By Carter Waelchli
On April 1st, cities all around Wisconsin will go to the polls to vote on a variety of measures from the widely publicized state Supreme Court race to a constitutional amendment on photo identification for voting. Voters in Whitewater will have a few additional races and referendums on their ballot. Two open seats on the school board need to be filled, and the Whitewater Unified School District is asking for $30 million in funds to be used on renovation projects throughout the district. Additionally, the City of Whitewater is requesting $1.3 million annually to hire additional staff for the city’s fire and emergency services.
The City of Whitewater referendum asks for an increase in taxpayer funds in order to hire five additional police officers, two Fire/EMS personnel, and a 911 dispatcher. The full figure, dispersed among all local taxpayers, would be $1,305,782. Individually, taxpayers in Walworth County would see an annual increase of $118 per $100,000 of assessed property value, while taxpayers in Jefferson County would see an annual increase of $92 per $100,000 of assessed property value. Should the referendum pass, these increases would take effect beginning in December 2025.
The Whitewater Unified School District referendum asks for an increase in taxpayer funds in order to complete a variety of improvement projects across schools in the district. These projects include general repairs and upgrades to HVAC systems, plumbing and electrical systems, and windows and roofing at all WUSD schools. Larger renovations and expansions to the high school’s auditorium and technical education wing are included in the referendum as well. The full figure, dispersed among all local taxpayers, would be $30 million. Individually, taxpayers in the City of Whitewater would see an annual increase of $47 per $100,000 of assessed property value.
The Whitewater Unified School District board has two seats up for election. Incumbents Miguel Aranda and current board president Jenefer Kienbaum are running for reelection, and Nick Baldwin and Wayne Redenius are running for their seats. Aranda directs youth pre-college outreach programs for UW-Whitewater, Baldwin is a former technical education teacher, Kienbaum is an active leader in local chapters of Cub Scouts and 4H, and Redenius is a former agriculture teacher. Aranda and Baldwin both attended WUSD schools, and Aranda and Kienbaum both attended UW-Whitewater.
Polls are open in Whitewater from 7am-8pm on April 1st, 2025. Polling locations are the Whitewater Armory and the Old Main Ballroom at the James R. Connor University Center. Early voting is open at the City Clerk’s office in the Whitewater Municipal Building until March 30th. Absentee ballots should be mailed by Thursday, March 27th. To find out more about the upcoming election, visit https://myvote.wi.gov.
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