UPDATE:
Alderman Ken Tutaj defeated incumbent St. Francis Mayor CoryAnn St. Marie-Carls in a special recall election Tuesday.
According to the unofficial totals, Tutaj received 1,175 votes to the mayor’s 789. The turnout was 39 percent.
ORIGINAL STORY:
ST. FRANCIS -- Polls open for a special recall election in St. Francis on Tuesday.
A private citizen collected more than 1,200 signatures to recall the mayor for 'unprofessional behavior unbecoming of an elected official.'
"The recall election took me by surprise," said CoryAnn St. Marie-Carls, St. Francis Mayor.
Alderman Ken Tutaj helped collect signatures. He is now running against her. He claims to have seen dysfunction first hand at City Hall.
"I've witnessed here in the rotunda, her yelling and screaming at city staff on the top of her lungs," Tutaj says.
"I'm not aware of Ken Tutaj witnessing anything, so I really don't know what you're talking about," the mayor responded.
"I'll stand by what I saw and witnessed," said Tutaj.
"I do ask the city employees tough questions as any mayor does," explained the mayor.
Both candidates promise to put everything behind them after the special election.
Tutaj says he would bring his 25 years of leadership experience serving in the 128th Air National Guard.
"Twenty-five years honing that leadership skills that experience will help me bring back the integrity of the office of the mayor," said Tutaj.
The current mayor says she has brought extensive experience to her role, having worked in city government for Kenosha and in Menomonee Falls.
"The behavior of the mayor is not necessarily something they're worried about they want their mayor to be passionate they want their mayor to get it done," explained the mayor.
The city clerk says the mayor requested a stay on this election, which was denied.
The mayor then submitted a challenge to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
On Friday, the commission responded upholding this special election. Because of this, the special election will go on as planned Tuesday, March 13 starting at 7 a.m.
