Kerri Ison waging write-in campaign after losing GOP primary

BY KEVIN BONESKE

REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER

Though only one candidate is listed on Tuesday’s general election ballot for each countywide office up for election this year in Oneida County, there will be a contested race for county clerk involving the same two candidates who faced each other in the Aug. 9 Republican Party primary.

Tracy Hartman

Tracy Hartman, who is the Crescent town clerk, won the GOP nomination for county clerk after outpolling Kerri Ison, a deputy county clerk, 1,466-1,164. Because of partisan primary rules that limit voters to casting ballots in a single party, only voters who cast ballots on the Republican ticket were able to vote for them in the primary.

Kerri Ison

Voters in the general election, however, are allowed to select candidates across party lines. Though Hartman is the only county clerk candidate listed on the general election ballot, Ison has registered to run for that office this fall as a write-in.

Current county clerk Mary Bartelt, who decided not to run for another four-year term, will be leaving office after the end of this year.

The Oneida County incumbents seeking new four-year terms while running unopposed include two Republicans – district attorney Michael W. Schiek and register of deeds Kyle J. Franson – and the Democratic county treasurer, Kris Ostermann.

FEDERAL, STATE RACES

Oneida County voters will be able to make ballot choices for President of the United States, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives District 7, State Senate District 12 and State Assembly District 34 or 35.

Democratic President Barack Obama is leaving office after his second four-year term. Wisconsin voters will have seven presidential/vice presidential choices listed to pick from in the race for the state’s 10 Electoral College votes. Those ballot choices include: Donald J. Trump/Michael R. Pence (Republican); Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine (Democratic); Darrell L. Castle/Scott N. Bradley (Constitution); Gary Johnson/Bill Weld (Libertarian); Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka (Wisconsin Green); Monica Moorehead/Lamont Lilly (Workers World Party); and Rocky Roque De La Fuente/Michael Steinberg (American Delta Party).

In Wisconsin’s race for U.S. Senate, Republican Ron Johnson is seeking his second six-year term while facing a challenge from the former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator he defeated six years ago, Russ Feingold, as well as Libertarian candidate Phillip N. Anderson.

In Wisconsin’s District 7 of the U.S. House of Representatives, which includes all of Oneida County, the Republican incumbent, Sean Duffy, is seeking a fourth two-year term and faces Democratic challenger Mary Hoeft, who taught Communication Arts and French at the University of Wisconsin-Barron County.

Sen. Tom Tiffany

In State Senate District 12, of which all of Oneida County is also included, Republican Tom Tiffany is seeking re-election to another four-year term in a race against Democratic challenger Bryan Van Stippen, a former Stevens Point City Council member who now lives in Deerbrook.

Bryan Van Stippen

In State Assembly District 34, which includes all of Oneida County except the towns of Enterprise, Little Rice, Lynne, Nokomis, Schoepke and Woodboro, the Republican incumbent, Rob Swearingen of Rhinelander, is seeking his third two-year term in a race against Democratic challenger Matthew Michalsen, a Lake Tomahawk town supervisor and Lakeland Union High School social studies teacher.

In State Assembly District 35, which includes the towns of Enterprise, Little Rice, Lynne, Nokomis, Schoepke and Woodboro in Oneida County, the Republican incumbent, Mary Czaja of Irma, is seeking her third two-year-term in a race against Democratic challenger Renea Frederick of Merrill.

THREE LAKES REFERENDA

Voters in the town of Three Lakes will also be able to decide on two advisory referenda.

The question about the library asks, “Do you support up to nine hundred thousand ($900,000.00) additional taxpayer dollars being placed on the levy for the Library expansion?”

The other town advisory referendum asks, “Do you support up to 1.8 million additional taxpayer dollars being placed on the levy to replace the existing structure for the Town Office, Police Department and Community Building with a new smaller structure?”

PHOTO ID REQUIREMENT

Most state voters who head to the polls Tuesday will be required to show an acceptable form of photo ID to be able to cast ballots. Some of the commonly-issued forms of photo ID acceptable at the polls include a Wisconsin driver’s license, a state identification card, a U.S. passport book or card and a military ID card. More information on the state’s photo ID law and the exemptions to it can be found online at: http://bringit.wi.gov

The polls in Oneida County will be open countywide Tuesday from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Information on where to vote and what is on the ballot can also be found online at: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/