Spring election 2024 voter guide

Wausau Pilot & Review

Voters head to the polls on Tuesday for the spring election and presidential preference primary. While the presidential races are all but set, dozens of local offices are on the ballot. The winners of those races will make crucial decisions for the people and communities of Marathon County with an impact that can last for years.

Over the past several weeks, Wausau Pilot published comprehensive candidate profiles in all competitive area races, with questions that go well beyond “why are you running.” We also welcomed letters from readers and candidates, the latest of which are published below for easy access. Click here to jump to the opinion section of this page.

• We asked candidates about their views on a wide range of policy issues that, we hope, will help voters better understand which will represent their own values in the best possible way.
• We asked questions about transparency and public participation, hoping to hear innovative ways that candidates would involve residents in local government and improve open records compliance and response times.
• We also asked questions about budgeting, financial issues and how local government currently operates.
• In some cases, we asked about transportation, hoping to hear broad solutions to the community’s challenges in not just busing, but airline travel and infrastructure.

Unlike other publications that have word count guidelines due to print limitations, we encourage candidates to spend as much time and space as they need to thoroughly answer questions. We also publish answers in their entirety, rather than summing them up, as a best journalistic practice that ensures that candidates are not misquoted or see their answers shortened or misinterpreted, which can seriously hurt their candidacy and leave voters misinformed. We feel strongly that this is the best way to serve the community and offer the most comprehensive information possible.

In our profiles below, we are covering the mayoral race in Wausau, six contested seats on the Wausau City Council, 14 Marathon County Board races, Kronenwetter trustee races, and school board races in Wausau, Mosinee and at D.C. Everest. On Election Day we will also have results from statewide ballot questions, through our partnership with the Associated Press. Click here for a list of stories that help better explain the referendum questions you’ll be asked on Tuesday, questions that critics say are difficult to understand due to the way they’re worded. And click here for general voter information that will guide you if you need to find out what’s on your ballot, where to vote and the type of identification you’ll need at the polls.

Kronenwetter Village Board

Opinion

Letters to the editor are welcome at [email protected]. Please include your full name and city of residence. Anonymous letters are not published.