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Contested races in New London

Travis Nienke returned nomination papers on Tuesday, Jan. 6 to represent District I of the New London Common Council in the April 7 election.

Nienke will run against incumbent Alderman Robert Besaw.

Four other incumbent city council members will run unopposed in their respective wards. They are Tom O’Connell-District II, Lori Dean-District III, Rob Way-District IV, and David Morack-District V.

School board challenger

New London resident Chris Martinson returned his candidacy papers on Jan. 6 and announced he will make a run for New London School Board in the April 7 election. Martinson and his wife Ellen reside in New London, where he is a self-employed lumberman, with 28 years of experience in the hardwood lumber industry.

Martinson first became active in local politics in spring 2011, when he and his wife Ellen worked as volunteers for Sen. Luther Olsen’s successful effort to prevail in a recall election. He has continued to be active in conservative issues since then, including working as a volunteer for Governor Walker’s campaigns.

“I will run an active campaign, focusing on working for local control of schools, and on thriftiness in spending,” he said in a press release issued last week.

Martinson is an outspoken critic of Common Core State Standards in K12 education. He also went on record as being opposed to the school tax referendum that was on the ballot last November.

Incumbent school board members running for re-election include Jeremy Gorges, Connie Neely and Bill Schmidt. New London school board members are elected at large, and not by districts.

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