Voters in the Merrill area will have some decisions to make as they take to the voting booths April 3. Along with the national presidential preference primary, local races on the ballots include those for school board, city council and county board.
City of Merrill
Three incumbent aldermen are not seeking re-election: Don Heyel in District 1, David Sukow in District 6 and Jeremy Thompson in District 8. Chris Malm and Dean Haas will face off to succeed Heyel in District 1. In District 6, the race for Sukow’s vacated position will be between Allan Gulke and Mark Peterson. Robert Norton is the sole candidate running to replace Thompson in District 8.
District 2 incumbent Steve Hass faces a challenge from John Spiegelhoff.
Incumbent aldermen running unopposed are Ryan Schwartzman, District 3; Kandy Peterson, District 4; John Burgener, District 5; and Anne Caylor, District 8.
Lincoln County
Three incumbent supervisors are not seeking re-election. In District 8 (city of Merrill Wards 18 & 19), incumbent Ron Krueger is not running. Wayne Plant is the sole candidate seeking the position. In District 11 (Corning Ward 1 & Scott Ward 1), incumbent Ron Mittelsteadt is stepping down, with Hans Breitenmoser running to replace him. In District 12 (Corning Ward 2, Harding, town of Tomahawk), incumbent Richard Berndt is not seeking re-election. Paul Gilk is running to succeed Berndt.
In District 4 (city of Merrill Wards 8, 9 & 10), incumbent Ramona Pampuch did not file for re-election and there are no other declared candidates for the seat.
Incumbent District 14 (Bradley Wards 1 & 2) supervisor Bob Lussow will face a challenge from Brian Hafeman. District 20 (Russell, Schley Ward 1) incumbent Arlene Meyer has opposition from Carl Vander Sanden. In District 21 (town of Merrill Wards 1 & 2), incumbent E. Richard Simon is being challenged by Kortney Pike.
Incumbent supervisors running unopposed are: Dan Caylor, District 1 (city of Merrill Wards 1 & 2); Robert Weaver, District 2 (city of Merrill Wards 3, 4 & 5); Ray Bloomer, District 3 (city of Merrill Wards 6, 7 & 16); Frank Saal Jr., District 5 (city of Merrill Wards 11 & 12, town of Merrill Wards 6 & 7); Patsy Woller, District 6 (city of Merrill Wards 13, 14 & 15); Greta Rusch, District 7 (city of Merrill Ward 17, Scott Ward 2); Bill Zeitz, District 9 (town of Merrill Ward 3, Pine River Ward 3, Schley Ward 2); Bruce Giese, District 10 (Pine River Wards 1 & 2); James Alber, District 13 (Bradley Ward 4, Somo, Wilson); Robert Lee, District 15 (city of Tomahawk Wards 1 & 2); Michael Loka, District 16 (city of Tomahawk Wards 5 & 6, Bradley Ward 3); Donald Nelson, District 17 (city of Tomahawk Wards 3 & 4, Bradley Ward 5); John Bailey, District 18 (Harrison Wards 1, 2 & 3, King Ward 1); David Fox, District 19 (Birch, Skanawan, King Ward 2); Graham Rankin, District 22 (town of Merrill Wards 4 & 5, Rock Falls Wards 1 & 2).
Merrill School Board
Four seats on the Merrill Area Public Schools Board of Education are up for election. Five candidates – three incumbents and two challengers – will face off for the offices.
Incumbents Brad Kanitz and Jen Seliger, along with appointed incumbent Eugene Bondioli are seeking re-election. Incumbent school board member and current board president William Jaeger has chosen to not run for re-election.
The incumbents are joined in the race by challengers, Kelly Collins, Gleason, and John Shull Jr., Merrill.
Three of the seats are full 3-year terms, while the fourth seat is a two-year term. The top three vote-getters will be elected to the full terms, while the candidate with the fourth highest vote total will serve out the two years remaining in the partial term.