Dear editor,
One would think that any person seeking elected office would have a desire to see to it that the will of the people was upheld and their directions followed. And candidates in close elections should absolutely avail themselves of the protections in the state statutes when a recount is warranted; of that, there is no issue. But even for tiny local elections, they should act in an ethical and transparent manner and show a mindful respect toward the municipal employees who carry them out. But not so, for (Marathon) County Board candidate Tony Sherfinski.
If you read Tony Sherfinski’s answers to this paper’s questionnaire, he said he was a “Constitutional Conservative,” but I don’t think that means what he thinks it means. Trying to circumvent the law isn’t a tenant of the U.S. Constitution. Using technicalities to desperately cling to your county board seat for one more week so your opponent isn’t seated with the rest of his colleagues isn’t in Article 1 either, not that I’ve seen. And sandbagging municipal employees isn’t part of any party platform I’ve read.
But let me back up, so you can appreciate the timeline.
I was elected to the Marathon County Board in 2020. I then lost the 2022 election to Tony Sherfinski. I then won the 2024 election by a sum total of one vote. Yes, my friends now refer to me as “Landslide Conway.” Now, since it was such a close outcome (255-254), it makes perfect sense to have a recount. Unfortunately, this is where the shenanigans begin.
The Wednesday before the canvas that certifies the election (April 3), Tony Sherfinski asked what he needed to do to ask for a recount, and he was informed that under state statute (9.01), the aggrieved party (the one who lost) has to wait until after the election results are certified by the Board of Canvas and that he has until the end of the third business day following the conclusion of the canvas, which would be today – Thursday, April 11, at 5 p.m.
That canvas was conducted on April 8, at 9 a.m. and was finished by 9:45 a.m., with no changes to the vote totals at all. Tony Sherfinski was there, along with myself, and he could have asked for a recount right there.
And yet he didn’t.
Knowing that he was going to request a recount, the clerk set up the recount for April 11 at 8:30 a.m., informed both parties, and duly posted it as such. She relayed that she would not have any experienced canvassers later that day and there were many other schedules that needed to be considered when choosing a time. The courthouse is a busy building and that makes sense, if you’re thinking of anyone but yourself.
And yet April 9 came and went without any word from Tony Sherfinski.
Then on (the morning of April 10), he sent an email saying: “as of 8 a.m. April 10, 2024, I have not formally requested a recount.” Not even making that up.
I asked if I could request a recount, since that’s what should happen with such a close call anyway. But unfortunately, I’m not the “aggrieved party,” since I won, and only the aggrieved party could make the request. I was just the annoyed party.
So here we sit, waiting for Tony Sherfinski to call at the last minute. Me, I don’t personally care when it happens; I burned a couple of days of PTO anyway, so I can be there at the drop of a hat, but there are quite a few other people who need to coordinate their schedules in order to conduct a recount, not to mention the public notice requirements of Open Meetings Law.
And next will come Tony Sherfinski’s inevitable refusal to sign a notice of appeal that has to be done within five days. Might as well drag that out to the last minute, too. That seems par for that particular course. Meanwhile, District 16 will be without representation. District 16 (his own district!) will not have a voice in choosing the county board chairperson or vice chairperson. All because one man thinks the rules don’t apply to him.
I try to not let his pettiness get to me, but I felt the public had a right to know what was going on. Tony Sherfinski no doubt wonders why so many people voted for me, and I can’t help but wonder why almost as many voted for him. My guess is that there’s a lot of folks that don’t know what he’s like to work with and aren’t clued in on his lies and self-centered shenanigans.
And maybe when the recount happens, the totals flip to his favor. I’m 100 percent fine with that if that’s the case, because I do happen to believe in the Constitution and I will stand for both the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. I believe personal ethics have value and common courtesy and good manners not only don’t cost anything, they are what makes our society function. Sure, it won’t be very fun for the people that have to work with him, and our district will once again have a supervisor that doesn’t listen to his own lawyer, but I believe the will of the people is the most important aspect of our democracy.
Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants, and people have a right to know.
Bill Conway, Marathon County Board member, District 16
Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly publishes commentary from readers, residents and candidates for local offices. The views of readers and columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, email [email protected] or mail to 500 N. Third St., Suite 208-8, Wausau, Wis. 54403.
