Neenah Joint School District, Wisconsin, elections (2024)
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Incumbent Brian Epley, Alex Corrigan, and Susan Garcia Franz defeated Chari Long, Jeb Pfeifle, and Roxanne Schwandt-Knutson in the nonpartisan general election for three at-large seats on the Neenah Joint School District Board of Education on April 2, 2024. Incumbent David Williams did not seek re-election and incumbent Kristian Sahr was defeated in the primary, leaving two seats open. As of April 3, 2024, Epley had 18.9% of the vote, followed by Corrigan and Garcia Franz with 16.9% of the vote each. Schwandt-Knutson had 16.0% of the vote, Long had 15.6%, and Pfeifle had 15.5%.
The Wisconsin Education Association Council and the Democratic and Republican parties of Winnebago County supported different sets of candidates. Winning candidates Epley, Corrigan, and Garcia Franz ran with support from the Wisconsin Education Association Council and the Democratic Party of Winnebago County. Long, Pfeifle, and Schwandt-Knutson ran with support from the Republican Party of Winnebago County.[1][2][3][4]
Epley was a parent who was first elected to the board in 2018.[5] Epley said he was running to provide "thoughtful, compassionate, and responsible leadership for our schools...through our District’s transition to a new Superintendent."[5] As of March 27, 2024, neither Corrigan nor Garcia Franz had publicly-available campaign materials. The Wisconsin Education Association endorsed all three candidates.[2] The Democratic Party of Winnebago County did not issue endorsements but did encourage members to vote for all three and provided volunteers to conduct outreach on Corrigan's behalf.[4][1] The Wisconsin branch of the AFL-CIO endorsed Corrigan and Garcia Franz.[6]
Long was, as of the election, a parent, project coordinator, and yoga instructor. Long said her priorities were allowing easier public access to information on spending, improving standardized test scores, and creating a panel to review books in school libraries for vulgar content.[7] Pfeifle was a parent. Pfeifle said his priorities were improving standardized test scores and ensuring public access to board decision-making, curricula, and budget information.[8] Schwandt-Knutson was, at the time of the election, a parent and realtor. Schwandt-Knutson said her priorities were ensuring each individual student's needs were met, "emphasizing the need for fiscally responsible decision-making", and promoting partnerships with local business owners, nonprofits, and technical schools.[9] The Republican Party of Winnebago County and 1776 PAC endorsed all three.[3][10] The county Republican Party funded mailers in support of all three.[1]
In the February 20, 2024, nonpartisan primary, the three Democratic-supported candidates received a combined 47.4% of the vote and the three Republican-supported candidates received a combined 33.2%.[11] In the general election, the Democratic-support candidates received a combined 52.7% to the Republican-supported candidates' 47.1%. There were seven seats on the Neenah Joint School District Board of Education. Candidates were elected to three-year terms.
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Elections
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Candidates and results
General election
General election for Neenah Joint School District Board of Education At-large (3 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Neenah Joint School District Board of Education At-large on April 2, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Brian Epley (Nonpartisan) | 18.9 | 4,218 | |
| ✔ | Alex Corrigan (Nonpartisan) | 16.9 | 3,772 | |
| ✔ | Susan Garcia Franz (Nonpartisan) | 16.9 | 3,772 | |
| Roxanne Schwandt-Knutson (Nonpartisan) | 16.0 | 3,572 | ||
| Chari Long (Nonpartisan) | 15.6 | 3,485 | ||
| Jeb Pfeifle (Nonpartisan) | 15.6 | 3,466 | ||
| Total votes: 22,285 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Neenah Joint School District Board of Education At-large (3 seats)
The following candidates ran in the primary for Neenah Joint School District Board of Education At-large on February 20, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Alex Corrigan (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Brian Epley (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Susan Garcia Franz (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Tom Hanby (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Chari Long (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Jeb Pfeifle (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Kristian Sahr (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Roxanne Schwandt-Knutson (Nonpartisan) | ||
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Wisconsin elections, 2024
Candidate comparison
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
No candidate in this race completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Wisconsin
What was the voter registration deadline?
- In-person: April 2, 2024.
- By mail: Postmarked by March 13, 2024.
- Online: March 13, 2024.
What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?
- By mail: Received by March 28, 2024.
- Online: March 28, 2024.
What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?
- By mail: Received by April 2, 2024.
Was early voting available to all voters? Yes.
What were the early voting start and end dates? Early voting opened on March 19, 2024, and closed on March 22, 2024. Early voting re-opened on March 25, 2024, and closed on March 29, 2024.[12]
Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required? All voters were required to present ID at the polls, with the exception of confidential electors. A photo ID was required.
When were polls open on Election Day? Polls opened at 7:00 AM and closed at 8:00 PM.
