City Times Staff

Candidates Trish Baker and Robert Shannon emerged from Tuesday’s primary election as the front-runners for the Portage Co. Circuit Court Branch II Judge race.

Trish Baker (left) and Robert Shannon. (Contributed)

Baker, who works as the Portage Co. Clerk of Courts, came out with the highest vote total at 2,700. Shannon, who was appointed by Gov. Scott Walker to fill the seat temporarily following Judge John Finn’s retirement last year, garnered 2,571 votes.

Candidate David Knaapen held third place throughout the night and received a total of 2,218 votes. Jared Redfield, the fourth candidate for the position, earned 689 votes.

City Clerk John Moe called the voter turnout “extremely good” with 19 percent of the city’s eligible voters casting ballots. Last spring’s mayoral primary — which had six candidates one the ballot — saw a turnout of just over 14 percent.

County Clerk Shirley Simonis said the county-wide voter turnout for Tuesday’s primary race was 14 percent.

Baker and Shannon face each other in the April 5 general election, along with other races for school board, county board and city council.