By Patricia Bogumil
Editor
In elections, as in baseball games, it ain’t over ’til it’s over. Right now, it’s not clear exactly when the end results for a couple of local races will be.
Unofficial results for two local contests in the April 7 spring election – one Village of Waterford trustee position and one Town of Waterford supervisor position –remained too close to call Wednesday morning, with official vote canvassing and possible vote recounts occurring after press deadline.
Unofficial results for contested races as of press deadline Wednesday follow.
- In the Village of Waterford election for three board trustee positions, incumbent Jerry Filut (445 votes, 22 percent) led challenger and former trustee Judy Spencer by three votes. Incumbents Tom Christensen (586, 30 percent) and Tamara Pollnow (506, 25 percent) will return to office.
Regarding the close Filut/Spencer vote count, Village Clerk Carrie Orlovsky said she would contact County Clerk Wendy Christensen to confirm the process moving forward.
In the election for Waterford Village Board President, incumbent Tom Roanhouse (511, 59 percent) withstood a challenge from incumbent trustee Don Houston (359, 41 percent).
- In the Town of Waterford election for two board supervisor positions, challenger and former supervisor Dale Gauerke (554, 33 percent) led incumbent Lisa Jeschke by seven votes.
Incumbent Nick Draskovich (586, 35 percent) will return to office.
- In a hotly contested election for three positions on the Waterford Graded School Board, Jordan Karweik (1,213, 18 percent), Amanda Fiehweg (1,192, 18 percent) and Matt Kranich (1,140, 17 percent) were elected.
Incumbent Grant Strobel (1,114, 16 percent) will leave the board. Voters also did not elect Bill Unke (1,112, 16 percent) and Andrew Ewert (1,040, 15 percent).
Wednesday morning, Karweik, who campaigned as a conservative choice for voters, said he will likely bring a different voice to the board than the other members.
Karweik said he and Kranich spoke before and after the election and he believes “we’ll be able to work together; we’ll just have a different mindset on various things.”
Fiehweg, via email, said she was thrilled to be elected and looks forward to dealing with immediate issues needing to be tackled, like selecting a new superintendent, implementing 4K and addressing staff morale.
Kranich said he also looks forward to working on those same issues, as well as setting the 2015-16 budget. Kranich expressed gratitude for the “dedication, service and expertise” outgoing incumbents Strobel, Doug Schwartz and Dan Jensen provided to the community.
- In the Village of Rochester, incumbent trustee Ed Chart (449, 65 percent) bested fellow trustee Chris Bennett (240, 35 percent) for the board president position being vacated by incumbent Paul Beere.
“I obviously would rather have won, but I’m happy for Ed and I have every confidence he’ll do a splendid job in his role as president,” Bennett said Tuesday night.
- Town of Dover incumbent Board Chairman Tom Lembcke (386, 58 percent) bested former Supervisor Mario Denoto (278, 42 percent) for the town chairman position.
Tuesday night, Denoto said he tried his best in the election, learned a lot from it, continues to believe in the issues he raised and thinks it possible he needs to communicate the issues better to the voters.
- On the Union Grove High School board, incumbent Paula Craven-Jasperson (928, 57 percent) won re-election after besting a challenge from newcomer Jeff Zeller (706, 43 percent).
- For Town of Norway judge, challenger Mike Gabbey (570, 57 percent) bested incumbent municipal judge Douglas Pachucki (429, 43 percent).
- In the race for Racine County Executive, Jonathan Delagrave (19,429, 76 percent) won election over David Charlie Lecus (6,050, 24 percent). The County Executive position was vacated in January by Jim Ladwig, who left to take a job in the private sector.
- In the Racine Judge Branch 6 election, David W. Paulson (14,160, 52 percent) bested Tricia Hanson (13,089, 48 percent). In Branch 9, incumbent Allan Pat Torhorst (16,386, 66 percent) bested Joseph Seifert (8,455, 34 percent).
Uncontested races
The following local elections include incumbents who ran unopposed in the April 7 election: Village of Union Grove; towns of Yorkville and Raymond; Waterford High School; Kansasville, North Cape, Union Grove, Raymond, Yorkville and Drought elementary schools.
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