Noteworthy endorsements
Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.
| Noteworthy endorsements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endorser |  Alex Corrigan | Brian Epley | Susan Garcia Franz | Chari Long | Jeb Pfeifle | Roxanne Schwandt-Knutson
|
| Organizations | ||||||
| 1776 Project PAC source 1 source 2 source 3 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Calumet County, Wisc., Democratic Party source 1 source 2 source 3 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Fox Valley Area Labor Council AFL-CIO source 1 source 2 | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| Outagamie County, Wisc., Democratic Party source 1 source 2 source 3 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Republican Party of Wisconsin source 1 source 2 source 3 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Teamsters Union Local 662 source 1 source 2 | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| Wisconsin Education Association Council source 1 source 2 source 3 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Wisconsin State AFL-CIO source 1 source 2 | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
Campaign finance
Candidates in this election submitted campaign finance reports to the Neenah City Clerk. Click here for information on how to submit an open records request for those reports.
About the district
- See also: Neenah Joint School District, Wisconsin
The Neenah Joint School District is located in Winnebago County, Wisconsin.
District map
Overlapping state house districts
The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[13]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $10,080,000 | $1,545 | 9% |
| Local: | $48,045,000 | $7,362 | 44% |
| State: | $49,824,000 | $7,635 | 46% |
| Total: | $107,949,000 | $16,541 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $144,600,000 | $22,157 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $79,922,000 | $12,246 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $44,869,000 | $6,875 | 31% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $9,004,000 | $1,379 | 6% |
| Administration: | $10,880,000 | $1,667 | 8% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $15,169,000 | $2,324 | 10% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $54,597,000 | $8,366 | |
| Construction: | $53,116,000 | $8,139 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $246,000 | $37 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $2,861,000 | $438 |
Students
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 6,497 | -0.5 |
| 2022-2023 | 6,527 | 0.0 |
| 2021-2022 | 6,526 | -0.7 |
| 2020-2021 | 6,572 | -2.0 |
| 2019-2020 | 6,702 | -0.2 |
| 2018-2019 | 6,714 | 0.2 |
| 2017-2018 | 6,699 | 0.9 |
| 2016-2017 | 6,639 | 1.5 |
| 2015-2016 | 6,538 | 5.9 |
| 2014-2015 | 6,155 | -1.2 |
| 2013-2014 | 6,226 | 0.0 |
| 2012-2013 | 6,228 | -0.7 |
| 2011-2012 | 6,274 | -1.1 |
| 2010-2011 | 6,345 | 0.3 |
| 2009-2010 | 6,327 | 0.6 |
| 2008-2009 | 6,289 | -0.3 |
| 2007-2008 | 6,309 | -0.4 |
| 2006-2007 | 6,335 | 0.0 |
| 2005-2006 | 6,332 | 0.6 |
| 2004-2005 | 6,296 | -1.4 |
| 2003-2004 | 6,387 | -1.0 |
| 2002-2003 | 6,449 | -2.3 |
| 2001-2002 | 6,595 | -0.2 |
| 2000-2001 | 6,608 | 0.3 |
| 1999-2000 | 6,585 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Neenah Joint School District (%) | Wisconsin K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.4 | 1.0 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 4.1 | 4.3 |
| Black | 2.8 | 8.8 |
| Hispanic | 7.2 | 14.0 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Two or More Races | 4.7 | 5.4 |
| White | 80.7 | 66.5 |
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.
Staff
As of the 2023-2024 school year, Neenah Joint School District had 414.74 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 15.67.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 11.80 |
| Kindergarten: | 20.00 |
| Elementary: | 163.30 |
| Secondary: | 219.64 |
| Total: | 414.74 |
Neenah Joint School District employed 3.00 district administrators and 22.17 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 3.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 12.00 |
| School Administrators: | 22.17 |
| School Administrative Support: | 23.00 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 45.30 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 9.00 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 20.00 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 9.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 11.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 10.50 |
| Library/Media Support: | 8.50 |
| Student Support Services: | 111.28 |
| Other Support Services: | 118.03 |
Schools
2024 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This was a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections included:
- California's 45th Congressional District election, 2024
- Los Angeles County District Attorney election, 2024 (March 5 nonpartisan primary)
- North Carolina Secretary of State election, 2024
See also
| Neenah Joint School District | Wisconsin | School Boards |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Appleton Post-Crescent, "Here's who's behind latest mailers, attack ads in the Neenah school board election," March 27, 2024
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wisconsin Education Association Council, "Union-Recommended Candidates," accessed March 27, 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Winnebago County Republican Party, "April 2, 2024, Recommendations," accessed March 27, 2024
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Facebook, "Winnebago County (WI) Democratic Party on March 20, 2024," accessed March 27, 2024
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Facebook, "Brian Epley for Neenah School Board on March 19, 2024," accessed March 27, 2024
- ↑ Wisconsin AFL-CIO, "2024 Spring Election - Endorsed Candidates," accessed March 27, 2024
- ↑ Chari Long campaign website, "Home page," accessed March 27, 2024
- ↑ Jeb Pfeifle campaign website, "Home page," accessed March 27, 2024
- ↑ Roxanne Schwandt-Knutson campaign website, "Home page," accessed March 27, 2024
- ↑ 1776 Project PAC, "Our Endorsed Candidates," accessed March 27, 2024
- ↑ City of Neenah, "February 20, 2024, Spring Primary Official Canvassed Election Results by Polling Location," accessed March 27, 2024
- ↑ City of Neenah, "Election Information," accessed March 27, 2024
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
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