All St. Croix County candidates are running for re-election unopposed.
Clerk
Christine Hines* (R)
Age: 50
Prior elected office(s): No prior elected offices. I was appointed as …
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All St. Croix County candidates are running for re-election unopposed.
Age: 50
Prior elected office(s): No prior elected offices. I was appointed as County Clerk in April 2022.
Education/experience: Prior to being appointed the St. Croix County Clerk, I spent four years working in the private sector in a management/director role with Kowalski’s Markets in the Twin Cities. Prior to that I was with Pierce County as the Register in Probate for three years. Before joining Pierce County I was with the City of Hudson as the Municipal Clerk of Court and Administrative Assistant to Judge Susan Gherty for 14 years.
Are you involved in any professional, civic or community organizations? Not currently. When my children were younger, I volunteered many hours at tournaments as well as serving as the secretary of the River Falls Booster Club.
Why are you running for County Clerk? I find that there is something rewarding in all aspects of my role as County Clerk. I first and foremost enjoy the election process. When I became county clerk, I quickly realized the importance of being open and transparent with election information. Maintaining the accuracy and security of the entire election process is my highest priority.
I take pride in the level of customer services that is provided by my team and by St. Croix County as a whole. I value the opportunity of working with the county board and our County Administrator. I have worked in the public sector for 20 years and when I stepped away for a few years I realized that this is where I can contribute the most and feel most aligned professionally. I enjoy serving the community, customers and taking an active role in contributing to local government.
What do you see as the most pressing issue in your office/department? I think the most pressing issue in our office currently is the public perception of elections. I hope to restore confidence in the election process by continuing to be transparent throughout the election process.
How has the County Clerk role evolved since you first took office? Our office has evolved significantly over the past two years as we have experienced a 49% increase in marriage license applications and a 73% increase in passport applications between 2021 and 2023. The population of St. Croix County continues to grow (nearly 9% increase since 2020 estimates) which means more citizens to provide services for. The estimated age of voting population has increased in St. Croix County by 11% between 2020 and 2024. My role as county clerk also involves overseeing board and committee meetings and agendas. This year we have progressed with the implementation of new meeting management technology to streamline this process. St. Croix County Government Center has been undergoing an expansion project since 2022 which was designed to support the growing needs of the county for the next 20-30 years. The County Clerk’s Office is now located in the south addition of the new building. We have a new wonderful office and separate election space and room to grow.
What are some challenges the County Clerk's office faces? Increasing workload while maintaining current staff levels is always a challenge at times throughout the year. I am fortunate to have the wonderful and dedicated staff that I do. They are committed to always providing the highest level of customer service to everyone that comes into the County Clerk’s office.
Is there anything you would like to add? My husband, Darren, and I have lived in St. Croix County for 25 years. Twenty of those years in River Falls where we raised our three children Paige, Connor and Jack. We are now enjoying an extended family with the addition of three grandchildren – Jameson, Nora and Alfie. River Falls is a great community and we are happy to be a part of it.
Age: 35
Prior elected office(s): First elected District Attorney in 2020.
Education/experience: BA in Criminal Justice and Spanish from St. Cloud State University, Summa cum laude – 2011; JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School, criminal law concentration, with honors – 2016; Law School internships with the WI DOJ, Dane County Circuit Court, US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Innocence Project, and the La Crosse County DA’s Office
Began with the District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney in June 2016
Are you involved in any professional, civic or community organizations? St. Croix County Treatment Court team member and executive committee member; Criminal Justice Collaborating Council executive committee member; Adult Protective Services I-team member
Why are you running for district attorney? I want to continue in my role as the lead prosecutor for the county. It is an extremely challenging, but rewarding position, where I feel I can make a difference in the community where I live. I pride myself on keeping our role as St. Croix County prosecutors to that of arbiters of justice, where we apply the facts to the law, irrespective of politics or personal agendas.
