A University of Wisconsin student announced his plan to run for the Dane County Board Tuesday evening, challenging a fellow student candidate for the soon-to-be open chair in the upcoming spring election.
John Magnino, a junior majoring in political science and economics, announced he would run for the District 5 seat to a crowd of approximately 30 supporters on campus. Magnino said a main objective of his campaign will be to engage students in local government processes.
“I’m running to ensure the campus community is once again involved in their government,” Magnino said. “For too long, they’ve been watching from the sidelines. As a Badger myself, I have an intimate knowledge of what the student body wants and how to achieve it.”
Magnino will run against fellow UW student Leland Pan. Pan, a sophomore, said he welcomed the challenge of another contester.
Current District 5 Supervisor Analiese Eicher, who has decided not to run for another term, also said she is pleased two students will run for her position in the election to be held April 3. The winner will take her seat on the Dane County Board April 17.
“I’m glad to see a contested race,” Eicher said. “I think having more than one student candidate interested in serving in local government is fantastic. I’m really hoping that [this] is going to draw some student interest in participating more in local government.”
Pan cited his past work with local organizations as an asset for his campaign. Pan has been involved in the Student Labor Action Coalition and the Associated Students of Madison, among other groups.
Magnino is also a participant in several UW communities, including College Democrats and campus Greek life, and said his experiences on the UW campus would make him a strong member of the Dane County Board.
“As a student with a diverse set of experiences on campus, I know what a student needs to maintain a high quality of living,” Magnino said. “Through this broad pool of experience, I hope I can [help in] my own small way give back to the campus and community that has given me so much.”
Eicher, whose two-year term will end this April, is a graduate of UW and was a student for most of her time on the board. She said several topics of interest to UW students are often discussed by the board, including quality of lakes and roads near campus.
Dane County Clerk Karen Peters said District 5, which spans much of the UW campus, has often been represented by a student. Peters said the candidates can campaign in the coming months, but student candidates have historically spent little or no money on their campaigning efforts.
Both candidates will likely be seeking an endorsement from Eicher to strengthen their odds of winning the seat, Peters said. Eicher expressed her intent to endorse one of the students in the near future, but did not comment on who it would be.
