Risser was born in the Town of Buffalo, Buffalo County, on January 15, 1900. After he graduated from Winona High School in Winona, Minnesota he spent two years on his father"s farm before enrolling at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1923 and his Bachelor of Laws in 1925.
University of Wisconsin Law School. University of Wisconsin–Madison.
From 1925 to 1930 he lectured on business law at Madison College. Before his election to the Senate in 1936 Risser had served as town clerk of the Town of Madison from 1927-1928. Treasurer of the Highlands Mendota Beach School from 1930-1937.
Was three times elected district attorney of Dane County as a Republican, and in 1933 was president of the Wisconsin District Attorney"s Association.
In 1928 he was elected sheriff of Dane County, and was re-elected in 1930 and 1932. From 1925 to 1930 he lectured on business law at Madison Area Technical College.
In 1936, Risser was elected to the 26th Senate District (Dane County) by a wide margin in the general election, after winning a plurality in a three-way Progressive Party primary (Progressive incumbent Harold Groves was not a candidate). Risser continued to practice law.
Risser died on September 1, 1971.
He was re-elected in 1940 and 1944. But by 1948 the Wisconsin Progressives had merged back into the Republican Party, and (after having to face a challenge in the Republican primary from a non-Progressive), Risser was defeated for re-election in a four-way race (there were also a Socialist and a Wallace Progressive on the ballot) by Gaylord Nelson (a Democrat and future governor and United States Senator).
