Sheila Harsdorf
Encyclopedia
Sheila Harsdorf is a Republican member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 10th District
since 2001. She previously served in the Wisconsin Assembly, representing District 30 from 1989 to 1999.
in 1956 and her family moved to River Falls, Wisconsin
in 1970. Harsdorf graduated from the University of Minnesota
in 1978 with a B.S.
in Animal Science, and returned to River Falls to become a loan officer for the Production Credit Association while farming part-time on the Harsdorf family dairy farm. Two years later, she and her older brother, Jim
, became partners in the family business.
While farming full-time, Harsdorf was a member of the Pierce County
Farm Bureau Board of Directors from 1982 to 1988, serving as treasurer for three years. She also served as chair of the Pierce County Dairy Promotion Committee in 1986. She was a member of the Board of Directors of the Pierce-Pepin Holstein Breeders Association, was a graduate of the Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program, and was involved in Pierce County 4-H
as a member of the Dairy Committee and a coach of the Dairy Judging Team.
During Harsdorf’s time in the State Assembly, she served on the Assembly committees on Natural Resources, on Veterans and Military Affairs, and on Agriculture, and was the ranking Republican on the Colleges and Universities Committee. She also served on the Legislative Advisory Committee on the Minnesota-Wisconsin Boundary Area Commission and on the Legislative Council Special Committee on Land Use. In 1995, she was appointed to the prestigious Joint Finance Committee, a 16-member committee responsible for drafting the state’s biennial budget.
and portions of Burnett, Dunn, Pierce and Polk counties in the northwestern part of the state. She defeated Clausing and independent candidate Jim Nelson in the general election. She was re-elected in 2004, defeating challenger Gary Bakke, and 2008, defeating challenger Alison Page.
Harsdorf is currently chair of the Senate Committee on State and Federal Relations and Information Technology and vice chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Higher Education. She also serves as co-chair of the Joint Committee on Information Policy and Technology, and as a member of the Joint Committee on Finance. She has previously served as chair of the Higher Education and Tourism Committee, as the ranking Republican on the Agriculture and Higher Education Committee, and as a member of the Commerce, Utilities, Energy and Rail Committee and the Joint Legislative Council. She is also a member of the Mississippi River Parkway Commission.
Land Trust Board and the Wisconsin Conservation Corps Board. She is also a former president of the Wisconsin FFA
Foundation Sponsor’s Board.
. On March 2, 2011, the "Committee to Recall Harsdorf" officially registered with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board.
On April 19, 2011, Harsdorf recall organizers filed an estimated 23,000 signatures with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. 15,744 valid signatures are required to force a recall election.
On May 3, 2011, teacher and educators' union official Shelly Moore announced she would run against Harsdorf in a possible recall election.
In late May 2011, the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board verified petitions against Harsdorf, overruling her challenges. The date for the recall election was set for August 9, 2011.
Harsdorf easily defeated the Democratic challenger, Shelly Moore, fifty-eight percent to forty-two percent in the recall election - greater than her margin of victory in the previous election.
Wisconsin Senate, District 10
The 10th District of the Wisconsin Senate is located in Western Wisconsin, and is composed of parts of Burnett, Polk, St. Croix, Pierce and Dunn Counties.-Current elected officials:...
since 2001. She previously served in the Wisconsin Assembly, representing District 30 from 1989 to 1999.
Early life, education and career
Harsdorf was born in Stillwater, MinnesotaStillwater, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,143 people, 5,797 households, and 4,115 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,340.0 people per square mile . There were 5,926 housing units at an average density of 915.7 per square mile...
in 1956 and her family moved to River Falls, Wisconsin
River Falls, Wisconsin
River Falls is a city in Pierce and St. Croix counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 15,000 at the 2010 census, making it the second largest city in the Twin Cities Wisconsin suburbs, which is the eighth largest metropolitan area in the state...
in 1970. Harsdorf graduated from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1978 with a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Animal Science, and returned to River Falls to become a loan officer for the Production Credit Association while farming part-time on the Harsdorf family dairy farm. Two years later, she and her older brother, Jim
James Harsdorf
James Harsdorf is an American politician and dairy farmer from Wisconsin.Born in Stillwater, Minnesota, Harsdorf graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in animal science. He was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in a 1977 special election, defeating future Wisconsin...
, became partners in the family business.
While farming full-time, Harsdorf was a member of the Pierce County
Pierce County, Wisconsin
Pierce County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 41,019. Its county seat is Ellsworth. Pierce County is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area .-Geography:...
