The Ballot Brief
Winnebago County, Wisconsin

Winnebago County Sheriff

3 candidates are tracked for Winnebago County Sheriff on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Darin M. Rice, Jason W. Rippl and Danielle Falesnik. Candidate information follows official Winnebago County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Darin M. Rice was the only candidate to file in the Republican column and Jason W. Rippl the only candidate to file in the Democratic column, so both advanced to the November 3 ballot without a contested primary, per the Winnebago County Clerk's official August 11, 2026 primary election information packet listing candidates by party and office. Independent Danielle Falesnik separately qualified for the November ballot by nomination papers; on August 30, 2026 she announced she was ending her active campaign and endorsing Rippl, but county offices are not among the offices Wisconsin law (Wis. Stat. sec. 8.35(1) and (1m)) allows to withdraw from the ballot after qualifying, so her name is expected to still appear on the ballot despite the announcement, per the Wisconsin statutes and Oshkosh Northwestern/Yahoo News coverage of her announcement. All three candidates are running for the seat held by retiring Sheriff John Matz.

What this office does

Sheriff. The sheriff runs the county's law enforcement agency, operates the county jail, provides courthouse security and serves court papers such as warrants, subpoenas and evictions. In many counties the sheriff's office is the primary police force for areas outside city limits. The sheriff hires deputies and manages the office's budget within what the county board approves.

This race. Every voter in Winnebago County votes on this seat.

Wisconsin › Winnebago County › Winnebago County Sheriff

Darin M. Rice

Republican

Top priorities
  • Building a sheriff's office focused on customer service and positive community engagement
  • Safeguarding children, seniors, crime victims and people facing mental health or substance abuse challenges
  • Modernizing technology in a fiscally responsible way and exploring inter-agency collaboration

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Rice is a captain overseeing the Field Services Division of the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, with a more than 20-year department career beginning in 2004 that has included corrections, patrol, investigations, training and special operations, per his campaign site and Fox11. He was endorsed by outgoing Sheriff John Matz, per Fox11.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Jason W. Rippl

Democratic

Biography

Rippl is a patrol officer with the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, with a more than 20-year department career beginning in 1998, per Fox11. He has said he plans to hold regular town halls and attend community events to build direct relationships with residents, per Fox11.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Danielle Falesnik

Independent

Top priorities
  • Improving how law enforcement responds to mental health, addiction and family-conflict crisis calls
  • Evidence-based policing that balances public safety with civil liberties

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Falesnik qualified for the November ballot as an independent candidate by nomination papers, but on August 30, 2026 she announced she was ending her active campaign and endorsing Democrat Jason Rippl; because Wisconsin's ballot-withdrawal statute does not cover county offices, her name is still expected to appear on the ballot, per Wisconsin law and Yahoo News/Oshkosh Northwestern's coverage of her announcement. She is a licensed professional counselor with 15 years of experience in mental health and administration, including as owner and director of an outpatient psychotherapy practice, per her campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
Next on your ballotWinnebago County Clerk of Circuit Court

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Winnebago County Sheriff in 2026?

3 candidates are tracked for Winnebago County Sheriff on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Darin M. Rice, Jason W. Rippl and Danielle Falesnik. Candidate information follows official Winnebago County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Winnebago County Sheriff election in Wisconsin?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Wisconsin are on the Wisconsin election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Winnebago County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Winnebago County and state election office filings, last verified September 25, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Wisconsin election office, or see the full Winnebago County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Winnebago County ballot

9 tracked races in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
Wisconsin Assembly District 39Wisconsin Assembly District 53Wisconsin Assembly District 54See all 9 Winnebago County races
Candidate profiles
Darin M. Rice, full profileJason W. Rippl, full profileDanielle Falesnik, full profileOfficial Wisconsin election office