WAUSAU − Wausau voters headed to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in several contested races including for Wausau mayor, Wausau City Council and Wausau School Board.
Here are the results of those races.
Wausau mayor
Doug Diny was voted in as the new mayor of Wausau Tuesday, defeating Katie Rosenberg, who was elected in 2020.
“I really want to thank the voters for getting out, especially in this nasty weather. We really needed it. We needed the turnout. The turnout is what did it for us. We won,” Diny said a victory speech to supporters Tuesday night. “I’d like to congratulate the mayor on her four years in office and wish her the best as she moves forward. We’re going to take off tomorrow and get going on this.”
The mayor of Wausau serves a four-year term.
Diny, 62, served 15 years in the U.S. Army and has 26 years of experience as a sales executive in the bio-fuels industry. He has served on the City Council since 2022 and the Airport Commission since 2016.
He told the Wausau Daily Herald he would “get back to the core basics” as mayor.
- Doug Diny: 4,422 (51.1%)
- Katie Rosenberg (incumbent): 4,225 (48.9%)
Wausau School Board
Incumbent Patrick McKee and challengers Sarah Marie Brock and Jane Rusch defeated incumbents Karen Vandenberg, Cody Nikolai and challenger Fred Tealey for three seats on the Wausau School Board.
School board members will soon be making decisions regarding a new “science of reading” curriculum following a change to state law, reducing the “footprint” of the district’s elementary schools, shifting school boundary lines within the district and securing the district’s superintendent beyond next school year.
- Patrick McKee (i): 5,418 (19.4%)
- Sarah Marie Brock: 4.801 (17.2%)
- Jane Rusch: 4,801 (17.2%)
- Fred Tealey: 4,512 (16.1%)
- Karen Vandenberg (i): 4,451 (15.9%)
- Cody Nikolai (i): 3,981 (14.2%)
Wausau City Council, District 1
Incumbent Carol Lukens beat challenger Catherine Kronenwetter for the District 1 seat on the Wausau City Council. Lukens, 59, was first elected to the seat in 2022 and is a teacher in the Wausau School District.
- Carol Lukens (i): 713 (62.6%)
- Catherine Kronenwetter: 426 (37.4%)
Wausau City Council, District 4
Tom Neal defeated Debra Weiss for the District 4 seat on the Wausau City Council. The seat was previously held by Doug Diny.
Neal, 72, is a retired marketing/advertising director. Neal also held the seat for four terms from 2014-2022.
- Tom Neal: 660 (75.5%)
- Debra Weiss: 214 (24.5%)
Wausau City Council, District 5
Incumbent Gary Gisselman defeated Orlando Alfonso for the District 5 seat on the Wausau City Council.
Gisselman has served 16 years on the City Council from 2006 to 2020 and from 2022 to present. Gisselman is retired and holds master’s degrees in history and library science.
- Gary Gisselman (i): 374 (56.2%)
- Orlando Alfonso: 292 (43.8.3%)
Wausau City Council, District 6
Incumbent Rebecca McElhaney defeated challenger Bronson Lobato for the District 6 seat on the Wausau City Council. McElhaney has served on the City Council since 2016.
- Rebecca McElhaney (i): 890 (71.4%)
- Bronson Lobato: 357 (28.6%)
Wausau City Council, District 8
Incumbent Sarah Watson defeated challenger Joshua Dirks for the District 8 seat on the Wausau City Council. Watson, 44, has served on the City Council since 2020 and works in social science education.
- Sarah Watson (i): 317 (51.5%)
- Joshua Dirks: 299 (48.5%)
Wausau City Council, District 9
Victoria Tierney defeated incumbent Dawn Herbst for the District 9 seat on the Wausau City Council. Tierney, 59, works as an accounts receivable representative and told the Wausau Daily Herald, “We must be better stewards of taxpayer money,” as a reason for running for office.
- Victoria Tierney: 117 (54.9%)
- Dawn Herbst (i): 96 (45.1%)
A solar eclipse is coming April 8:Here’s what you can expect in Marshfield, Stevens Point, Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids.
Local education news:Wausau School District makes internal selection to serve as interim superintendent following retirement of Keith Hilts
Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA-TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Reach him at epfantz@gannett.com or connect with him on X (formerly Twitter) @ErikPfantz.
