Melissa Ratcliff
Wisconsin State Senator, District 16 since 2024. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 1 yr
- Since 2024
- Bills became law
- 17
- 483 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.0%
- Chamber median 0.0%
- With party
- 98%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +39.4
- Won 2022
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Administrative Rules
- Information Policy and Technology
- Legislative Audit
- Retirement Systems Survey
- Review of Administrative Rules
- Special Committee on Oversight of the Department of Justice
- Utilities, Technology and Tourism
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Dentistry · Became law Apr 2026
Identification cards · Became law Apr 2026
Corporation · Became law Apr 2026
Dane County · Became law Apr 2026
Road — Construction and repair · Became law Mar 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Ratcliff sits in the Wisconsin State Senate
Ratcliff is closer to the center than 36% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Bob Wirch, Tim Carpenter, Mark Spreitzer
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 5:09 PM ET
With Ratcliff’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats98%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills32%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Wisconsin State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Ratcliff’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Ratcliff | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 17, 2026 | AB 248: Relating to: vacancies in appointive state offices. | No | No | Yes | Passed 17–16 |
| Mar 17, 2026 | AB 595: Relating to: compliance with the federal Help America Vote Act, voter registration data… | No | No | Yes | Passed 18–15 |
| Mar 17, 2026 | AB 461: Relating to: an income tax subtraction for certain overtime compensation. (FE) | No | No | Yes | Passed 21–12 |
| Mar 17, 2026 | AB 1034: Relating to: name, image, and likeness rights for University of Wisconsin System student… | Yes | No | Yes | Passed 17–16 |
| Mar 17, 2026 | AB 601: Relating to: excluding certain event or sports wagers from the definition of “bet”. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 21–12 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Ratcliff was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Wisconsin State Senate, District 16 | Won | — |
| 2022 | Wisconsin State Assembly, District 46 | Won | D+39.4 |
Source: 99chambers results archive
Seats Ratcliff has held
- Wisconsin State Senate, District 16 · since 2024
- Wisconsin State Assembly, District 46 · 2022–2024
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Ratcliff has run against
- Andrew McKinney (R) · 2022 general, won
Source: 99chambers results archive
How we know Ratcliff
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/784b437c-b5d1-4adc-909a-2bc28c9d6e88
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET