Boyle loses votes, but still wins recount

Burlington lawyer will take seat on Circuit Court bench Aug. 1

By Ed Nadolski

Editor in Chief

Burlington attorney Tim Boyle was sustained as winner of the Branch 10 Circuit Court judge election at the conclusion of a recount Tuesday afternoon.

Boyle lost several votes in the process, but was nonetheless excited about the outcome.

“I’m just ecstatic to get some closure,” he said Tuesday, noting that he’s attended the recount process daily since it began April 16. “It’s been kind

of a stressful, emotional rollercoaster ride.”

Tuesday marked the end of a seven-day recount process that was requested by Boyle’s opponent, Racine attorney and municipal judge Mark Nielsen.

Boyle held a 61-vote margin on election night and a 57-vote margin following the official canvass. He lost an additional 12 votes in the recount, but that 45-vote margin was more than enough to sustain his victory.

The final total in favor of Boyle was 16,054-16,009.

The recount process was overseen by Racine County Clerk Wendy Christensen at the courthouse.

Boyle said the vote margin had changed by less than a handful of votes through the first four days, but last Friday election officials found a discrepancy in between the poll record and the number of ballots in one community.

Christensen ended up striking four ballots.

“He (Nielsen) picked up 14 votes on Friday,” Boyle said. “It was a tough day, but I ended up gaining two more votes over the final few days.”

Boyle, 45, currently serves as a supplemental circuit court commissioner in addition to his private practice in Burlington. He is former president of the Racine County Bar Association and served an eight-year term on the district’s Ethics Committee for the office of Lawyer Regulation.

He will assume his seat on the Circuit Court Aug. 1, succeeding Judge Richard Kreul, who plans to retire.