OPEIU 39 Votes to endorse Fran Hong for WI governor
Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 39 announces that the union has endorsed Francesca Hong in the Wisconsin gubernatorial election.
On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, OPEIU Local 39 held a special membership meeting to vote on the union’s position for the upcoming elections. All members of the union in Wisconsin were invited to attend.
“We presented our members with the option to vote for all the candidates of both major political parties in this race, Democrat and Republican: Barnes, Brennan, Crowley, Hong, Mansel, Roys, and Tiffany. We also included a no-endorsement option. We used a ranked-choice ballot to ensure our members could express their preferences,” said Andy Sernatinger, Business Representative for OPEIU Local 39.
Francesca Hong won the vote receiving 83% of votes cast, followed by “no endorsement” which received 17% of votes cast. No run-off was necessary because Hong won a majority in the first round.
In a letter to Hong’s campaign, OPEIU Local 39 President Kathryn Bartlett-Mulvihill wrote,
OPEIU Local 39 union members have seen firsthand the damaging effects of laws like Act 10 and Act 1, which eroded union strength and employees’ ability to maintain fair workplaces. We strongly support your position to end “captive audience meetings” … and to repeal Act 10 and Act 1, leveling the playing field for all workers to unionize at their worksites. You are an asset to all working persons in this state.
The Wisconsin Partisan Primary will be held on August 11, 2026. Francesca Hong is running for Governor in the Democratic Party primary. Wisconsin is an “open primary” state, and individuals may vote in any party’s primary, however they are limited to selections in that party’s candidates only. To register to vote, visit myvote.wi.gov
OPEIU represents employees in nonprofit organizations, technology, credit unions, hospitals, insurance agencies, colleges and universities, hotels, administrative offices and more. OPEIU is committed to advancing economic justice for working people no matter their occupation.
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