Dan Wald was a candidate for at-large representative on the Marshfield School District Board of Education in Wisconsin. Wald ran for the seat in the primary election on February 16, 2016. He was one of the top four vote recipients and advanced to the general election that was held on April 5, 2016. Wald was defeated by Amber Leifheit and Dale Yakaites.[1]
Wald was a 2012 Republican candidate for District 70 of the Wisconsin State Assembly. He was defeated in the Republican primary election.[2]
Wald works as a product engineer and quality program manager for Wisconsin Homes, Inc. He is a member of the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code Council. He is also the chairman of the Republican Party of Wood County. Wald obtained a bachelor's degree in indutrial technology and management engineering from the University of Wisconsin - Stout. He also obtained a certification in lean six sigma from North Central Technical College.[3]
Two of the seven at-large seats on the Marshfield School District school board were up for general election on April 5, 2016. A primary election was held February 16, 2016. The seats of incumbents Amber Leifheit and Pete Mancl were up for election. Mancl did not run for re-election. Leifheit faced Thomas Binder, Mark Critelli, Dan Wald and Dale Yakaites in the primary election. All of the candidates, with the exception of Binder, advanced to the general election. Leifheit and Yakaites defeated Wald and Critelli in the general election.[1]
Marshfield School District, At-Large General Election, 3-year terms, 2016 |
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---|---|---|
Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
Amber Leifheit Incumbent | 31.81% | 5,035 |
Dale Yakaites | 28.00% | 4,433 |
Dan Wald | 21.48% | 3,400 |
Mark Critelli | 18.70% | 2,960 |
Write-in votes | 0.01% | 2 |
Total Votes (100) | 15,830 | |
Source: Tiffany Rouse, "Email correspondence with Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Jennifer Heeg," June 6, 2016 |
Marshfield School District, At-Large Primary Election, 3-year terms, 2016 |
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---|---|---|
Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
Amber Leifheit Incumbent | 31.10% | 1,546 |
Dale Yakaites | 25.73% | 1,279 |
Dan Wald | 17.34% | 862 |
Mark Critelli | 13.44% | 668 |
Thomas Binder | 12.39% | 616 |
Total Votes (100) | 4,971 | |
Source: Tiffany Rouse, "Email correspondence with Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Jennifer Heeg," March 16, 2016 |
Wald reported no contributions or expenditures to the Marshfield School District in the election.[4] Any candidate spending or receiving less than $2,000 was not required to file a campaign finance report.[5]
Wald received no official endorsements for his campaign during the election.
Wald ran in the 2012 election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 70. He was defeated by Nancy VanderMeer in the Republican primary on August 14, 2012.[6] Incumbent Amy Vruwink (D) ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. The general election took place on November 6, 2012.[7]
Wisconsin State Assembly, District 70 Republican Primary, 2012 | ||
---|---|---|
Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
Nancy VanderMeer | 58.6% | 3,125 |
Dan Wald | 41.4% | 2,205 |
Total Votes | 5,330 |
Wald responded to the following questions in an interview with The Hub City Times:
“ | Why are you running?
I am running for the Marshfield School Board to be a voice for taxpayers, parents, and students. I feel we need to ensure our resources are utilized efficiently and appropriately. As a resident and stakeholder of the Marshfield School District, I take a great interest in our Marshfield schools and how they are managed. My wife is a teacher and has taught in the Marshfield School District for 15 years, so I appreciate what our teachers do in the classroom and the challenges they face. I believe in the Marshfield School District and am a lifetime member of the Marshfield Tiger Booster Club. We need to continuously improve our policies and fiscal management to allow our educators and support staff to provide a great education for our students. I would like to see more creative ways to educate our students implemented into the curriculum. We can draw on these ideas from our teachers. There is always room for improvement. I have the experience and background to help facilitate improvements. What do you see as the most significant issue facing the school district that you would have to deal with as a board member? The most immediate and pressing issue will be the proposed referendum for operating expenses. Balancing the district budget is vital, and, of course, money always is an issue. Assuredly, this will become a very hot topic in the near future for everyone in the district. Before we decide to go to referendum, we should be finding waste to eliminate. In the past, eliminating waste appeared to have been overlooked or not followed through. I am troubled when we hear that if a referendum is not passed, we will have to cut programs or lay off teachers. We need to follow through with proposals that eliminate waste while still retaining staff and programs. Getting the most bang for our buck is crucial. We need to keep our great teachers in the classroom and maintain our support staff and programs to remain one of Wisconsin’s top school districts. Why should citizens vote for you? I have the experience and perspective needed to make decisions regarding our district policies and fiscal management. I also have the skill sets and compassion to listen to all stakeholders. My job as a product engineer, position as chairman of the Republican Party of Wood County, and member of the Uniform Dwelling Code Council have brought me vast experience when working through issues, solving problems, and finding areas of agreement. I am also not a person to agree with everyone on every issue, but I certainly need to hear perspectives from all citizens. As a responsible school board member, I need to question. I need to ask why. I will be that school board member who will not just go along to get along. I will be your voice and responsible to you.[8] |
” |
—Dan Wald (2016)[9] |
The Marshfield School District lies in two counties in central Wisconsin: Marathon and Wood. Their respective seats of government are Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids. In 2014, Marathon County was home to 135,780 residents and Wood County was home to 73,608 residents, according to the United States Census Bureau.[10][11] The district was the 45th-largest school district in the state in the 2013–2014 school year and served 4,014 students.[12]
Both counties underperformed compared to Wisconsin as a whole in terms of higher education achievement from 2009 to 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 22.2 percent of Marathon County residents and 18.8 percent of Wood County residents aged 25 years or older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 26.8 percent of state residents.[10][11]
From 2009 to 2013, the median household incomes in Marathon County and Wood County were $53,363 and was $47,685, compared to $52,413 for Wisconsin.[10][11] During that same time period, the median household income for the United States was $53,046.[13]
The poverty rates in Marathon County and Wood County were 10.9 percent and 11 percent from 2009 to 2013. During that same time period, the poverty rate was 13.0 percent for the state, and it was 15.4 percent for the country as a whole.[10][11][13]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
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2016 Marshfield School District Elections | |
Marathon County, Wisconsin and Wood County, Wisconsin | |
Election date: | Primary Election: February 16, 2016 • General Election: April 5, 2016 |
Candidates: | At-large: Incumbent, Amber Leifheit • Thomas Binder • Mark Critelli • Dan Wald • Dale Yakaites |
Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional measures on the ballot |