EAU CLAIRE
Eight candidates will be running for five at-large Eau Claire City Council seats up on April 6. Four of them are incumbents seeking re-election: Jackie Pavelski, Larry Balow, Thomas Vue, and Dana Wachs. The other four candidates include college student and community volunteer Catherine Emmanuelle, retired accountant and former council president Allan Hofland, Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Department detective Allen Myren, and Eau Claire Fire Department lieutenant Mark Olson. Also looking for election on April 6 are candidates for the school board. Unfortunately, however, only three people filed for the three open seats. By default, incumbents Ken Faanes and Brent Wogahn and former board member Bob Janke will be elected to the seats.

ALTOONA
The Altoona elections should be fairly straightforward. Two incumbents (Dale Stuber and Robert “Red” Hanks) will run unopposed for their seats on the city council, while mayor Tom Meyer and District 3 representative William Spangler look to swap their posts. The school board presidential incumbent, Ed Bohn, will run unopposed, as will incumbent Robert “Red” Hanks.

MENOMONIE
Menomonie has perhaps the most contested races in the area, as incumbent Dennis Kropp will face opposition from school board member Randy Knaack for the mayor seat. While three incumbent seats on the city council will run unopposed, Ward 2 will see former council member Sandy White against Emilie Wiese for the post vacated by Jerry Traxler and Ward 6 incumbent Lee Schwebs will face Joshua Risler. No one filed for Ward 5, which will require a special election. Three school board seats will be filled by two incumbents and newcomer Jessica Bryan.

CHIPPEWA FALLS
Three of the Chippewa Falls City Council seats are uncontested by incumbents for the April 6 election, but former councilman Chuck Hull will face county board member Dale Berg for the seat vacated by Jason Anderson. The school board race also involves a familiar face, as former district principal James Dimock seeks to fill one of three open seats, the other two to be filled by incumbents Jerry Smith and Larry Sommerfeld.