Ballot spoiling, an action unknown to many Wisconsin voters, has gotten some attention in recent weeks.
The action of spoiling one's ballot occurs in a few ways. One way that is getting attention in the courts is when a voter casts an absentee ballot and then wants to change how they voted. This may occur if the voter realizes they accidentally voted for two people in a race, learns positive or negative information about a candidate, or simply didn't know a write-in candidate was running for office, as examples. The voter would then contact their municipal clerk and request that their ballot be spoiled. The clerk invalidates the original ballot and issues a new ballot to the voter, which they can cast. This information can be found in Wis. Stat. § 6.86(5).
Spoiling one's ballot has come under scrutiny in recent weeks. A group called Restoring Trust and Integrity in Elections are against the practice of ballot spoiling. They feel the action violates Wisconsin law and increases fraud opportunities. Judge Brad Schimel understood their concerns and granted a temporary injunction that would halt ballot spoiling. However, the Democratic National Committee intervened, wanting the process to continue. They were granted a stay that put Judge Schimel's injunction on hold until the appeals court decides if it will rule on the case. For the time being, ballot spoiling is legal in Wisconsin, so if you already sent in your ballot and want to make a change, there is still time to do so by contacting your municipal clerk where you vote.
According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, "The deadline for voters to spoil ballots requested by mail is 5 p.m. the Thursday before the election," [which is November 3, 2022], "or in person by the last day where in-person absentee voting hours are offered in each municipality. Voters can find their municipal clerk’s contact information at https://MyVote.wi.gov."
This article has been updated. If you have already seen this article, please scroll down to "Update - 10/28/22" to read the responses from incumbent candidate Sheriff Brian Schmidt and write-in candidate Mr. John Brylski.
LAWSUIT FILED IN PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S RACE - 10/27/22:
Incumbent sheriff, Brian Schmidt, of Prentice, has filed a lawsuit against registered write-in, John Brylski, of Phillips. While John Brylski is not on the ballot, he is a registered write-in, and he is running for the position currently held by Brian Schmidt, which is the role of the Price County Sheriff. Brian Schmidt is running for re-election to this position.
Attorney Robert M. Mihelich, with a law office in New Berlin, Wisconsin, filed a complaint on behalf of his client, Brian S. Schmidt. Five posts, published by John Bryski on social media, are cited in the complaint. The posts were made on a Facebook page, "John Brylski for Price County Sheriff," and a Facebook group, "Justice for Shelly Hansen Missing People Unsolved Crime Victims Northern WI."
The posts made by John Brylski can be read in the complaint. The posts include information John Brylski stated he received while investigating the Shelly Hansen missing person's case and campaigning. The posts contain information stating residents and former residents have alleged corruption and misconduct by Sheriff Brian Schmidt. The complaint, made on behalf of Brian S. Schmidt, alleges these accusations are libelous and false.
My Price County obtained the official complaint, which is a public record. To view the complaint, filed by Attorney Mihelich with the circuit court, scroll to the bottom of this article. Given rumors can fly without all the information available, the public complaint is being made available to inform the public of the developing situation.
We have asked both Sheriff Brian Schmidt and Mr. John Brylski to submit their responses to this situation. They have a set time frame to respond. We will bring you those replies and any other updates regarding this developing situation in the coming days. Please check back for more information.
UPDATE - 10/28/22:
SHERIFF BRIAN SCHMIDT'S RESPONSE:
Sheriff Schmidt sent us two "read receipts" confirming he got our initial request and our reminder about his response. In our first e-mail, we stated we would put Sheriff Schmidt's response first, as he is the incumbent for sheriff and the plaintiff in this case, and then we would put Mr. Brylski's response. We gave them each two typed pages of space, and gave them a deadline. Sheriff Schmidt chose not to submit a response, unfortunately.
MR. JOHN BRYLSKI'S RESPONSE:
"In #7 of Brian Schmidt’s complaint of civil libel, it states he has never been disciplined, etc. My opinion on why Sheriff Schmidt was never disciplined is because I believe the sheriff’s office failed to properly investigate complaints filed with them when he was a deputy, or his actions were done in secret while on duty so the sheriff’s office did not learn about them. I first learned of this alleged misconduct and names of alleged victims from prior sheriffs of Price County while investigating the cold case disappearance of Shelly Hansen in 1987. I felt once I learned of this alleged misconduct of Schmidt, some even rising to unlawful, I felt it was my duty to Price County citizens to bring these allegations forward as I had the ability to properly investigate them and could not live with myself if I did not. I have statements from victims and people who know them. When I refer to "victims," I am not saying “alleged” as the victims and their families believe them to be truthful, and I find them to be truthful people. Some have stated their daughters were so traumatized and feared repercussions so they only confided in their family and friends and later, to me, as they trust me. In my reply, I will give only a few examples of what I am speaking of from the victims themselves or from their family members, but I have a number of statements supporting what I have said.
