With the spring election just around the corner, here’s what you need to know about what’s on the ballot.
Polls are open April 7 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Don’t know where to vote? Find out here.
Mayor
Candidates:
Paul Soglin
Scott Resnick
The City of Madison mayor ensures city ordinances and state laws are enforced and gives recommendations to the City Council. The mayor has power to veto acts of the City Council.
Incumbent Paul Soglin and Scott Resnick are the two candidates for mayor. Resnick has been the District 8 alderman since 2011 and announced his mayoral candidacy last year. Soglin has served seven terms of mayor since 1973 and has 40 years of experience.
Soglin won the primary election in February with 52.7 percent of the vote. Resnick came in second, with 23.3 percent.
During a televised debate on Monday, Resnick said if he was elected, he would focus on childcare. Soglin said he would focus more on job development.
Soglin, Resnick spar over childcare, job development in first televised debate
Regarding racial disparity, Resnick said during the debate the issue was a lack of trust between the community and the police. Soglin said Madison needs to solve the issue of racial disparity with job creation.
Soglin is interested in making downtown more family friendly and reducing the number of bars. Resnick said Soglin is leaving out the student voice with his vision for Madison’s downtown.
Soglin, Resnick look toward April after underwhelming primary turnout
Justice of the Supreme Court
Candidates:
Ann Walsh Bradley
James Daley
The Wisconsin Supreme Court consists of seven justices. Supreme Court Justices are elected for 10 year terms on the court. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over other state courts and can hear original actions.
Ann Walsh Bradley, who has served as a justice of the Supreme Court since 1995, is running against current Rock County Circuit Court Judge James Daley.
Alders
The 20 city alders make up the Common Council. The council passes laws and regulations in Madison and approves the city budget.
The downtown Madison alders are all running unopposed.
District 8:
Zach Wood
Wood is taking over for Resnick. A senior at University of Wisconsin, Wood has said he wants to focus on issues that affect students, such as public safety, campus safety and affordable housing.
Wood has raised concerns on the increasing cost of student housing in a previous interview with The Badger Herald. For future developments, Wood said the student perspective must be kept in mind.
In another previous interview with The Badger Herald, Wood said he hopes to be a bridge between students and the city.
“I think I can definitely bring the student perspective to city hall,” Wood said, “and I think that’s important.”
District 2:
Ledell Zellers
Zellers will continue to serve as the District 2 alder. She has served in this position since 2013.
District 4:
Mike Verveer
Verveer will continue to be the alder for District 4. He was first elected as alder in 1995.
Dane County Circuit Court Judge
The Dane County Circuit Court has original jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters. The legislature also grants the court appellate jurisdiction.
The circuit court judges are all running unopposed.
Branch 2:
Josann Reynolds
Branch 6:
Shelley Gaylord
Branch 10:
Juan Colás
Branch 13:
Julie Genovese
School Board Member for Madison Metropolitan School District
The Madison Board of Education establishes policies for MMSD and approves the budget. Members set up board committees and vote on board executives. Board members are elected to serve staggered 3 year terms.
The MMSD board members are running uncontested.
Seat 1:
Anna Moffit
Seat 2:
Mary Burke
Constitutional Amendment on Election of Chief Justice
Currently, the Wisconsin constitution states the chief justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court is whichever justice has served the longest. The proposed amendment would have the justices on the Supreme Court vote on the chief justice for a two-year term.
In a previous interview with The Badger Herald, UW political science professor Howard Schweber said this amendment is politically motivated. Conservative justices have become the majority on the court, while current chief justice Shirley Abrahamson is judicially liberal, he said.
If this amendment passed, the justices would have the chance to vote Abrahamson out of office. Sen. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, said to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the amendment was not aimed at one individual.
A “yes” vote means the constitution is changed to have the chief justice elected by current justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
A “no” vote means the constitution would remain unchanged and the longest serving member of the Supreme Court would be chief justice.
Chief justice selection process could change under new amendment
Madison Metropolitan School District Referendum
This proposal would allow MMSD to issue general obligation bonds up to $41 million for the school district. These bonds would go to school construction, making schools more accessible to students, community members and families and upgrading technology.
A “yes” vote means MMSD would be allowed to issue up to $41 million of bonds for schools in the district.
A “no” vote means MMSD would not be authorized to issue up to $41 million of bonds for schools in the district.
