Change of heart won’t change PW-S school ballot

It may look like there’s a race for a Port Washington-Saukville School Board seat, but one of the candidates said he doesn’t want to be on the April ballot.

Saukville resident Sulaimon Jimoh filed a campaign registration statement and declaration of candidacy to run against incumbent Yvonne Klotz of Port Washington for the at-large seat on the nine-member board.

But in an interview Tuesday, Jimoh said he decided to withdraw his papers after consulting with the School District because he does not want to run against a board member who he believes is “doing a very good job.”

Jimoh said he notified the district of his intent not to run prior to the deadline for filing nomination papers, which was 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7.

His name, however, will still appear on the ballot because once nomination papers are submitted, they can’t be withdrawn, Heidi Belohlav, executive assistant to Supt. Michael McMahon and the School Board, said. That determination was based on guidance from the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, she said.

“When a candidate submits their campaign registration statement and their declaration of candidacy, the legal title to those materials ‘irrevocably transfers the legal title to such official or agency, regardless of the sufficiency of the filing,’ under Section 7.24,” according to the association. “Thus, after submitting those documents, a candidate may not withdraw those documents. Further, as mentioned previously, once a person files ballot access documents that qualify the individual’s name to appear on the ballot, the individual cannot withdraw his/her name from the ballot.

“This is true even if the person expresses his/her desire to withdraw prior to the formal ballot access deadline.”

The two other School Board members whose seats are up for election — Brian Stevens and Karen Krainz — are running unopposed for re-election. Both hold seats representing the City of Port Washington on the board.