ELECTION WRAP
Wednesday, February 22nd, 2006 -- 9:10 AM
Voters went to the polls Tuesday for an uncharacteristically busy February primary. There were two primaries involving Clark County Board seats.
In District 16, which includes parts of the Towns of Beaver and Unity and the Village of Unity, County Board Chairman Wayne Hendrickson received 87 votes, easily out-pacing the second-highest vote-getter, Gene Gregory, who had 45. Rich Rinehart was eliminated with nine votes. Gregory and Hendrickson will square-off for at least the third time.
In District 20, which includes parts of the Towns of Sherman and Fremont, incumbent Ted Smith decided not to seek reelection. Instead, former board member Phil Boehning, who received 71 votes, and Byrly Dahl, who received 12, will face off in April. Mel Franklin was eliminated after receiving just seven votes.
There will be two Neillsville school board seats up for election in April. The primary saw a field of five candidates whittled to four. Incumbent Rick Opelt received 350 votes ? the most of any candidate. He?ll be joined on the ballot by Dewey Poeschel (295 votes), Don Harris (278 votes) and Carrie Golomski (123 votes). Ladd Elmhorst was eliminated after garnering 116 votes.
Voters in the Owen-Withee School District had to narrow a field of four school board candidates down to two. Incumbent Gerald Fults will face Kelley Hanson in the April election. Fults received 86 votes; Hanson received 76. Carla Riihinen (REE-ih-nin) and Scott Jalling were eliminated.
And in the Stratford school district, Kitty Guyer received the highest number of votes with 91 and will be joined on the ballot by Jon Custer, Trish Golbach and Darlene Schmitt. Steve Schoenfuss received 72 votes, and will not be listed on the April ballot.
Voters in the Colby School District narrowly defeated a 5-year, $500,000 revenue cap exemption referendum on a vote of 510 to 576. Superintendent Terry Downen told Central Wisconsin Broadcasting News last night the referendum?s defeat will likely mean big cuts to Colby?s budget. The district is facing a projected $600,000 deficit for the next school year.
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