MENOMONEE FALLS — Voters in the Menomonee Falls School District have elected three members to the school board following a closely watched and, at times, contentious race that drew six candidates for three open seats.
Current school board President Nina Christensen, Hallie Newman Schmeling, and Jesse Cramer won the race.
Schmeling received the most votes with 6,424 (18%), followed by Christensen with 6,349 (18%) and Cramer with 5,803 (17%), according to unofficial results from Waukesha County.
Watch: Menomonee Falls race: Christensen re-elected, Schmeling and Cramer elected
In total, more than 35,000 votes were cast.
The other three candidates were incumbent Chris Stueland, Adam E. Sachs, and Derek Blemberg.
The race drew increased public attention and protest in the final weeks.
"I think parents need more input in the schools. Schools don’t need to tell anybody what they’re doing," Rob Kutz, a voter, said.
Earlier in March, a downtown gun store and the conservative political group Turning Point hosted an event for Stueland and Sachs.
On March 13, the League of Women Voters hosted a nonpartisan candidate forum at the public library.
Christensen, Stueland, and Sachs declined to attend the forum, citing concerns over what they described as bias.
Schmeling is a former special education teacher and past president of the Menomonee Falls Education Association. According to her website, she focused her campaign on increasing educator involvement in decision-making and supporting student well-being. She is a Menomonee Falls High School graduate.
Christensen, re-elected to a second term, emphasized her experience in school board governance, including budget management, curriculum, and teacher support. She campaigned on priorities such as academic excellence and fiscal responsibility, according to her website.
Cramer, an assistant professor and lifelong resident of southeastern Wisconsin, centered his platform on transparency, supporting teachers, and ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive curriculum, according to his website.
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