Deadline is Jan. 7 for April ballot
Anyone interested in running for local elected office in the April 7 election has until next Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 5 p.m. to turn in enough nomination signatures and other documents to their local clerk.
So far, at least two local incumbents have declared they will not be running for re-election.
One of them is Don Medenwaldt, the longtime president of the Abbotsford School Board, who turned in his declaration of non-candidacy by last Friday’s deadline. Board member Eric Brodhagen’s three-year is also expiring in 2020, so two seats will be on the ballot.
Clark County District 9 supervisor Diane Feiten, Colby, also turned in her non-candidacy form by last Friday’s deadline, according to the county clerk.
District 9, which includes Wards 3 and 4 in Colby, Ward 5 in Abbotsford, and Ward 1 in the town of Colby, was previously represented by Dick Lange of Colby, who stepped down in 2017 and was replaced by Feiten as an appointed member.
A minimum of 20 nomination signatures is required to get on the ballot as a candidate for county supervisor or school board.
Voters will also be potentially choosing new members of other local school boards, city councils and municipal boards during the April 7 election.
In Abbotsford, Alds. Lori Huther, Brent Faber, Roger Weideman and Dennis Kramer will all be up for re-election, as will municipal court judge Judy Kalepp. Voters in Ward 2 also be choosing a new representative to replace Jeremy Totzke, who recently stepped down.
None of the incumbents filed non-candidacy declarations, but Kramer is the only one to turn in his nomination papers so far, city administrator Dan Grady said.
In the city of Colby, Mayor Jim Schmidt will see his current two-year term expire in 2020, and so will Alds. Steve Kolden, Todd Schmidt and Nancy O’Brien. City clerk Connie Gurtner said no one declared non-candidacy, and Ald. Schmidt is the only one to turn in his nomination papers so far.
City of Colby voters will also be asked to vote on a referendum question about whether or not the city should raise the limit of dogs per household from two to three without needing a kennel license.
Three-year terms for Colby School Board members Cheryl Ploeckelman and Jean Schmidt will expire in 2020. Neither declared non-candidacy, so as long as they file papers by Jan. 7, they will appear on the ballot with any challengers.
The villages of Dorchester, Curtiss and Unity will all hold caucuses in January to determine who will be on the April 7 ballot. Incumbents include trustee John Unruh in Curtiss and trustees Ryan Maldonis, Brian Michlig and Josh Bauer in Unity. Dorchester voters will have four seats to fill, with incumbents including Daniella Schauer, Justin Duranceau and Matt Derrico.
For more information about how to get on the April 7 ballot, go to Wisconsin Election Commission’s website, elections.wi.gov/candidates, which has detailed instructions on how to file the proper paperwork to local municipal, county and school district clerks.