Referring to the testimonial I have on my website and Facebook page from Patricia Talley, mother of Lisa Talley, Patricia did two video interviews with me speaking of what she witnessed happened to her daughter. The incidents she referred to occurred in the early 1990s but none of them were officially reported, for fear of repercussions at the time, though some of it was told by Lisa in front of Patricia to a public defender at that time. There are many more accusations concerning Schmidt’s treatment of Lisa contained on the video interviews. I have not publicly posted the two interviews of Patricia Talley, one on 8-24-22 and one on 10-10-22. I showed the shorter 8-24-22 video to both the Phillips Police Chief and the editor of Price Co. Review.
Concerning Sheriff Schmidt’s false allegation toward me under #16 of his complaint, my reply is as follows: The statements made to me were from citizens I spoke with and were not coerced by me. Their opinions were of their own. One citizen listed in Schmidt’s complaint stated he was very aware of the corruption and behavior at Price County, mostly targeting the current sheriff. As a result, his whole family is voting for me. Also included in Schmidt’s complaint is a statement I have often heard while speaking to citizens who have lived in Price County for years. Their complaints / opinions are similar. I am not falsely asserting Sheriff Schmidt is corrupt, though I did state I mostly agreed with the citizens’ opinions. I, by no means, believe all of the deputies are corrupt. In fact, I know of no evidence of such and respect them as sheriff’s deputies putting their lives and mental health on the line every day they work. I have spoken to some, and they are very friendly.
Referencing #19, I did list this question as a fictional event and was not specifically mentioning Sheriff Schmidt or anyone, but I have often heard such assertions from different citizens, and since a name was never mentioned, I was inquiring if this woman existed stating she should contact me, which is something not uncommon for an investigator to do determine if it was true.
Referencing #22, a prior sheriff gave me the name of a woman who had a child with Schmidt. As a result, again, I felt it important to investigate as I had already learned of the incident concerning Lisa Talley. After phoning her, she met myself and the editor of Price Co Review the next day, telling her story concerning her contact with then Deputy Schmidt while he was on duty. At the very least it was misconduct in office which is unlawful under WI statutes. As a result of this sexual encounter with Deputy Schmidt while on duty, she became pregnant, which was later confirmed in a paternity test. September 1, 2022 Facebook messages that I had with this woman confirm the truth. She will go unnamed for her privacy. She told me there is more to her story than what I have heard. She further stated she has fought this battle in the past and lost.
Referencing #25, I did attempt to pass this info to county board members and met resistance. And the allegation that I “falsely assert” he engaged in further misconduct is, in my opinion, true that he did engage in further misconduct. I have located other people who consider themselves victims. The one victim completed an official Price County statement stating she felt Deputy Schmidt acted inappropriately with her during a traffic stop. I am in possession of the formal complaint that was made, but she received no response to the complaint. The second victim told me what happened to her in Price County by then Deputy Schmidt who, in her words, spoke inappropriately with her the numerous times he pulled her over. The victim, as she believes she is, completed a written statement for me containing more details, which I am in possession of. I am protecting the identity of these people, so I cannot release more details, but I do have more information to prove that I am not making libelous, false statements.
I feel Sheriff Schmidt is using this lawsuit against me to silence me."
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Document Source/Credit: Attorney Robert M. Mihelich and Wisconsin Circuit Court System
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The Phillips Public Library is holding a meeting tonight, Thursday, October 27, 2022. Larger items on the agenda for discussion and action are the 2023 library budget, nine more "challenged" books, and the election of library board officers.
The 2023 library budget will be up for discussion and action. At a prior meeting, Director Rebecca Puhl presented the idea that she and the staff should be entitled to raises. She cited flexibility of staff during COVID-19, learning new technologies to engage new patrons virtually, wearing masks to follow COVID-19 procedures, and getting through a major building project without cancelling services for more than two days as some of the reasons she and the staff deserve raises.
