Crime Victim Services, where she advocated on behalf of the victims of crimes. She is the only candidate in this race with that experience. 

The most important difference, in our belief, between Judge Karofsky and her opponents is the fact that she is the only candidate who has served as a trial court judge. As a circuit court judge in Dane County, Judge Karofsky has presided over myriad civil and criminal matters. Last year alone, her court docket dealt with more than 1,700 cases.

During her tenure on the bench, she has established a reputation for being fair and impartial and an upholder of the rule of law. She has been a staunch advocate for an independent judicial branch and a protector of individuals’ constitutional rights. These are attributes that have made her an outstanding judge, and we believe they will make her an outstanding justice on our Supreme Court. 

We urge the citizens of Door County to join us in supporting Judge Jill Karofsky to be the next justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the primary election on Feb. 18 and the general spring election on April 7. We further urge all eligible voters to exercise their constitutionally protected right to vote. 

D. Todd Ehlers

Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin

Peter C. Diltz

Fish Creek, Wisconsin