City Council District 2

The District 2 aldermanic race has proven to be one of the most competitive in this spring’s city elections. This can be attributed to the fact that both candidates, Ledell Zellers and Bryan Post, are highly qualified and would undoubtedly represent the district effectively. 

Zellers currently works as the human resources director for the State of Wisconsin Investment Board. She appears to be a strong advocate for historic neighborhood preservation and the development of a business-friendly economic environment. Post is currently employed as the data director for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. His platform prioritizes affordable housing and “sensible” growth. 

Zellers’ involvement in city politics and public service has been admirable and effective. However, Post has demonstrated a stronger interest in issues that affect students the most. For this reason, we feel that he would better represent the University of Wisconsin campus community at the city level. 

We hope that Post’s status as the hand-picked successor of Ald. Bridget Maniaci, District 2, will not affect his style on the council. Although Maniaci also represented student interests well, she was one of the council’s most unpredictable and sometimes embarrassing members. If he is elected, Post should do his best to avoid fulfilling this expectation.

Note: Editorial Board member John Waters recused himself from this endorsement.

City Council District 8

While there are two names on the ballot for the District 8 aldermanic election, there is only one candidate still running for the seat. Because Christian Hansen decided to drop out of the race last month, incumbent Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, is running unopposed. 

We endorse Resnick for two reasons. First, he is the only candidate left in the race. But beyond that, in his time as District 8 alder, he has proven himself to be the single strongest advocate for students in city government. It is our hope that after being re-elected, he will continue to represent the interests of his district and the campus community as a whole.

County Board District 1

The race for the Dane County Board District 1 seat, which was vacated when former Board Chairman Scott McDonell was elected Dane County Clerk, features two very different candidates. On one hand, there is Mary Kolar, a retired Navy captain. On the other is C.J. Terrell, a Madison native who was actively involved in the 2011 protests.

We feel that Kolar is the best candidate for County Board. In her interview with us, she seemed to have a better understanding of the exact role of county government and had more specific ideas that could be implemented immediately than Terrell. Further, she has already established relationships with many Board members, which would allow her to be an effective voice for students from the start.

While we ultimately chose to endorse Kolar, Terrell is also a compelling candidate. He has very interesting ideas, like working on a restorative justice system that would reduce nonviolent incarceration rates. He is also a strong advocate for affordable student housing. And while he was heavily involved with the protests, he is more than just another protest candidate. However, Kolar’s experience ultimately trumps his and that is why we endorse her.