GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — The results have been finalized for the Green Bay city council races, and four new alders will be sworn in to office later Tuesday night.
- Republican-endorsed incumbent Steven Campbell paid the city clerk's office $4,306.76 to recount the race between him and Democrat-endorsed candidate Joey Prestley.
- The initial count showed Prestley edged out Campbell by 15 votes, and then Campbell petitioned the clerk's office 10 minutes before the April 11 deadline to recount the race.
- Campbell wanted the ballots recounted by hand, but the Green Bay city clerk said the Board of Canvas makes that decision, and the board said they preferred to recount the ballots by a tabulator.
After District 6 Alder Steven Campbell paid more than $4,000 to recount the April primary results, he still managed to lose to Alder-elect Joey Prestley by 14 votes.
"We've got four new faces. So that's a third of our council. That's going to be new. So, there's a lot to be learned by our new members, but I had a chance to get to know all of them, and obviously I'm very familiar with existing members and incumbents who are carrying forward. So, I'm looking forward to tackling a lot of issues in the next council session," said Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich.
Mayor Genrich says he appreciates the contributions and community service from outgoing alders, and he says he's excited to get to work with new members like District 6 Alder-elect Joey Prestley.
"I mean, I'm excited! I think it's an exciting time for city council. We have a lot of younger people with fresh ideas, but also there are people who have been there who have ideas that maybe haven't been able to come to fruition. So, I think it's a really exciting time for the city," Prestley said.
The initial count in the race for District 6 had Prestley leading Campbell by 15 votes, but the recount Campbell requested ended with Prestley beating Campbell by 14 votes. So, the nearly $4,000 recount showed a difference in results by just one vote.
Prestley says the recount was an eye-opening experience—especially since it was his first time running for office.
"It's interesting seeing the process as it's laid out, and I'm happy to do it," Prestley said.
With the recount behind them, Alder-elect Prestley and Mayor Genrich say they're setting their sights on big projects, like offering more affordable housing options and preparing for the upcoming NFL Draft.
"What we can do for housing right now is really exciting, because there are opportunities for new developments and stuff that's already in the works, looking at new ways we can make sure we have affordable housing. Some of the new builds are luxury, but we want to make sure we have a good mix of - we need the luxury, but we also need so many new units over the next 10 years. So, if we can at least get some of those plans rolling in my tenure, then I'll be happy," Prestley said.
"A lot of learning from peer cities who have experienced the NFL Draft, and we'll be experiencing it here. It's a huge opportunity for us, and just understand that we're putting our best foot forward, and I know that we will," Mayor Genrich said.
We initially reached out to incumbent Alder Steve Campbell to ask whether he planned to petition for a recount, and he said he didn't not have time to talk.
Tuesday's common council meeting kicks off at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall.
You can also watch the swearing-in ceremony online if you can't make it in person.
