The results of the February 18th primary election has helped narrow the number of candidates running for Hartland-Lakeside’s school board. Out of the seven candidates listed on the ballot, the top six will proceed with the April 1 general election. The general election will determine which three out of the six candidates will serve on the school board. Although the spring primary election saw very low voter turnout, 3,221 votes were cast in the school board race. In order of which candidates received the most votes, the winners from yesterday are as follows:
- Matt McNulty: 539
- Morgan Henning: 537
- Matt Schwab: 529
- Niels Peterson: 481
- Franklin Brunner: 479
- John Poulos: 471
Out of the seven candidates, the only one eliminated from the race during the primary was Joseph J. Henderson. Henderson received only 172 votes. He would have had to receive almost two and a half times the amount of votes he won yesterday in order to close the margin between himself and the sixth and final position.
Matt Schwab and Niels Peterson are both running as incumbent candidates. Schwab currently serves at the Treasurer, while Peterson is serving as a board member. However, neither of these two candidates received the highest amount of votes. Matt McNulty and Morgan Henning received the two highest amount of votes. An extremely slim margin of only two votes separated these two candidates.
McNulty, Brunner, and Poulous have been running as “Dads Making a Difference”, their names appearing together on yard signs. They have also taken a fiscally conservative position. Publicly, the three candidates have advocated for improvements, identifying new revenue sources, engaging in “tough but necessary” conversations, and supporting merit-based systems.
Henning is the only female candidate running in the general election. She is a mom of three and has emphasized listening to school staff to ensure student safety as well as trying to “Foster a culture of respect and accountability, ensuring every child feels secure and supported.”
The spring primary also helped eliminate one of three candidates running for State Superintendent. The two candidates who will be competing for the position in the general elections are listed in order of votes received in Waukesha County:
- Brittany Kinser: 19,543
- Jill Underly: 10,365
It is important to note that although the current incumbent, Jill Underly, won a majority of the votes statewide, she did not do so in Waukesha County. Statewide, Underly won with 177,000 votes, while Underly only received 161,500 votes. The two will move forward in the April 1st election. The third candidate, Jeff Wright, was eliminated with only 128,00 votes statewide.
