PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. – A two-month long effort by an advocacy group opposing the development of an artificial intelligence data center in Port Washington to force a recall election against the City’s mayor falls hundreds of signatures short, according to an initial estimate from the City.
The group Great Lakes Neighbors United, organized in December of 2025 by Christine Le Jeune, shared February 16 they were able to secure 1,200 signatures seeking to force a recall election against Mayor Ted Neitzke by a Monday deadline. The City the same day said an initial review showed the effort came up “several hundred signatures” short of the number required to initiate the election.
The effort needed to reach a threshold of 25% of the qualified voters who cast a vote in the last Wisconsin gubernatorial election by 5 p.m. on deadline day February 16.
“Throughout this process, we heard recurring themes from would-be supporters: fear of retaliation, intimidation, and concerns about speaking out publicly,” the group shared in a Facebook post. “The fact that residents feel they can’t safely participate in a lawful democratic process actually reinforces why transparency and open communication matter so much. This isn’t over. It is just the beginning.”
A group supporting Mayor Neitzke called “Support The Port” also shared on Facebook their satisfaction with the initial news.
“Thank you to the wonderful people of Port Washington for standing up for common sense. The Recall has failed. We support Mayor Ted Neitzke and his commitment to a bright future for Port Washington,” read the post. Neitzke publicly stated he is not affiliated with the group during a February 3 common council meeting.
“That is something…[that] was not authorized by me, run by me, or asked from me. I have no idea who’s running that, or why they’re running it. Some of the information on there is inaccurate, and I don’t endorse it,” said Neitzke at the meeting.
On February 8, the group registered as an “independent expenditure committee” with the state, but records show no financial contributions or disbursements.
Neitzke himself did not comment on the results of the recall effort on deadline day. But in a statement shared days before, he said the movement was “rooted in misinformation”.
“True leadership requires providing viable solutions and a clear path forward, not simply a curated list of grievances,” said Neitzke in the statement.
His thoughts echoed sentiments shared when Neitzke joined WTMJ Conversations December 14, around the time the recall effort was initiated.
“I learned a long time ago you can’t shake hands with a clenched fist, and I’m just going to continue to work to build people’s awareness and make sure they understand what’s going on, be patient through the process, and ask others to do the same,” said Neitzke at the time.
Neitzke’s current term expires in 2027, one year after construction on the $15 billion Vantage data center project dubbed “Project Lighthouse” is expected to be completed.
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