Spring Election 2018: Circuit court ruling puts Nopenz back on April 3 county supervisor ballot

Bruce Nopenz of Silver Lake is back on the April 3 ballot for county supervisor in Dist. 22 after a ruling by a Kenosha County Circuit Court judge Wednesday.

Judge Bruce Schroeder overruled the decision of the Wisconsin Election Commission that Nopenz be removed because of an inadequate number of nominating signatures due to rules violations on nominating papers.

Nopenz is challenging incumbent Erin Decker.

“I am so very pleased with the decision of Judge Schroeder this afternoon. Judge Schroeder reaffirmed that the point of elections is to allow people to voice their opinions and participate in a civic duty that is the fabric of our democracy,” Nopenz said in a written statement issued after Schroder’s ruling. “This decision places me, rightly, back on the ballot for the spring April 3rd, 2018 election.”

Nopenz’s nominating papers were initially challenged by Decker. She alleged  since Nopenz failed to complete the “name of jurisdiction or district which candidate seeks office” box in the header of his nomination papers, signatures on those pages are invalid. Additionally, Decker alleged the circulator failed to list their municipality in the Certification of Circulator, signers of various pages failed to provide their correct municipality and the circulator of several pages dated the Certification of Circulator before signatures were obtained on the page.

County Clerk Mary Kubicki ruled in Nopenz’s favor. That decision was challenged to the Wisconsin Election Commission. On Feb. 13. the commission issued a decision saying the omission of municipality in the header did invalidate sufficient signatures on Nopenz’s petitions to take him off the ballot.

Nopenz then appealed the WEC decision to the circuit court.

About the decision, Decker said, in part: “This decision does not affect my work representing the residents of the 22nd district as I have been since I was first elected …”

Kubicki, who attended the hearing, said “Judge Schroeder felt the same as I did that the form that WEC has candidates fill out can be confusing and felt that there was sufficient compliance on Bruce’s part to be on the ballot.”

District 22 includes parts of Salem Lakes, Wheatland, Randall and Brighton.

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15 Comments

  1. Lousy System says:

    Just like schools referendums.

    Keep going to the Well until you win.

    Losing is never final, but winning is.

    Lousy system.

  2. “can be confusing” ??? says:

    So we are to “elect” a person who is confused by a election form??
    Or for that matter, not interested in making sure rules are followed??

    I wonder what other “forms”, rules, laws and god knows what else this candidate will find “confusing “ once in office.

    Can’t even follow a simple ‘fill in the blank’ form.

  3. Bernard Punsley says:

    Regarding “going to the well”……let’s be CLEAR here…..the Decker campaign filed the original complaint with the county clerk. 1st trip to “the well”. When that didn’t work, they filed a complaint with the Wis. Elections Commission. 2nd trip
    to “the well”. Nopenz then challenged that complaint with the Circuit Court..his first trip to ” the well”. What that has to do with school referendums is rather confusing.
    While the “system” may be “lousy”….a rationale argument could be made that Supervisor Decker is a lot more part of that “system’ than Mr. Nopenz is. As for “can be confusing”, our country just “elected” a “president” made “confusion” the “new normal” in the White House. He made “Drain the Swamp” popular..should we follow his mantra here in Kenosha County?

  4. Smells like dirty politics says:

    Erin Decker is using anything she can find to discredit her challenger. Nopenz operates at a much higher level than she does. He would never lower his standards and play dirty politics like Erin Decker. Vote Bruce Nopenz in.

  5. Fact Checker says:

    When Erin Decker ran for County Supervisor, she promised that she would not avail herself to the FULL TIME HEALTH INSURANCE that board members enjoyed at the time. You know “to save the taxpayers money”. Well guess what one of the FIRST things she did after being sworn onto the county board………you guessed it, enrolled in the health insurance coverage paid for by her constituents. Don’t believe me? Look it up yourself. It’s PUBLIC RECORD.

  6. Yes, let’s be CLEAR says:

    Mr. Nopenz submitted deficient paperwork and either A. didn’t know they were deficient or B. hoped the clerk would not follow the rules. Either way he was deficient with his running his staff. His first visit to the Well.

    When his paperwork was challenged the clerk again didn’t follow the rules. Second visit.

    When challenged again to the WEC he lost at the place that’s in charge of these rules.

    So he took a third ‘visit’ to a judge who didn’t follow the rules but gave him a pass on intent.

    I’m sorry but intent doesn’t cut it in my book. And for every judge you can find to not follow the law I’ll find one who will.

    It’s just who wants to go to the Well the most that wins.

  7. dirty politics?? says:

    Erin is just calling a guy out on not following the rules.

    Not her fault that there are judges willing to side with a rule breaker.

    And she’s not trying to discredit anyone. Just pointing out someone who doesn’t seem to care about the rule of law or following it.

  8. Fact Checker says:

    Hang on folks….there is a BLUE (tidal)WAVE getting ready to sweep across our nation. It will start right here in Kenosha County, as we not only “Drain the Swamp” but we “Empty the Poole” as well. Stay tuned.

  9. Level confusion? says:

    dirty politics, like holding back room meetings, missing money, and taking care of your buddies? Your correct, Mr Nopenz doesn’t play on Ms. Decker’s level, he plays far below it. Don’t believe me, ask the residents he sold out.

  10. Marie Wiltberger says:

    Nopenz is a lying snake who will lie to your face and stab you in the back. He has no problem throwing you under the bus even if it costs you your job. He only cares about himself – I agree with “level confusion and dirty politics” 100%. Again – ask ALL of the residents he screwed over.

  11. Can't win em all says:

    Win some, lose some. Decker is hard right tea party type. Nopenz leans right center.
    Time for change. We have to get rid of politicians who practice partisan politics!

  12. Fact Checker says:

    Decker embraces the hard right tea party mantra, EXCEPT when it comes to having the taxpayers pay for her health insurance! Drain the poole!!

  13. Partisan? says:

    It’s the ones in the middle that can’t get anything decisive done that keeps things stagnant. We need strong representation to fix our middle of the road problems.

    Isn’t that why we run the race?

  14. Insurance says:

    The health insurance offered should be a part of the overall salary. Take just the cash or part cash and part insurance.

    No one employee should get more compensation than another. Just the same dollars that they can place where they want.

    We should get her to change that rule so she can have her cake (insurance) and eat it too.

  15. Fact Checker says:

    I don’t have a problem with Decker or any other county board member being “entitled” to health insurance. My problem is that she ran for the position telling her constituents that she would NOT accept the health insurance benefit if she was elected, and promptly DID accept the benefit after being sworn on the board.That is a FACT. That’s the type of inconsistency that voters are fed up with. Drain the poole!

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