Most Wisconsin voters don't know how many justices are on the Wisconsin Supreme Court (seven), nor can they name a single member, according to a poll released Thursday. The results come just two and a half weeks before the April 3 election to decide the newest member of the state's highest court.

The poll, commissioned by the Federalist Society, found that although likely voters admitted knowing very little about the court, more than 71 percent supported continuing Wisconsin's tradition of electing judges. Voters will choose between Annette Ziegler and Linda Clifford to fill a 10-year term on the court. The vacancy is being created by the retirement of Justice Jon Wilcox.

"Wisconsin voters have a very arms' length relationship with their Wisconsin Supreme Court," said Kellyanne Conway of the polling company, inc. "They admit they're pretty detached."

The poll of 509 likely voters taken March 1-4 found:

— Only 22 percent knew that the court has seven members.

— Only 16 percent could accurately name one of the seven justices, with 9 percent citing Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson.

— The top name mentioned was candidate Ziegler, a Washington County Circuit Court judge who was cited by 11 percent of respondents. Clifford, a Madison attorney, was named by 4 percent of respondents. Ziegler, who got 57 percent of the vote in the three-way Feb. 20 primary, has run TV ads, while Clifford, who got 29 percent of the vote, hasn't yet hit the air.

— More than two thirds, or 67 percent, favored continuing the existing system of non-partisan elections, where judges run without party labels.

— The most important qualities respondents named in a candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court included one who "will interpret the law as it is written (43 percent); who "shares my moral and political values" (30 percent); and who has "past experience as a judge" (14 percent).