News

Final candidate to replace Judge officially enters race

Fourth UW student running on platform of safety measures
Final candidate to replace Judge officially enters race

LEAH BELLACK/Herald photo

University of Wisconsin junior Mark Woulf officially announced his candidacy for the District 8 alder seat Wednesday night.

Woulf was the last of the four candidates to officially announce his candidacy for District 8, hoping to replace departing Alder Eli Judge. Other candidates for the City Council position include three other UW students: junior Brian Eagon, graduate student Katrina Flores and junior Jacob Schmidt.

The cornerstone of Woulf’s campaign is student safety on campus and in the downtown area because 98 percent of the district is comprised of students.

“The most important issue to me is the well-being of the students in my district,” Woulf said.

Part of Woulf’s safety platform confronts the issue of underage drinking.

Woulf said local law enforcement devotes too many resources to seeking underage drinkers in bars and house parties, therefore missing the serious crimes that occur out on the street.

“On any given weekend night you have six officers trying to bust house parties on Mifflin alone,” Woulf said.

Woulf says his experience as the undergraduate representative on the Associated Students of Madison’s Alcohol and Other Drug Task Force has prepared him to tackle the issue of student safety.

Woulf said he also plans to tackle the issue of pollution in the district, specifically the Charter Street Coal Plant, one of the leading polluters in the greater Madison area. Woulf proposes a transition to a co-generation power plant that uses cleaner burning natural gas.

Additionally, Woulf proposes a new initiative to require landlords to wait until after winter break to start signing housing leases. He says this will decrease the disadvantage new UW students face when signing leases early in the fall.

To further protect tenants’ rights, Woulf will also push for a new program designed to settle disputes between students and landlords over security deposit deductions.

There was some controversy last semester over Woulf’s candidacy when it was discovered he did not live within the boundaries of District 8.

Alder election law states that a candidate must reside within the district he or she is running for at least 10 days before the primary election.

As a result, Woulf recently moved to Spring Street, which lies within District 8.

Woulf plans to campaign in a series of small forums, inviting students to come and voice issues most important to them.

“I think that going door-to-door and having a stranger confronting students turns students off,” Woulf said.

The District 8 primary election is Feb. 17 and the general election is April 7.

Judge had no comment on which candidate he will endorse; however, he plans to endorse an aldermanic hopeful after he meets with all of the candidates.

“I am looking for a candidate who I know will make sure that the alder of the 8th is the alder of the 8th,” Judge said.

6 Comments | Leave a comment

user-pic

Eli, put down the tautologies, and Mark, start knocking on doors, or you’ll lose.

user-pic

I agree with Mr. Woulf. When I went to the UW as a 6’1” black dude from the South Side of Chicago with a gangbanger brother. I was more afraid on the streets of Madison than back in the hood. Seriously.

user-pic

12:14-I could find 20 of my friends and family from the same part of Chicago, who would either, slap you or laugh at you for that comment. In terms of homicides and other violent acts alone, Madison will NEVER be like the South Side of Chicago, ESPECIALLY the campus area.

user-pic

Resnick endorsed Woulf! Woulf beat out Eagon for the first major-student endorsement of the election. He now has a Woulf banner hanging from his out-of-district balcony.

user-pic

Resnick =/= “major-student endorsement”

Secondly, BH, please remove the comment as Resnick has not endorsed Woulf and you can call him to confirm this.

user-pic

Resnick = political insider.

O’Hagan = dull.

Woulf =/= political tool.

Endorsement or not - Woulf is gaining momentum.

-ES

Leave a comment

To comment anonymously or if signed in, leave name and e-mail blank.

Donate