Damakant Jayshi
As the nomination deadline for the 2022 Spring Election approaches, some elected officials in Marathon County and Wausau have announced their intention to run or step away from their positions.
So far, two Marathon County supervisors and two Wausau City Council members have said they will not seek re-election.
One day after filing his non-candidacy notification for the Marathon County Board, Supervisor William Harris (Dist. 3) on Tuesday announced that he will run for Marathon County Circuit Court Judge in Branch 2.
“I am so excited to announce that I am running for Marathon County Circuit Court Judge for Branch 2!” Harris wrote on Facebook. “This will be another historic campaign and I am looking forward to embarking on this journey with all of you.”
Harris, the first Black Marathon County supervisor, was elected in April 2020 and is now seeking a position that will be vacated when Circuit Judge Greg Huber retires. Huber said he won’t seek another term, ending a more than 17-year tenure on the bench. Harris, a public interest attorney, filed his non-candidacy notification with the County Clerk on Monday. He is a first-term supervisor.
He becomes the second supervisor to not seek re-election to the Marathon County Board. On Nov. 24, Kelley Gabor (Dist. 8) filed her non-candidacy notification. Gabor, who owns a logistics company, was elected in 2020. Prior to that, she had been nominated to represent the district in 2019 after Karen Kellbach stepped down, shortly before her death.
In Wausau, Dist. 1 Alderman Pat Peckham and Dist. 4 Alderman Tom Neal have both said they won’t seek another term. Peckam has served three terms and Neal would be completing his fourth.
“I’ve enjoyed my time on (the City) council and am happy to have contributed to many successful projects and to have helped so many constituents with individual concerns,” Neal told Wausau Pilot & Review. “From kicking off Riverlife developments to opening the city’s first urban dog park, repairing historic stonework at Stewart Park and countless other milestones, it’s been a very rewarding experience, and not without its share of headaches.”
Neal said he plans to move out of Wausau with his wife.
The deadline for filing non-candidacy papers is Dec. 27, according to City Clerk’s office.
Local elections – Marathon County, City Council and some school Board members – have been scheduled for April 5, 2022. Nomination papers are due on Jan. 4 and they can be circulated beginning today, Dec. 1.
The election resources page for the City of Wausau is being updated. For Marathon County, some ballot information has already been posted.
Damakant Jayshi is a reporter for Wausau Pilot & Review. He is also a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of GroundTruth Project that places journalists into local newsrooms. Reach him at [email protected].
