<body><div>EAGLE RIVER, Wis. (WJFW) — When voters in Eagle River received their ballots this midterm election, they had a chance to vote on a referendum that could potentially shake up the local political scene here in Eagle River.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=10PAwd_1GqPsxIQ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=10PAwd_1GqPsxIQ00" width="1137" height="633" ></figure>The Eagle River Common Council voted against establishing term limits for Alderpersons and mayors back in August, but the vote appeared on the ballot following a citizen-led petition. On Tuesday, some 500 of the total 708 voters answered ‘yes’ to the referendum.Petition organizer Kathryn Craffey said many residents feel they should be able to run for office without having to face a decades long incumbent with troves of name recognition.“They want to be engaged," Craffey said. "It was a record turnout during the midterm election last week, and I think that they will perhaps consider running for public office if they're not running against a two-decade, three-decade incumbent.”<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0H0WjO_1GqPsxIQ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0H0WjO_1GqPsxIQ00" width="1134" height="638" ></figure>Craffey said some have described frustration with decisions from current local leaders and feel it’s time for new blood.“Certainly, there's stagnation, there's groupthink," she said. "When people have been in office for two decades, three decades… it makes it more difficult for people to run against an entrenched long-term incumbent.”Kim Schaffer has been an Eagle River alderperson for nearly 30 years. The new term limits ordinance prevents her from running for alderperson or mayor in 2027, and she will have to wait six years before she can run again. Current Mayor Debra Brown said most folks underestimate the difficulty of holding public office.“People don't generally understand that it's hard enough to get people to run for these offices, much less take the abuse that they do," Brown said. Brown said the referendum is a double-edged sword. She doesn’t think new people will step up and run in Eagle River, and instead the town is losing an experienced public servant.“Kim has been on there a long time, granted, but she was so valuable to us, saved us lots of money on different things, and it's just a downright shame that we are losing her.”Schaffer, 65, said she has no plans for higher office, but declined an on-camera interview. She said she’s not a politician, just someone who has served her community for a long time.</div></body>

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EAGLE RIVER, Wis. (WJFW) — When voters in Eagle River received their ballots this midterm election, they had a chance to vote on a referendum that could potentially shake up the local political scene here in Eagle River. The Eagle River Common Council voted against establishing term limits for...

Eagle River voters pass term limit referendum

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EAGLE RIVER, Wis. (WJFW) — When voters in Eagle River received their ballots this midterm election, they had a chance to vote on a referendum that could po

Eagle River voters pass term limit referendum

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