The Trump administration is pushing to alter how the U.S. Postal Service handles absentee ballots, and Dunn County Clerk Andrew Mercil describes what is already happening at the local level. The 2026 race for Wisconsin Attorney General is a rematch between Democratic incumbent Josh Kaul and Republican challenger Eric Toney — each describe why they are once again seeking the office.

Andrew Mercil
Dunn County Clerk

• The U.S. Supreme Court is considering an appeal of a district court judge’s order for the U.S. Postal Service to stop implementing changes to how it handles mail-in absentee ballots that follow an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, even as a second federal judge issued a hold to the rule. In Wisconsin, local election clerks are already sending out absentee ballots for the 2026 general election. Mercil explained that if the U.S. Supreme Court does allow for the Postal Services changes to proceed, it’s too late for them to take effect in Wisconsin.
• Mercil: “We have several opportunities in the state of Wisconsin, if that were to happen. If they want to try to present a portal that the U.S. Postal Service would have to make sure that all the ballots would be processed through, that portal still doesn’t exist. So we’ve gotten indications from the United States Postal Service that even if they still wanted to implement this rule, there’s not the resources or ability in which to do what the executive order from this past spring would put in place. So for now, our Postal Service individuals in the state of Wisconsin have ensured us that all absentee ballots will still be processed the normal way that they have.”

Josh Kaul
Democratic candidate for Wisconsin Attorney General

• Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, was first elected to the office in 2018 and was re-elected four years later. Following speculation that he would run for governor in 2026, he instead decided to seek a third term leading the Wisconsin Department of Justice. The race is a rematch between Kaul and the Republican candidate, Fond du Lac District District Attorney Eric Toney, who faced off in a close race in 2022. Crime in the state is a major focus of campaigns for the office, and Kaul spoke to the responsibilities of the state’s justice department and public perceptions of its work.
• Kaul: “There are lots of folks who play a role in what we do statewide, and the Department of Justice is involved in investigating crimes of statewide importance. We oversee the crime labs. We work on every felony criminal appeal in the state. We also work in partnerships with lots of other law enforcement agencies. What I think is important is that we recognize that lots of folks contribute to overall safety in the state, and that certainly includes local law enforcement and others. What’s notable, I think, though, is Fond du Lac County has gone the opposite direction from the rest of the state under the leadership of Eric Toney. That, I think, is not the kind of failure I want to see taken statewide.”

Eric Toney
Republican candidate for Wisconsin Attorney General

• Eric Toney, a Republican who serves as the Fond du Lac County District Attorney, lost to incumbent Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul in a close race in 2022. Toney is running again in 2026 to lead the state Department of Justice, and spoke about the agency’s work and how the public views crime levels and the state’s role in any changes.
• Toney: “He’s been the one trying to take victory laps when he sees crime numbers go with what he thinks is in his favor, despite cherry picking what those stats are. I don’t think anybody heard from him when we were seeing record homicides in Milwaukee. But now, because we’re seeing crime down in many areas, including Fond du Lac County, crime is down overall. I’ve never taken credit for the crime numbers we’ve seen during my almost 14 years as a district attorney, because I know it’s a team effort when we do these things, and crime doesn’t stop at county lines.”

Watch new episodes of Here & Now at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays.