Municipal elections in Madison, Wisconsin (2015)
|
|
 |
The city of Madison, Wisconsin, held nonpartisan elections for mayor and city council on April 7, 2015. In races with more than two candidates, a primary took place on February 17, 2015. These included the races for mayor and Districts 1 and 14. The top two vote-getters in these races advanced to the general election. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was January 6, 2015. All 20 city council seats were up for election. A map of Madison's 20 Common Council Districts can be found here.
In the mayoral race, incumbent Paul Soglin was elected to a second term. Four challengers filed to run against him, including two-term Madison Alder Scott J. Resnick, whom Soglin faced in the general election. In the Common Council races, 15 of 20 incumbents ran for re-election. Two of those incumbents were defeated. In District 14, Sheri Carter defeated John Strasser. In District 17, Samba Baldeh defeated Joseph R. Clausius. 14 seats were uncontested. Two of these uncontested seats—Districts 3 and 8—featured non-incumbents.[1][2]
Voter turnout in the primary election was 13%. In the general election, it was 29.6%.[3]
The results of Madison's 2015 elections marked a significant milestone in the city's political and racial history. Barbara McKinney in District 1 and Sheri Carter in District 14 became the first African-American women ever to be elected to the Madison Common Council.[4]
Madison's 2015 election cycle began with an emphasis on familiar municipal issues such as downtown development, affordable housing and city services. But after a Madison police officer shot and killed an unarmed black teen in March, racial inequality quickly became the defining feature of the city's 2015 elections. You can read more about these issues below.
The Capital Times created a series of podcasts dedicated to Madison's mayoral race. You can access them here.
Mayor
Candidate list
February 17 Primary election candidates:
- Richard V. Brown Sr.
- Christopher Daly
- Bridget Maniaci
- Scott J. Resnick
- Paul Soglin
- Incumbent Soglin began his third tenure as Mayor in 2011.
April 7 General election candidates:
Election results
| Madison Mayoral Primary Election, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
 Paul Soglin Incumbent |
52.8% | 11,856 | |
| Scott J. Resnick |
23.3% | 5,223 | |
| Bridget Maniaci | 14.7% | 3,311 | |
| Christopher Daly | 4.3% | 973 | |
| Richard V. Brown Sr. | 4.6% | 1,034 | |
| Write-in | 0.3% | 63 | |
| Total Votes | 22,397 | ||
| Source: Dane County Clerk's Office, "Official primary election results," accessed July 30, 2015 | |||
| Madison Mayoral General Election, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Paul Soglin Incumbent |
72% | 37,734 | |
| Scott J. Resnick | 27.1% | 14,195 | |
| Write-in | 1% | 506 | |
| Total Votes | 52,435 | ||
| Source: Dane County Clerk's Office, "Official general election results," accessed July 30, 2015 | |||
Common council
2016 →
← 2014
|
|
2015 Elections By Date Recent News |
Arlington • Aurora • Boise Boston • Buffalo Charlotte • Chicago Cleveland • Colorado Springs • Columbus • Dallas • Denver Durham • El Paso Ferguson • Fort Wayne Fort Worth • Garland • Greensboro Henderson • Hialeah Houston • Indianapolis Irving • Jacksonville Kansas City • Laredo • Las Vegas • Lincoln • Los Angeles • Long Beach • Louisville • Madison Memphis • Miami Milwaukee • Nashville North Las Vegas Oklahoma City • Orlando Philadelphia • Phoenix Pittsburgh • Plano • Raleigh Riverside • Sacramento San Antonio San Francisco San Jose • Seattle St. Louis • St. Paul St. Petersburg • Tampa Toledo • Tucson Washington, D.C. Wichita |
| Note: Cities listed in this box are those among the 100 largest in the United States that held elections in 2015. |
Candidate list
District 1
- Note: Incumbent Lisa Subeck did not run for re-election.
February 17 Primary election candidates:
April 7 General election candidates:
District 2
April 7 General election candidates:
- Ledell Zellers
- Incumbent Zellers was elected to the council in 2013.