What do you see as the most pressing issue in your office/department? There are really three issues that stand out. One is the proliferation of fentanyl. The unique danger it poses is its lethality, and the fact that we are starting to see it mixed with other drugs, including THC. Another issue that is only going to continue increasing as our population of elders increases is elder abuse. They are complicated cases, where we often have a victim who is unable to advocate for themselves. The third pressing issue is the lack of secure mental health facilities in our area. There are no options for mental health commitments in this part of the state.
What programs and policies would you implement (if budgets allowed) as District Attorney to reduce crime and increase public safety in the county? The single greatest change that money could solve relatively quickly is if funds were allocated to build a secure mental health facility in the St. Croix Valley, or surrounding area. There have been ongoing talks at the State level to that end, but it has unfortunately not happened.
What are some challenges you face as district attorney? Most of our challenges boil down to a single factor: caseload. Prosecutors generally have, at any given time, around 350 pending cases. The intense caseload means prosecutors have limited time to review evidence, meet with victims and witnesses, and prepare for trial. We are one of the most understaffed offices in the state based on a state workload analysis for prosecutors. Unfortunately, all we can do is wait for the state to allocate more Assistant District Attorneys.
Is there anything you would like to add? I am grateful for the support this community showed our sheriff’s office and local law enforcement after the tragic murder of Deputy Leising. I am humbled to be the District Attorney and look forward to continuing to serve the residents of St. Croix County in my second term.
Beth Pabst did not respond to the questionnaire. She has served as Register of Deeds since January 2009. Before that, she worked as a real property lister assistant for two years, and in the Register of Deeds office for 16 years.
Prior elected office(s): I started working in the Treasurer’s Office in June 2014, was appointed County Treasurer in February 2017, was elected Treasurer in November 2020, and am running for re-election.
Education/experience: I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a Financial Management Emphasis from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. I have prior experience as a Real Estate Assessor and as a Municipal Court Clerk.
Are you involved in any professional, civic or community organizations? I have been involved in the Hudson Wrestling Club and the St. Patrick Church CCW and I currently serve on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Rural Housing. As Treasurer, I am also a member of the Wisconsin County Treasurers’ Association.
Why are you running for County Treasurer? Most of the duties of the office are statutorily driven, and I appreciate and enjoy the variety of responsibilities and the seasonal changes within the office. Since being appointed County Treasurer, I have worked diligently to streamline procedures, increase efficiencies, and implement protections of county resources while providing excellent customer service for our broad customer base. My team and I are always striving toward these goals, and I’d like to continue these efforts in this role.
What do you see as the most pressing issue in your office/department? Keeping abreast of banking changes, fraud prevention tools, and new legislation are certainly at the forefront of the challenges we face.
How has the County Treasurer role evolved since you first took office? Because the duties are mostly outlined in statutes, the core responsibilities are primarily constant. However, several legislative changes have required us to amend and adapt our procedures in order to be in compliance. Also, after being appointed, I took over the task of payment disbursement, in order to comply with statute.
What are some challenges the County Treasurer's office faces? My team is a staff of three, including myself, yet the customer base is large and varied. Our customers include all property taxpayers in St. Croix County, every department of county government, mortgage escrow companies, municipal clerks and treasurers, real estate agents and appraisers, attorneys, title companies, and other members of the public. We strive to treat everyone with fairness and respect in responding to inquiries. We are responsible to receive all county monies, disburse county payments, manage the lottery credit program, collect postponed and delinquent property taxes, prepare property tax settlements for 35 municipalities, foreclose on delinquent tax properties, facilitate all banking needs for county departments, manage unclaimed funds, and perform other duties. In addition, I contract with 18 of our municipalities (cities, villages, and towns) to collect current year property taxes. Balancing and prioritizing these tasks is an ongoing challenge, but my dedicated team continues to meet it successfully. Finally, software, technology, and banking changes require continual updating of procedures.
Is there anything you would like to add? The role of the County Treasurer fits my skill set very well and it has been my pleasure to serve the residents of St. Croix County for the last 10 years in this office. I respect the role of all of our customers including the municipal clerks and treasurers and all of the county employees, and I look forward to continue working with everyone. Thank you for the opportunity to share these points.
