By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
BROWN COUNTY – When 26 Brown County supervisors are elected for new two-year terms in April, more than a third of them won’t be incumbents.
Nine county supervisors filed a declaration of non-candidacy prior to the Dec. 27 deadline indicating they won’t seek another term.
They include: Erik Hoyer, District 4; Staush Gruszynski, District 5; Bernie Erickson, District 7; Paul Ballard, District 15; Aaron Linssen, District 18; Jim Kneiszel, District 19; Steven Deslauriers, District 20; Alex Tran, District 21; and Patrick Moynihan Jr., District 22.
Moynihan, the county board chairman, represents portions of Ashwaubenon, De Pere and Lawrence.
He announced he won’t be seeking re-election next spring after nearly two decades on the board to focus on his candidacy next fall for county clerk.
The current county clerk, Sandy Juno, is not seeking another four-year term.
Two candidates have filed nomination papers to replace Moynihan on the county board.
They include Corrie Campbell, who was ousted two years ago in the District 21 race in Ashwaubenon against Tran, and Tom Peters.
Tran announced in early December she would be leaving the board after one term because she said “it was never my intention to be a lifelong politician.”
“I believe in doing everything I can while in office then move out of the way for the next great public servant,” she said.
Tran was in the minority of supervisors seeking to get an advisory referendum on the November 2018 ballot regarding the legalization of marijuana for recreational use.
She said she will continue to work “from the sideline” on issues such as affordable housing, criminal justice reform, a drop-in shelter for unaccompanied/at-risk youths, a new county library for Ashwaubenon and energy conservation.
Sue Loberger and Randy Schultz has are running for county supervisor in District 21.
The deadline to file nomination papers is 5 p.m. Jan. 7.
According to the county clerk’s office, candidates have taken out or filed papers in the seven other districts where the incumbents aren’t seeking re-election.
Two candidates are interested in replacing Kneiszel to represent the east side of De Pere in District 19 with Cassandra Erickson and George Lucia having circulated papers.
Patrick Hopkins and Ted Keneklis circulated papers to replace Linssen in District 18.
Tom Friberg has secured a spot on the ballot after filing nomination papers seeking to replace Erickson in District 7.
Lindsay Dorff is running to replace Hoyer in District 4, Emily Jacobson took out papers to replace Gruszynski in District 5 and Mark Berndt declared his candidacy to replace Deslauriers in District 20.
James Murphy has filed papers with the county clerk’s office to run in District 15 to replace Ballard.
The number of incumbents who don’t return to the county board after next April could reach double figures if one or more seeking re-election loses.
In District 6 in Green Bay, Kathy Lefebvre faces a challenge from registered candidates Paul Boucher and Ken Corry.
In District 10, incumbent John Vander Leest and Tarl Knight are listed as candidates.
In District 24, incumbent Richard Schadewald and AJ Walker are the registered candidates.
If three or more candidates in any county board race file papers with enough valid signatures by the Jan. 7 deadline, a primary would be held Feb. 18 to narrow the field to two prior to the April 7 general election.