The District 8 seat Ald. Eli Judge will leave on City Council now has two candidates.
University of Wisconsin junior Bryon Eagon announced Wednesday he will be running for City Council in the upcoming April election.
“I’ve learned how to listen to people’s concerns and follow a bottom-up mentality of political engagement,” Eagon said.
On Tuesday, UW junior Jacob Schmidt said he will also run for the District 8 seat. Madison Area Technical College student Michael Johnson pulled out of the race Sunday, less than one week after he announced his candidacy.
Schmidt said yesterday he wants the experience of running against someone in the race.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he spoke with Eagon and another unannounced candidate and is more than willing to meet with any District 8 candidate to help them learn about how city government works.
“It’s very appropriate and positive for democracy that there be a healthy, vibrant, competitive race for this important open seat,” Verveer said.
According to Verveer, it is likely there will be a February primary for this race because there will be more than two candidates running.
Eagon said he made his decision to run over the past week since Judge announced he would not seek reelection.
A former Wisconsin state coordinator and Wisconsin chapter co-founder of Students for Obama, Eagon served as a Student Council member and on the Student Service Finance Committee.
Eagon said his No. 1 priority will be safety, and that he wants to focus on increasing neighborhood patrols and strategic lighting improvements.
His previous experience in organizing and engaging students is something he plans to carry over into the position of alder for District 8, he added.
“I hope to continue Eli’s tradition of accessibility,” Eagon said. “From phone calls to e-mail to alder hours and listening sessions, I’ll be looking at any way to be accessible.”
Eagon said he looks forward to talking to the other candidates after the filing deadline.
“I look forward to discussions and conversations with other candidates, but more significantly, discussions with students,” Eagon said.
The District 8 seat usually has turnover each election, Verveer said, making it sometimes a challenge to earn the respect of City Council.
“I would hope that whoever his successor is strives to work as hard on behalf of students as he Eli has,” Verveer said.
