Door County Sheriff
Sergeant Steve Delarwelle followed up on a convincing primary victory with a solid general election win to become the next Door County Sheriff. Delarwelle, the night-time Patrol Sergeant, picked up 8,511 votes to 6,422 votes for Jail Lieutenant Tammy Sternard. Sheriff Terry Vogel decided not to seek re-election, ending a 12-year run as Sheriff and close to 40 years with the department.
Referendums
One southern Door County referendum was approved, another defeated during general election voting Tuesday. Voters said No to a request to borrow $4.2 million to build a new fire station and expand another for the Brussels Union Gardner Fire Department. The request was defeated in the Towns of Union and Gardner, but was approved in Brussels. In order to be approved, voters in all three towns had to okay the proposal. The referendum was also defeated by overall numbers, 900 to 854.
A majority of voters in the Southern Door School District approved a referendum request for a $390,000 revenue cap override by a 55 to 45 percent margin, 2248 votes in the affirmative to 1867 negative votes. Supporters said the one-time increase would cost the owner of a $100,000 property about $37 dollars.
As part of statewide balloting related to the transportation fund, Door County voters said change the state constitution to protect the fund from being used for other purposes. There were 10,999 Door County votes cast in favor of the idea and 2,401 who were not for the constitutional change.
Assembly
Doctor Joel Kitchens picked up about 57% of the votes cast for First District Assembly in Door County and won the right to succeed Garey Bies as State Representative. The Sturgeon Bay veterinarian, running as a Republican, bested Democrat Joe Majeski by more than 1,700 votes in Door County balloting, 8,325 to 6,311. Bies, a Sister Bay Republican, gave up the assembly seat after 14 years on the job.
