Waukesha Times

On April 2, Wisconsin residents will cast their votes in the presidential primary along with various local races, including the Elmbrook School Board election.

With one day remaining until the Elmwood School Board election, candidate Peter Machi is telling of a visit to his home by law enforcement officials allegedly related to his residency status.

Machi addressed the incident, which occurred on Good Friday, detailing how an Elm Grove Police Officer, acting on directions from village staff, attempted to serve notice at his former address in Brookfield before ultimately locating him at his Elm Grove residence.

Machi condemned the timing of the allegations, which surfaced mere days before the election.

“This is just to create confusion,” he told Waukesha Times. “This is to make voters have to scratch their heads in a 11th hour, desperate attempt, in order to undermine my candidacy. Because, for some, for some parties, it's just if you can't win on the issues and you can't win with arguments, you bring out all sorts of ugly things in a playbook. And I think it's really unfortunate.”

He emphasized that this encounter, coupled with his extensive documentation of being a registered voter at his current address since late 2023, leaves no doubt about his eligibility to run for office.

Describing the timing of the visit as particularly concerning, Machi highlighted discrepancies in the handling of the situation, including the expedited response timeline demanded by the village office, which he claims violates state statutes governing such matters.

Machi underscored his commitment to running a clean campaign focused on substantive issues.

He lamented the use of what he termed "dirty tactics" in local politics, emphasizing the need for candidates to set a standard of decency reflective of the community's values.

“I'd like to run a clean campaign, not have those kinds of dirty tactics against my opponents, because I think that we set the standard of decency as candidates that we want to have happen in the governance of our schools, that we want to have happen within our schools,” Machi said.  

“The standards that we set as candidates dictates the philosophy and culture in our schools, which affects our entire community. Sure. And I think that we should do better and comport ourselves with better behavior than what I've been treated with.”

Machi characterized the move as a display of political gamesmanship that does a disservice to the community.

“What we can say is that last year, the conservative lost by 48 votes,” Machi said.

“Using every tactic you can to get that little edge makes a difference. They can use 30 people. 40 people, 50 people. That's it. That's the margin right there. Yeah. I mean, and in a district of, some 38,000 voters swaying and confusing, 50 shouldn't be that hard to do. And when you start throwing out stuff like this. Sure.“

In a video released after the incident Machi discussed the incident with his children, one of whom expressed confusion, stating that the police usually only come to arrest people.

According to comments provided in an email, Rebecca Kleefisch, President, 1848 Project condemned the incident as harassment by the "far left," asserting that conservative parents should not be intimidated into silence in defending their children.

Kleefisch also highlighted instances of substantial financial support from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in school board races across the state, including significant contributions from out-of-state donors such as George Soros and Reid Hoffman.

The revelation of this financial backing raised questions about the influence of external interests in local school board elections and prompted calls for greater transparency and accountability.

Machi is an attorney, tech entrepreneur and mentor and has taught at MIT who is emphasizing responsible fiscal management, aiming to ensure taxpayers' dollars are efficiently used within the district's $79 million annual budget.

He also prioritizes addressing concerns about library materials and improving academic outcomes, promising transparent communication and collaboration with the community to navigate challenges and uphold educational standards.

Machi and Nicole Hunker are running as a slate.

Machi, a 15 year resident of the district, is facing off against Area IV incumbent Jean Lambert while the At-large seat is contested between Mary Wacker and Hunker.

Machi and Hunker are supported by WisRed.

Over the past three years, the Republican Party of Waukesha County and its WisRed campaign have successfully influenced school board elections across the county, except in Elmbrook, an affluent district.

However, the upcoming April 2 election could change that landscape. With two open seats on the Elmbrook school board, candidates supported by WisRed are vying for victory, potentially securing a conservative majority on the seven-member board.

With polls scheduled to be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, voters are encouraged to utilize resources like myvote.wi.gov to access important information. Through the website, voters can preview their ballot, locate their polling place, request an absentee ballot, and verify their voter registration status.