- Note: Jefferson Carpenter was removed from the ballot in January 2015.
District 3
- Note: Incumbent Lauren Cnare did not run for re-election.
April 7 General election candidates:
District 4
April 7 General election candidates:
- Michael E. Verveer
District 5
April 7 General election candidates:
- Shiva Bidar-Sielaff
District 6
April 7 General election candidates:
- Marsha A. Rummel
District 7
April 7 General election candidates:
- Steve King
District 8
- Note: Incumbent Scott J. Resnick did not run for re-election.
April 7 General election candidates:
District 9
April 7 General election candidates:
- Paul Skidmore
District 10
April 7 General election candidates:
- Maurice S. Cheeks
District 11
April 7 General election candidates:
- Chris Schmidt
District 12
April 7 General election candidates:
- Larry Palm
District 13
- Note: Incumbent Lucas Dailey did not run for re-election.
April 7 General election candidates:
District 14
February 17 Primary election candidates:
- Sheri Carter
- Linda Franklin
- John Strasser
April 7 General election candidates:
District 15
April 7 General election candidates:
- David Ahrens
District 16
April 7 General election candidates:
- Denise DeMarb
- Tiffany Tobias
District 17
April 7 General election candidates:
- Samba Baldeh
- Joseph R. Clausius - Incumbent Clausius was elected to the council in 2007.
District 18
- Note: Incumbent Anita Weier did not run for re-election.
April 7 General election candidates:
District 19
April 7 General election candidates:
- Mark Clear
District 20
April 7 General election candidates:
- Matthew J. Phair
Election results
Primary
| Madison Common Council District 1 Primary Election, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Barbara McKinney |
57.1% | 284 | |
| Matt Brink |
35.4% | 176 | |
| Sandra Dickman | 6.4% | 32 | |
| Write-in | 1% | 5 | |
| Total Votes | 497 | ||
| Source: Dane County Clerk's Office, "Official primary election results," accessed July 30, 2015 | |||
| Madison Common Council District 14 Primary Election, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| John Strasser Incumbent |
51.5% | 377 | |
| Sheri Carter |
30.7% | 225 | |
| Linda Franklin | 16.8% | 123 | |
| Write-in | 1% | 7 | |
| Total Votes | 732 | ||
| Source: Dane County Clerk's Office, "Official primary election results," accessed July 30, 2015 | |||
General
| Madison Common Council, District 1, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Barbara McKinney |
64.1% | 999 | |
| Matt Brink | 35.7% | 557 | |
| Write-in | 0.2% | 3 | |
| Total Votes | 1,559 | ||
| Source: Dane County Clerk's Office, "Official general election results," accessed July 30, 2015 | |||
| Madison Common Council, District 13, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Sara Eskrich |
56.8% | 1,847 | |
| Zach Madden | 43% | 1,399 | |
| Write-in | 0.2% | 6 | |
| Total Votes | 3,252 | ||
| Source: Dane County Clerk's Office, "Official general election results," accessed July 30, 2015 | |||
| Madison Common Council, District 14, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Sheri Carter |
51.4% | 813 | |
| John Strasser Incumbent | 48.5% | 767 | |
| Write-in | 0.2% | 3 | |
| Total Votes | 1,583 | ||
| Source: Dane County Clerk's Office, "Official general election results," accessed July 30, 2015 | |||
| Madison Common Council, District 16, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Denise DeMarb Incumbent |
70.2% | 1,846 | |
| Tiffany Tobias | 29.6% | 778 | |
| Write-in | 0.3% | 7 | |
| Total Votes | 2,631 | ||
| Source: Dane County Clerk's Office, "Official general election results," accessed July 30, 2015 | |||
| Madison Common Council, District 17, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Samba Baldeh |
50.6% | 1,004 | |
| Joseph R. Clausius Incumbent | 49% | 972 | |
| Write-in | 0.5% | 9 | |
| Total Votes | 1,985 | ||
| Source: Dane County Clerk's Office, "Official general election results," accessed July 30, 2015 | |||
| Madison Common Council, District 18, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Rebecca Kemble |
55.5% | 1,710 | |
| Peng Her | 44.4% | 1,367 | |
| Write-in | 0.2% | 5 | |
| Total Votes | 3,082 | ||
