# Robert L. Turner

Robert L. Turner (born September 14, 1947) is an American public administrator and Democratic politician from Racine, Wisconsin. He represented the city of Racine for eleven terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly, from 1991 to 2013. Since 2018, he has been a member of the Racine Police and Fire Commission. Turner was the first African American elected to Wisconsin's Assembly not from Milwaukee.

## Biography

Turner was born in Columbus, Mississippi, and moved with his family to Racine. He was employed by the J.I. Case Company, and served four years in the United States Air Force Security Police during the Vietnam War, from 1967 through 1970, including service during the 1968 Tet Offensive. He was elected to the City Council in 1976, and was elected to the State Assembly in 1990. He left the City Council in 2004 after serving concurrently as City Councilmember and State Assemblymember for 14 years.
After the arrest and resignation of Racine Mayor Gary Becker in 2009, Turner announced his candidacy for the special election to fill the remainder of Becker's term. Turner passed the primary, but was defeated in the runoff by John Dickert. Turner had previously defeated Dickert in the 1990 and 2002 primary elections for Wisconsin Assembly.
He announced his retirement from the Assembly in 2012, after redistricting dramatically reshaped the Racine-area senate and assembly districts. His retirement cleared the way for Cory Mason to run in the redrawn 66th District, which was composed of the southern part of Turner's old 61st District and the eastern part of Mason's old 62nd District.
In 2018, Cory Mason, now Racine Mayor, nominated Turner to the Racine Police and Fire Commission.
Turner is a life member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, the American Legion, and a 33rd degree Mason.

## Electoral history
### Wisconsin Assembly (1984)

| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Elected | Elected | Elected | Defeated | Defeated | Defeated | Defeated | Total | Plurality |
| 1984 | Primary | Sep. 11 | Scott C. Fergus | Democratic | 1,920 | 53.36% | Robert L. Turner | Dem. | 1,345 | 37.38% | 3,598 | 575 |
| 1984 | Primary | Sep. 11 | Scott C. Fergus | Democratic | 1,920 | 53.36% | William M. Frank | Dem. | 333 | 9.26% | 3,598 | 575 |

### Wisconsin Assembly (1990–2008)

| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Elected | Elected | Elected | Defeated | Defeated | Defeated | Defeated | Total | Plurality |
| 1990 | Primary | Sep. 11 | Robert L. Turner | Democratic | 2,056 | 55.06% | John Dickert | Dem. | 1,193 | 31.95% | 3,734 | 863 |
| 1990 | Primary | Sep. 11 | Robert L. Turner | Democratic | 2,056 | 55.06% | Cathleen A. Cotter | Dem. | 485 | 12.99% | 3,734 | 863 |
| 1990 | General | Nov. 6 | Robert L. Turner | Democratic | 7,232 | 62.09% | Roderick D. Wilhelmi | Rep. | 4,415 | 37.91% | 11,647 | 2,817 |
| 1992 | General | Nov. 3 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 11,963 | 66.66% | Stella A. Young | Rep. | 5,984 | 33.34% | 17,947 | 5,979 |
| 1994 | General | Nov. 8 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 7,464 | 100.0% | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | 7,464 | 7,464 |
| 1996 | General | Nov. 5 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 10,218 | 85.97% | Thomas Rivers | Tax. | 904 | 7.61% | 11,886 | 9,314 |
| 1996 | General | Nov. 5 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 10,218 | 85.97% | Michael L. Wynhoff | Lib. | 764 | 6.43% | 11,886 | 9,314 |
| 1998 | Primary | Sep. 8 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 1,535 | 79.12% | Ken Lumpkin | Dem. | 405 | 20.88% | 1,940 | 1,130 |
| 1998 | General | Nov. 3 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 9,515 | 100.0% | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | 9,515 | 9,515 |
| 2000 | General | Nov. 7 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 13,703 | 99.56% | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | 13,763 | 13,643 |
| 2002 | Primary | Sep. 10 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 3,194 | 52.24% | John Dickert | Dem. | 2,919 | 47.74% | 6,114 | 275 |
| 2002 | General | Nov. 5 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 9,525 | 98.15% | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | 9,705 | 9,345 |
| 2004 | General | Nov. 2 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 17,173 | 89.49% | George Meyers | Lib. | 1,980 | 10.32% | 19,189 | 15,193 |
| 2006 | General | Nov. 7 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 11,431 | 99.06% | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | --Unopposed-- | 11,539 | 11,323 |
| 2008 | General | Nov. 4 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 16,267 | 87.71% | George Meyers | Lib. | 2,242 | 12.09% | 18,547 | 14,025 |
| 2010 | Primary | Sep. 14 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 1,777 | 77.90% | James DeMatthew | Dem. | 504 | 22.10% | 2,281 | 1,273 |
| 2010 | General | Nov. 2 | Robert L. Turner (inc) | Democratic | 10,026 | 81.96% | George Meyers | Lib. | 2,167 | 17.71% | 12,233 | 7,859 |

### Racine Mayor (2009)

Racine Mayoral Special Election, 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Primary Election, April 7, 2009 ||||||
| | Democratic | John Dickert | 2,307 | 23.09% |
| | Democratic | Robert Turner | 1,671 | 16.73% |
| | Democratic | Kimberly Plache | 1,313 | 13.14% |
| | Independent | James Spangenberg | 1,249 | 12.50% |
| | Independent | Greg Helding | 1,150 | 11.51% |
| | Independent | Pete Karas | 851 | 8.52% |
| | Independent | Jody Harding | 658 | 6.59% |
| | Independent | Q.A. Shakoor II | 414 | 4.14% |
| | Independent | Lesia Hill-Driver | 161 | 1.61% |
| | Independent | Raymond Fay | 148 | 1.48% |
| | Independent | Jaimie Charon | 69 | 0.69% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 9,991 | 100.0% |
| General Election, May 5, 2009 ||||||
| | Democratic | John Dickert | 6,027 | 55.46% |
| | Democratic | Robert Turner | 4,841 | 44.54% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 10,868 | 100.0% |