Jenny Van Sickle: Losing Ain’t Easy, But Blaming the Ballots Sure Is

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: An incumbent loses an election and immediately blames… the ballots. Yep, that’s where we’re at. Jenny Van Sickle, after losing her seat on the Superior City Council to Sarah Anderson by 57 votes, is convinced something must’ve gone wrong. Because, of course, it couldn’t be that voters just picked someone else.

District 2 Drama: The Case of the Rogue Ballot

Here’s the scoop. Tuesday night, as the votes were counted and Anderson took the win with 53% of the vote, Van Sickle reportedly got a call from a distressed voter. The claim? Someone in District 2 received a District 4 ballot. That’s right—one voter possibly got the wrong sheet of paper, and suddenly it’s a conspiracy. Never mind that District 4 was uncontested and wouldn’t have changed the outcome anyway. But hey, who cares about logic when you’ve just been dethroned?

The City Clerk Investigates—Kind Of

Superior City Clerk Heidi Blunt confirmed the office is now investigating the matter. They’ll compare the number of voters who should have received each ballot with the number of ballots actually handed out. Spoiler alert: Blunt doesn’t think there’s going to be enough of a discrepancy to warrant a do-over. In other words, unless some cosmic ballot-swap scandal emerges, this is going nowhere.

Recount Rules: Nice Try, Jenny

Now, Wisconsin law does allow for a recount if the difference in votes is 40 or less. Unfortunately for Jenny, that 57-vote gap is a bit of a buzzkill for her recount dreams. So unless she plans to dig up 17 more alleged ballot mishaps, the results are pretty much set.

Denial Ain’t Just a River—It’s a Campaign Strategy

It’s not uncommon for politicians to be stunned when they lose. But calling in a voter mix-up before the ink on the results is even dry? That’s next-level denial. You’d think Van Sickle just got booted off “American Idol” and couldn’t believe America didn’t vote to save her. Meanwhile, Sarah Anderson has made it crystal clear—she didn’t call for any investigation. Why would she? She won, fair and square.

Jenny, Let It Go

So what’s next for Van Sickle? Well, maybe some soul-searching, or perhaps a crash course in gracious losing. Because no one likes a sore loser—especially not one who immediately cries foul without any real proof. Democracy spoke, Jenny. Time to accept that maybe the voters just wanted something different.

In the end, elections have winners and losers. But there’s a difference between losing a race and losing your grip on reality. And right now, it looks like Van Sickle might be in danger of both.

*SoupNutz has requested all related city documents that would be related to  former City Councilor Jenny Van Sickle allegations of possible voter fraud. Those will be made public here so voters can decide what’s true.*

Source : NorthlandNews

Original Story from Northland News Link above has changed below is original story.:

SUPERIOR, Wis. (Northern News Now) – A voter’s concern about possibly receiving the incorrect ballot while voting in Tuesday’s election has triggered an investigation into one precinct in Superior.

The Superior City Clerk, Heidi Blunt, said Wednesday the office received a message from one of the candidates in the District 2 City Council race between incumbent Jenny Van Sickle and Sarah Anderson Tuesday night.

The most recent results show Anderson had won the election with 53% of the vote, a difference of 57 votes.

Blunt said the candidate who called shared a voter had reached out to them saying they were a resident of District 2 but received a ballot for the District 4 City Council race, which was uncontested.

Anderson told Northern News Now she did not initiate an investigation. Northern News Now is working to reach Van Sickle.

The City Clerk’s office will now look into the records of that precinct to compare the number of voters who should have received each ballot and compare it to the actual number of each ballot distributed.

Blunt said she does not believe there will be enough of a discrepancy to trigger a revote for the District 2 race.

However, a candidate may request a recount if it aligns with the state of Wisconsin’s election recount laws.

In an election of this size, a candidate may request a recount if the difference of votes is less than or equal to 40 votes.

You May Also Like

Two men in suits holding signs with text about tax hikes and funding, with a fiery background.
on

Exposing Broadband Lies: Taxpayer Funds Drive Expensive Non-Competition

A cartoon character with glasses and a beard sitting indoors, looking at the viewer with a neutral expression.
on

Mayor Jim Paine’s Land Controversy: Public Trust vs. Private Gain?

A visually striking depiction of a contentious city council meeting in Superior, Wisconsin, centered around the Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC) controversy. The scene shows a tense, packed chamber with divided attendees—some holding signs supporting clean energy and others backing reliable power infrastructure. At the forefront, Mayor Jim Paine stands at a podium, his expression a mix of conviction and defensiveness, with stacks of documents labeled “Environmental Concerns” and “Family Land Deal” on a table nearby. Behind him, an abstract rendering of a natural gas plant looms in the background, emitting faint smoke trails that form question marks in the air. Corporate representatives and city council members sit on opposite sides of the room, exchanging sharp glances. The atmosphere is charged, reflecting a battle between environmental ideals, corporate interests, and political controversy.
on

The Mayor, the Power Plant, and the Family Forest Deal: Rights, Rhetoric, and Responsibility