| Source: Dane County Clerk's Office, "Official general election results," accessed July 30, 2015 | |||
Districts map
Below is a map of Madison's Common Council Districts at the time of the 2015 general election. The Districts are numbered 1-20. Shown within the 20 Districts are 126 voting wards. The voting wards with the highest voter turnout in the general election were Ward 79 in District 10 with 1,487 votes, Ward 40 in District 6 with 1,353 votes, Ward 38 in District 18 with 1,320 votes, Ward 65 in District 13 with 1,306 votes and Ward 5 in District 16 with 1,244 votes.[5]
Issues
Racial inequality
On the evening of March 6, 2015, a Madison police officer shot and killed an unarmed black 19-year-old named Tony Robinson. As of March 10, 2015, details on the shooting remained murky. In accordance with Wisconsin state law, the state’s Department of Justice holds responsibility for investigating the incident.[6]
The shooting came in the wake of a larger national conversation about race, violence and police in the United States as well as growing concerns about racial disparities in Madison itself. In 2013, the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families released a report that detailed several key differences between the lives of black and white residents of Dane County, the county that includes and surrounds the city of Madison. The report found that African-American residents in Dane County are 5.5 times more likely to be unemployed than white residents. Similarly, black youths are six times more likely to be arrested than white youths.[7]
Robinson’s death put a spotlight on these issues; and amidst large-scale demonstrations throughout the city and national media attention, racial inequality has moved to the forefront of Madison’s 2015 general election.[6] Mayor Paul Soglin and mayoral challenger Scott J. Resnick have both commented on Robinson’s death and the larger issue of racial inequality in official statements, at public demonstrations and in interviews with the media. Soglin released an official statement in the Wisconsin Gazette on March 9, saying:[8]
| “ | We all deserve to know the facts in this case. Tony Robinson’s family deserves that, our community deserves that, and the Madison Police deserve that. When the answers come, we will be open and transparent in communicating them … The City of Madison, our police officers, our community, and I must and will keep moving forward with compassion, with understanding, with a commitment to facing the facts, finding the truth, and making necessary changes to ensure this great City is always more equitable and just.[9] | ” |
After a community meeting on March 7, Resnick struck a similar tone, telling reporters:[10][11]
| “ | We rested on our laurels. We said the city of Madison was not New York City. We said that we were not Ferguson … City Council members were talking about issues like this last night, about what we can do as a City Council to take the first steps. The reality is, there are structural issues with the entire system. You take a look at the racial inequalities that are in the city of Madison, we need to change.[9] | ” |
On March 27, state authorities leading the investigation turned their files over to District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, so he could decide whether or not to charge Officer Matt Kenny in the shooting. [12] Ozanne announced on May 12, 2015, that Kenny would not be charged with a crime.[13]
Judge Doyle Square Project
An issue that proved particularly divisive in the lead-up to the primary election in February was the city's "Judge Doyle Square Project." This is a development project in downtown Madison that includes the rebuilding of a parking garage and the construction of a new hotel in addition to several other possible developments such as office buildings, apartments or retail space and renovating the Madison Municipal Building (see image on the right).
The debate over the project centered largely on how much financial support the city should offer potential developers, though some 2015 candidates also expressed concerns over the project's long-term goals and past expenses.
