2022 Spring Election Update

Who’s running for county supervisor, Sturgeon Bay alder and Sister Bay village trustee

There’s a mash-up of contests awaiting voters in the wake of the Jan. 4 candidate filing period deadline.

Seven of the 21 county board supervisors will need to win their seats at the table, while the incumbents up for reelection on the Sturgeon Bay Common Council are all running uncontested: Mayor David Ward and Alders Spencer Gustafson (District 4), Dennis Statz (District 2) and Seth Wiederanders (District 6). 

It’s hot and cold within the Village of Sister Bay. Hot is the new, county District 20 seat that covers half the village and called three candidates, necessitating the only primary election for a county board seat. Meanwhile, the Village of Sister Bay has three open seats on the village board but only two candidates.

Below is a rundown. Next week, we’ll bring you the entire roster of candidates for all town and village boards.

DOOR COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

• When the county mapped new districts as part of the post-census redistricting process, two of the districts had no incumbent supervisors living within the new boundaries. Each of those “empty” districts have contested races, one of those a primary.

– District 20, which covers the northern half of Sister Bay, has three people vying for the seat: Nate Bell, Walter Kalms and Abby Duebler. The three-way race necessitates the only primary for the county board, which will be held Feb. 15. The top two vote-getters in that race will face off in the April 5 election.

– District 5, in the Nasewaupee area including along the shoreline, drew candidates Jeff Miller and Timothy Smith.

• The redistricting crowded a couple of incumbent supervisors into the same district. In District 6, incumbent Ken Fisher will run uncontested after incumbent Susan Kohout filed her intent not to run for another term. Incumbents Kara Counard and Nancy Robillard ended up in the same District 4, and they’re both running for reelection – now against each other – to retain their seat on the board. 

• Longtime incumbent Richard “Biz” Virlee decided not to run for another term. The vacancy called two candidates who will vie for the District 14 seat: Darrick DeMeuse and Hugh Zettel.

• Other contested races are:

– Incumbent Todd Thayse and Lora Jorgensen, District 2

– Incumbent Dan Austad and Jonathan Kruse, District 9

– Incumbent Morgan Rusnak and Helen Bacon, District 11

• One uncontested newcomer will begin her new term in office after the April election: District 7’s Claire Morkin. With no one else filing for the seat, Morkin will take over for Megan Lundahl, who decided not to run for another term. 

• The following incumbents are running uncontested: District 3’s Roy Englebert, District 6’s Ken Fisher, District 8’s Rodney Beardsley, District 10’s Alexis Heim Peter, District 12’s Nissa Norton, District 13’s Dale Vogel, District 15’s Elizabeth Gauger, District 16’s David Enigl, District 17’s Bob Bultman, District 18’s Vinni Chomeau, District 19’s David Lienau and District 21’s Joel Gunnlaugsson. 

VILLAGE OF SISTER BAY

There are three open seats on the Sister Bay Village Board, yet the village received nomination papers from only two individuals: incumbent Denise Bhirdo and a new candidate, Mary Lyons.

This means the third seat would be filled “via write-in votes,” said Village Clerk Heidi Teich. 

Individuals who wish to become registered write-in candidates need to file a Declaration of Candidacy with the village office by 5 pm on the Friday before the April 5 election. 

The incumbent trustees who decided not to run for reelection were Pat Duffy, who has served since 2009, and Vivian Nienow, who has served since 2020.