She also stated that local fast food restaurants and convenience stores have starting wages of $15 per hour, that the crossing guard at the City of Phillips makes $18 per hour, and that other city employees make far more money than the library staff. Director Puhl stated that three other department heads for the city will be making $5,500 more than her next year. She stated that the City of Phillips' workers serve a population of about 1,600 people whereas the Phillips Public Library serves a population of about 8,000 people.
Director Puhl also stated that the library budget can handle the increases and stated that there has not been an increase to the library budget in the last ten years. Therefore, she noted the library has cost taxpayers exactly the same for the last decade.
Employees were named by Director Puhl with lists of reasons why she and they are assets to the library and should, therefore, be given raises.
To increase pay, however, the amounts allocated for budgeted items will need to be reconsidered. There are three budget proposals on the table. One proposal is that book budgets be reduced from $16,000 to $11,000 yearly for adult books and from $16,000 to $12,000 for youth books. Taking a smaller hit would be other budget items, such as various library supplies. It is possible that well over $15,000 in budget cuts will be made to various categories. A budget will most likely be chosen and approved at the October 27, 2022 library board meeting.
Nine "challenged" will be discussed and action will be taken at the October meeting. The titles include "Calvin," "Different Can Be Great," "Dress Up Day," "Everything You Say About Me That's Wonderful is True," "From Archie to Zach," "Heather Has Two Mommies," "Love, Violet," "Papa, Daddy and Riley," and "Stella Brings the Family." "It's Perfectly Normal" is slated to be discussed at the November meeting.
You can attend the meeting via Zoom or in person at 5:05 p.m. on Thursday, October 27, 2022 in the Council Room at City Hall. The Zoom information is as follows:
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The following "ad" was created by The First Presbyterian Church of Phillips and is not part of the above article.
The First Presbyterian Church of Phillips, https://www.PhillipsPresbyterianChurch.com, extends their appreciation for Pastor Matthew Arneson in October, during Pastor Appreciation Month, and every month of every year.
The 2022 General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.
Locally, the Price County Sheriff's race will see incumbent, Brian Schmidt, being challenged by registered write-in, John Brylski. Other local races are uncontested with no registered write-ins.
Information about most candidates can be found online with a simple search. For ease of research purposes, we provided the uppermost campaign or candidate information link that we found for each candidate based on a simple web search.
Voters in both Price and Lincoln Counties will see an advisory referendum question on the November 8, 2022 ballot.
The question, "Should the State of Wisconsin prohibit election officials from soliciting or using private funds, technology or services from special interest groups, people, or other private entities for the purpose of administering elections and referendums?," was brought up due to the 2020 Presidential Election.
During that election, The Center for Tech and Civic Life gave over ten million dollars to cities across Wisconsin, with the five largest cities receiving the bulk of the funds. This became the focus of many lawsuits.
Republicans in the state felt private grant money should not be used to help run elections, realizing that influence could occur. A bill was passed in Wisconsin making the practice illegal, but Governor Tony Evers vetoed it. In June 2022, a judge decided it was legal to use such funds.
However, this advisory referendum now appears on the ballot in the upcoming election to let lawmakers know how voters feel. Votes are for advisement only and no direct legislative action will result from the vote.
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES - SHOP PRICE COUNTY FIRST: Forward Bank is a depositor-owned organization driven to move our communities forward. By offering free checking, great rates on loans & deposits, business services, leading edge digital services, and a Charitable Money Market Account, Forward Bank keeps our communities strong. For more information, visit Forward Bank's website.
The students representing all the schools in Price County gave their best at the Cross Country Sectionals Meet on Saturday, October 22, 2022. Various Phillips boys and girls, Chequamegon girls, and one Prentice girl are all headed to the WIAA State Cross Country Meet next weekend!
Photo Credit: Kim Merten
IAP IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF LOCAL SPORTS: IAP Inc. is a manufacturer of industrial fans and blowers. Impeccable service, high quality standards, continued growth & prosperity. Visit https://www.iapfan.com and follow their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/iapfans
The First Presbyterian Church of Phillips, https://www.PhillipsPresbyterianChurch.com, extends their appreciation for Pastor Matthew Arneson in October, during Pastor Appreciation Month, and every month of every year.
When a football team hasn’t won a conference championship for 54 years, people take notice and rally behind the team. This year, the Phillips community came together to show their school spirit, support of the team, and community pride, hoping the Phillips Loggers could bring home a win and a title.
