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Necci to be sworn in as Walworth County DA

ELKHORN — Skip the election and go directly to office.

That's the path for Lake Geneva attorney Dan Necci. Gov. Scott Walker announced Tuesday he appointed Necci as Walworth County District Attorney, effective Friday, to fill out the remainder of the current term.

The position has been vacant since Aug. 1 when Phil Koss left the post to become a Walworth County judge. Koss ran for judge unopposed in the spring election.

Necci, who has a law office in Elkhorn, earned his new job by defeating Delavan attorney Steven Harvey 7,300 to 3,465 in the August Republican primary. Necci is assured the post because he's the only candidate on the November ballot.

"The governor made the appointment based on the vacancy and no other candidates on the November ballot," said Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie. "The governor wanted to do what was best for the residents of Walworth County by filling that job now rather than wait for election results that are already decided."

Had the election process run its course, Necci would not have been sworn in until January.

The Walworth County District Attorney's Office has been operating with one less prosecutor since Koss traded his prosecutor role for a gavel. Necci has been meeting with prosecutors and office staff on an informal basis, but starting Friday he will join the staff as the district attorney.

An issue in the August primary was Necci's limited criminal trial work. He didn't dispute the claim, but the Marquette Law School grad said the job was also about trust and professional conduct. He pointed out that judges and law enforcement personnel urged him to run.

"They said, with a resounding yes, that I should run because they trust me and know that I can do the job," Necci said.

Necci, 33, enjoyed the near unanimous support of Walworth County Republicans. He was endorsed by the Walworth County Republican Party.

He said after his August primary win he had no plans for change in the district attorney's office.

"I've talked to people in the office," he said. "I'm excited to be working with each and every individual in there."