April 4 election features many candidates, a few challengers

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX  —  The April 4 spring election features a variety of candidates in the villages and surrounding townships but few challengers, except for the village president positions in Colfax and Elk Mound and the Supervisor 1 positions in the Town of Colfax and the Town of Howard.

Village of Colfax

The village president position on the ballot in Colfax will include two candidates: Chris M. Olson and Gary Stene.

Incumbent Village President Scott Gunnufson decided not to seek re-election for the position.

Olson has formerly served as a trustee on the Colfax Village Board.

Stene has formerly served as village president and is currently a supervisor on the Dunn County Board. Stene also serves as vice-chair of the county board.

Three candidates will appear on the ballot for three trustee positions on the Colfax Village Board: Keith Burcham, David C. Wolff, and Annie Schieber.

Village of Elk Mound

The village president position in Elk Mound will have two candidates on the ballot: Steven A. Abraham and Tom Gilbert.

Abraham was recently appointed to the village board as a trustee and also will appear on the ballot for a trustee position.

Gilbert has served on the Elk Mound Village Board as a trustee for a number of terms and was elected as village president when Andy Peterson resigned last fall.

Three candidates will be on the ballot for three trustee positions: Steven A. Abraham, Montana Rose Boettcher and Terry Stamm.

Town of Colfax

One candidate will appear on the ballot for town chair in the Town of Colfax: Dean Logslett, incumbent.

The Supervisor 1 position on the Colfax Town Board will have two candidates on the ballot: Jason Klukas and Kevin J. Moore.

The Supervisor 2 position will have one candidate: incumbent Gary Bjork.

Incumbent Treasurer Christine Lorenzen is running unopposed.

Residents in the Town of Colfax approved a referendum question last November to appoint the town clerk. 

Town of Howard

In the Town of Howard, incumbent town chair Vernon Schindler is running unopposed.

For the Supervisor 1 position, incumbent Todd Wanish will be challenged by Tom Zwiefelhofer. 

Zwiefelhofer previously served on the Howard Town Board in the Supervisor 1 position and lost the last election to Wanish.

Incumbent Supervisor 2 Dennis Dvoracek will be on the ballot unopposed.

Susan Haake, incumbent, will appear on the ballot for clerk, and Debra Wallsch, incumbent, will be on the ballot for town treasurer. 

Colfax school board

Three candidates will appear on the ballot for three positions on the Colfax Board of Education: Ken Bjork, Christie Hill and Jodi Kiekhafer.

Elk Mound school board

Three candidates will appear on the ballot for three positions on the Elk Mound Board of Education: Mark B. Cedarblade, Patrick Rhude and Timothy R. Sivertson.

Town of Elk Mound

In the Town of Elk Mound, one candidate will appear on the ballot for each position: town chair, Elton J. Christopherson; Supervisor 1, Marvin C. Michels; Supervisor 2, Jeffrey Klemp; town clerk, Carolyn M. Loechler; town treasurer, Ann L. Wahl. 

Town of Grant

In the Town of Grant, one candidate will appear on the ballot for each position: town chair, Mark Dietsche; Supervisor 1, Dave Buchner; Supervisor 2, Brad Larson; town treasurer, James G. Ackerlund.

The Town of Grant approved appointing the clerk several years ago. Peggy Johnson serves as clerk in the Town of Grant.

Town of Otter Creek

In the Town of Otter Creek, one candidate will appear on the ballot for each position: town chair, Mark Warner; Supervisor 1, Steve Scoll; Supervisor 2, LeAnn R. Ralph.

Last summer, electors in the Town of Otter Creek approved combining the clerk and treasurer positions, and voters in the township approved a referendum question in the November election to appoint the clerk-treasurer.

Town of Sand Creek

In the Town of Sand Creek, Michael Nelson will appear on the ballot for town chair.

Two candidates will be on the ballot for supervisor positions, and voters will be instructed to vote for not more than two candidates: Phil Cruse and Joel Smith.

Douglas Westholm will appear on the ballot for the town clerk position.

Louis Reetz will be on the ballot for the town treasurer position.

Jerry Lofthus will be on the ballot for town constable.

Town of Spring Brook

In the Town of Spring Brook, one candidate will appear on the ballot for each position: town chair, John E. Schaefer; Supervisor 1, Michael Moose Hase; Supervisor 2, Douglas V. Ullom; town clerk, Mary L. Strand; town treasurer, Jean Vasey.

Town of Tainter

Incumbent town chair Randy Valaske is running unopposed in the Town of Tainter.

Voters will be instructed to vote for not more than two supervisors, and on the ballot will be Jerry Mrdutt and Kathy Schlough.

Ridgeland

In the Village of Ridgeland, one candidate will be on the ballot for trustee, Corey Mickelson; Kristin Huset will be on the ballot for village clerk; and Connie Stewart will be on the ballot for village treasurer.

Chippewa County

Town of Cooks Valley

Incumbent town chair Darrel W. Fehr will be on the ballot unopposed.

Voters will be instructed to vote for not more than two supervisors, and David Clements and Matthew Borofka will be on the ballot for supervisor.

Victoria D. Trinko will be on the ballot for clerk, and Judith A. Prince will be on the ballot for treasurer.