The week started off with various festivities for Homecoming 2022. Halls were decorated and various dress-up days took place, such as Neon Day, Camo/Blaze Orange Day, Senior Citizen Day, TV/Cartoon Character Day, and Logger Pride Day. Various fun, competitive games were played by the Flashy Freshman, Swaggy Sophomores, Jacked-up Juniors, and Squealing Seniors. Most importantly, a pep rally was held to get the entire school district ready for the big game.
Photo submitted by Sarah Pisca
Twelve students vied for the title of king and queen. Cole Abraham and Kendall Weik won the titles and were crowned as the Homecoming king and queen for 2022.
Students and parents showed their school spirit with a number of floats at the parade. Each class entered a float as did the school’s cooks, football parents, and the band capped off the parade.
Photos submitted by Lynne Bohn
Photo submitted by Sarah Pisca
Photo submitted by Jodi Podmolik
During the Homecoming game on Friday night, Logger Field was filled with energy from the crowd. They all knew that a conference championship title had not been won by the Loggers since 1968, 54 long years ago. It didn’t take this season’s Loggers long to prove they could clinch the title. With a score of 72 to 8, the Phillips Loggers beat the Washburn Castleguards and took home the conference championship title.
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES - SHOP PRICE COUNTY FIRST: Deer Creek Angus, LLC has a large selection of Black Angus burgers, steaks, roasts, and other beef products sold by individual packages and in quarters, halves, and whole. Contact Deer Creek Angus, LLC at 715-550-6156, find products & pricing on their website, and follow their Facebook page.
At the September Common Council meeting in Phillips, a request was made for the re-positioning of the playground and volleyball court in Elk Lake Park.
Kristen Harper and Jordan Spacek were in attendance requesting the council consider switching the location of the playground equipment and the volleyball courts. Kristen stated that if they were switched, positive results would be it would keep the sand out of the splash pad, there would be more visibility for parents who are attending events in the park to see their children on the playground equipment, plus the playground equipment would be a little further away from the water which would be safer for the kids. She added that a con could be that the playground equipment would potentially block the view of the stage if someone was sitting in the pavilion.
Department of Public Works Director Jeff Williams did not see any issues with making the switch, but the council would have to consider the lift station and the electrical that is already in place.
The general consensus of the council was that they felt switching the location of the volleyball court and playground was a good idea. No action was taken at the meeting in regard to a final decision.
Two people made their comments on the My Price County Classifieds & Discussion Facebook group. One said that moving the playground equipment may be difficult, because there is a lot of scrap metal under the current playground. Another person suggested relocating the volleyball court to the north of the stage and then new playground equipment could be put where the volleyball court had been. This would save time and money by not moving the original playground equipment.
TURNER STREET
On Monday, October 17, 2022, Turner Street, which is currently a one-way street in front of the former elementary school, will return to two-way traffic use. The former elementary school is now being used as offices by the school district and a one-way street is no longer needed. Signage and road markings will be removed to reflect this change.
YOU HAVE AN INDEPENDENT WRITE-IN OPTION FOR PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF: Visit John Brylski's website to learn about John, his philosophies on law enforcement, his endorsements, and more. Follow John's Facebook page to receive updates and more information about his candidacy.
T.B. Scott Free Library, the Tomahawk Public Library, the League of Women Voters and the UW-Madison Extension-Lincoln County will co-host a Lincoln County Sheriff Candidate Forum to be held on Monday, October 24th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Merrill Enrichment Center. Doors will open at 5:30 pm.
The candidates for the office of Sherriff of Lincoln County are Garrett Dinges, Ken Schneider, and Marlyn Woodward. Refreshments will be served.
The Candidate Forum will provide the public with an opportunity to see the candidates, listen to their ideas for the future of the Lincoln County Sherriff’s Department, and hear the candidate’s responses to citizen concerns.
Questions for the candidates can be submitted in advance either through the T.B Scott Library website or the Tomahawk Public Library website. Citizens may also submit questions in writing at either of the two libraries Also, beginning at 5:30 pm on the day of the event, those who attend in person can submit their questions for the candidates by filling out a card and placing it into a box. Questions will be collected and sorted by topic in order to ensure a wide range of issues are covered. All three candidates will provide opening and closing statements as part of the Forum.
The fall election will be held on Tuesday, November 8th, with the polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Source: Elizabeth McCrank, Community Development Educator, UW-Madison Extension – Lincoln County
