Election roundup: Mikalauski, Kramer prevail in Rhinelander city council races

Incumbent Carrie Mikalauski has earned another term on the Rhinelander Common Council after defeating challenger Josh Raith in Tuesday’s spring election.

According to the unofficial results compiled by the Oneida County clerk’s office, the final vote total in District 3 was 120-49. 

In District 7, newcomer Luke Kramer has been elected to succeed Eileen Daniel, who chose not run for re-election. 

Kramer defeated Dustin Chronister 145 votes to 49.

Incumbents Tom Barnett (District 1) and Gerald Anderson (District 5) will join Mikalauski in serving another term on the council. Both were unopposed this spring.

The election brings to an end a period of upheaval for the panel as longtime District 4 alderman Tom Kelly resigned in late January and passed away days later. On March 11, the council appointed local businessman Bob Lueder to fill the District 4 seat until it is next up for election in 2026.

The council is set to officially re-organize at 6 p.m. April 16.

Townsend, two incumbents elected to Rhinelander school board

There will be a new face on the School District of Rhinelander board of education when it reorganizes later this month as challenger Patricia Townsend defeated incumbent Ben Roskoskey by 45 votes for the final board seat up for election this spring. Incumbents David Holperin and Ron Counter were the top vote-getters with 3,015 votes and 2,894 votes respectively. Newcomer Townsend received 2,299 votes to Roskoskey’s 2,254.

Other results

In other ballot items Tuesday, front runners Joe Biden and Donald Trump rolled in the Wisconsin presidential primary. 

President Biden garnered 89% of the votes statewide in the Democratic primary while former president Trump totaled 79% of the votes in the Republican primary, far out-pacing runner-up Nikki Haley (13%). 

In a pair of state-wide ballot measures, voters approved constitutional amendments regarding the administration of elections. 

The first question asked, “Shall section 7 (1) of Article III of the constitution be created to provide that private donations and grants may not be applied for, accepted, expended, or used in connection with the conduct of any primary, election, or referendum?” It passed with 54% of the vote. 

The second asked “Shall section 7 (2) of Article III of the constitution be created to provide that only election officials designated by law may perform tasks in the conduct of primaries, elections, and referendums?” It passed with 59% of the vote. 

Those results mirrored what voters said in Oneida County. Biden carried 92% of the Democratic vote while Trump garnered 81.5% of the Republican vote. There were almost exactly 2,000 more ballots cast in the Republican primary within the county — 6,098 to 4,099.

Fifty-nine percent of voters in the county supported the first state referendum question while nearly 64.5% of voters were in favor of the second. 

According to election results provided by Oneida County, there were 10,886 ballots cast in Tuesday election, representing 43% of eligible voters within the county.