Farm Bureau Board of Directors from 1982 to 1988, serving as treasurer for three years. She also served as chair of the Pierce County Dairy Promotion Committee in 1986. She was a member of the Board of Directors of the Pierce-Pepin Holstein Breeders Association, was a graduate of the Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program, and was involved in Pierce County 4-H
4-H
4-H in the United States is a youth organization administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture , with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." The name represents...
as a member of the Dairy Committee and a coach of the Dairy Judging Team.
State Assembly
In 1988, Harsdorf ran for and won the seat of the 30th Assembly District in the Wisconsin State Assembly. She won a total of five consecutive elections, finishing her last term in 1999.During Harsdorf’s time in the State Assembly, she served on the Assembly committees on Natural Resources, on Veterans and Military Affairs, and on Agriculture, and was the ranking Republican on the Colleges and Universities Committee. She also served on the Legislative Advisory Committee on the Minnesota-Wisconsin Boundary Area Commission and on the Legislative Council Special Committee on Land Use. In 1995, she was appointed to the prestigious Joint Finance Committee, a 16-member committee responsible for drafting the state’s biennial budget.
State Senate
In 2000, Harsdorf entered the 10th State Senate race against Democratic Senator Alice Clausing, a two-term incumbent. The 10th Senate District comprises all of St. Croix CountySt. Croix County, Wisconsin
St. Croix County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 84,345. Its county seat is Hudson. St. Croix County is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Statistical Area . It is the fastest growing county in Wisconsin.-Geography:According to the U.S...
and portions of Burnett, Dunn, Pierce and Polk counties in the northwestern part of the state. She defeated Clausing and independent candidate Jim Nelson in the general election. She was re-elected in 2004, defeating challenger Gary Bakke, and 2008, defeating challenger Alison Page.
Harsdorf is currently chair of the Senate Committee on State and Federal Relations and Information Technology and vice chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Higher Education. She also serves as co-chair of the Joint Committee on Information Policy and Technology, and as a member of the Joint Committee on Finance. She has previously served as chair of the Higher Education and Tourism Committee, as the ranking Republican on the Agriculture and Higher Education Committee, and as a member of the Commerce, Utilities, Energy and Rail Committee and the Joint Legislative Council. She is also a member of the Mississippi River Parkway Commission.
Personal life
In her hometown of River Falls, Harsdorf is a member of Luther Memorial Church. Harsdorf is a past member of the Kinnickinnic RiverKinnickinnic River (St. Croix River)
The Kinnickinnic River, called the Kinni for short, is a 25-mile-long river in northwestern Wisconsin in the United States. It is listed as a Class I trout stream. The Kinnickinnic River arises from springs in St. Croix County and flows in a southwesterly direction before emptying into the St....
Land Trust Board and the Wisconsin Conservation Corps Board. She is also a former president of the Wisconsin FFA
National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is an American youth organization known as a Career and Technical Student Organization, based on middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education...
Foundation Sponsor’s Board.
Recall effort
Harsdorf is subject to an active recall effort as part of the 2011 Wisconsin protests2011 Wisconsin protests
The 2011 Wisconsin protests were a series of demonstrations in the state of Wisconsin in the United States beginning in February involving at its zenith as many as 100,000 protestors opposing the Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill. Subsequently, anti-tax activists and other conservatives, including tea...
. On March 2, 2011, the "Committee to Recall Harsdorf" officially registered with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board.
On April 19, 2011, Harsdorf recall organizers filed an estimated 23,000 signatures with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. 15,744 valid signatures are required to force a recall election.
On May 3, 2011, teacher and educators' union official Shelly Moore announced she would run against Harsdorf in a possible recall election.
In late May 2011, the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board verified petitions against Harsdorf, overruling her challenges. The date for the recall election was set for August 9, 2011.
Harsdorf easily defeated the Democratic challenger, Shelly Moore, fifty-eight percent to forty-two percent in the recall election - greater than her margin of victory in the previous election.
Electoral history
Source: Wisconsin BluebookExternal links
- Senator Sheila Harsdorf at the Wisconsin State Legislature
- Senator Sheila Harsdorf official campaign site
- 10th Senate District, Senator Harsdorf in the Wisconsin Blue BookWisconsin Blue BookThe Wisconsin Blue Book is a biannual publication of the Wisconsin's Legislative Reference Bureau. The Blue Book is an almanac containing information on the government, economics, demographics, geography and history of the state of Wisconsin. The book was first published in 1853...
(2005–2006)