Two University of Wisconsin students running for Dane County Board have begun racking up endorsements in preparation for the April 3 election.

On Monday, Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, endorsed John Magnino in an
event on East Campus Mall to bring students out to canvass apartments with political literature.

Magnino and Leland Pan are running for the position of Dane County Board supervisor for District 5, a position vacated by current supervisor Analiese Eicher, who decided not to seek re-election this year.

Resnick said his endorsement of Magnino was based both off his campaign efforts and his policy paper, which provided a detailed description of what Magnino hopes to accomplish on the Dane County Board.

Magnino’s proposal included a point for a joint UW, City of Madison and Dane County body to discuss a variety of issues, Resnick said. He added this proposal was an impressive idea because the board often has a disconnect between issues on the campus and city levels.

“This one idea [is] the most impressive idea that I’ve ever seen come out of a student on campus,” Resnick said. “That alone brought me here to endorse John.”

Resnick added Magnino is the first candidate to actually knock on constituents’ doors in several years, which will help him win the election.

“For the first time since 2006, I actually had someone knock on my door and say, ‘I want to be your County Board representative,'” Resnick said. “That just shows the dedication and energy that John’s put into this election.”

Magnino has been endorsed by the Democratic Party of Dane County, UW College Democrats and the Dane County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, as well as Ald. Sue Ellingson, District 13, and Dane County Supervisors Chuck Erickson and Robin Schmidt.

Magnino thanked Resnick at the event for adding his support on Monday, adding Resnick is one of the best allies students have on campus.

Pan, Magnino’s opponent, has received endorsements from the Teaching Assistants’ Association, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and Progressive Dane so far in the race.

He has also been endorsed by Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4; Ald. Satya Rhodes-Conway, District 12; and Dane County Board Supervisor Barbara Vedder, District 2.

“I think it really shows I’m a committed progressive and pro-labor candidate,” Pan said in an interview with The Badger Herald. “I think … most unions see me as the most effective person to fight for them, and I agree with that assessment.”

Pan added he purposely did not seek the endorsement from the Democratic Party because he did not want to be restrained by party loyalty but wanted to tackle the issues. He said the endorsements from both democratic supervisors and Progressive Dane show that he has “bipartisan” support.

Both candidates have expressed the need for greater student involvement on the Dane County Board, particularly in a recent debate put on for the two candidates.

“I’m really excited about getting students engaged and using your help to get the rest of the students here at the University of Wisconsin looped into county government, and to get looped into a government that’s been notably absent from the student consciousness,” Magnino said.