Incumbent Mayor Paul Soglin was a vocal supporter of the project, writing in The Capital Times, "The Judge Doyle project offers some great opportunities for Madison. It solves a problem of replacing an aging parking ramp, of building a new hotel that will serve Madison and Monona Terrace, and encourages the construction of a new private office building downtown. Unfortunately, the City Council chose to ignore Ald. Mike Verveer and my recommendations for the project two years ago. Only now are we are issuing a new RFP, which calls for a more moderate-priced hotel that does not require TIF, office space to bring new businesses downtown, and a balanced transportation center."[14]
Soglin's opponents—both in the primary and in the general election—were openly critical of his handling of the project. Scott J. Resnick, who became Soglin's chief rival after the primary, argued that city funds designated for Judge Doyle Square should be reallocated to the Madison Metropolitan School District, saying:
| “ | I opposed the mayor's support for continuing negotiations on a plan calling for $47.2 million of tax incremental financing for the Judge Doyle Square project. The mayor failed to show leadership, doubling down on the original plan after wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars on this ill-fated project. Now there is a new RFP, but I am leery that the mayor will get better results the second time. I believe that it is our duty to immediately close the TIF district that includes Judge Doyle Square and give $7 million to the Madison Metropolitan School District.[9] | ” |
Resnick also advocated new city funding for child-care.[15]
Bridget Maniaci, a primary mayoral candidate, echoed several of Resnick's suggestions—especially finding funding for the Madison Metropolitan School District—but argued for a solution that still includes a new hotel complex, saying, "We can break through the political impasse, close the Wilson Street TIF (tax incremental financing) district, help our schoolchildren and still get a hotel built."[16] Similarly, Christopher Daly suggested reallocating Judge Doyle Square funds for educational purposes as well, but also pushed for creating a public bank: "If we want to avoid the privatization scheme, then we must find our way to a self-determining financial model. The Public Banking Institute has laid out how municipalities and states may endeavor to do this, and I am proposing that Madison establish a public bank to safeguard our commercial mortgages and give our city a greater degree of economic freedom."[17] Richard Brown, on the other hand, was critical of the funds already invested in Judge Doyle Square: "the process was not handled using sound fiscal policies and the resourceful use of city residents’ tax dollars and staff. The city spent more than $1 million in consultant fees, thousands of hours of work time of senior staff, and today we are still asking the same questions." Brown suggested that the creation of an "Office of Performance Analysis" would help the city plan similar projects in the future.[18]
For more information on the Judge Doyle Square Project, visit the city of Madison's website. Editorials on the project written by each of Madison's five 2015 mayoral candidates in The Capital Times can be read by clicking the links below.
Affordable housing
A third major issue in Madison concerned affordable housing - specifically affordable rental properties. A series of reports issued by the city's Housing Strategy Committee in 2013 and 2014 found that a majority of Madison residents are renters and that over 50 percent of these renters spend more than 30 percent of their annual income on rent. As Isthmus.com reported, 30 percent marks "the maximum percentage of rent that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines as affordable housing."[19] Consequently, many municipal candidates in Madison made affordable housing a key issue in their campaign platforms.
City services
City services, such as trash pick-up, parking and snow removal, offered another point of contention for Madison's 2015 municipal candidates. Both Incumbent Mayor Paul Soglin and mayoral challenger Scott J. Resnick - the winners of the February 17 primary election - outlined their views on these issues. Soglin noted, "For basic services like police, fire, sanitation, garbage collection and snow removal, those are areas we've received very few complaints about in recent years. One of the things that was very critical when I came into office was to be sure that, despite the fiscal pressures on the city, we'd be able to provide quality services to everyone." Resnick, on the other hand, described his approach to city services with an emphasis on technology: "We can have technological innovations that happen not just in our downtown, on the isthmus, but in neighborhoods in our entire city. There are new, technological innovations that produce efficiencies through all of our city services. I think we can take advantage of those innovations and make sure we're providing the highest quality level of services."[20]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Madison Wisconsin Election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- United States municipal elections, 2015
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Madison Metropolitan School District elections (2015)
External links
- City of Madison Elections - Official 2015 Candidate List
- City of Madison - Election Schedule
- Dane County Clerk's Office - Official Primary Election Results
- Dane County Clerk's Office - Official General Election Results
- Capital Times - Mayoral Podcasts
Footnotes
- ↑ City of Madison, "Election Schedule," accessed September 19, 2014
- ↑ City of Madison, "Campaign Finance and Candidate Information for 2015," accessed October 17, 2014
- ↑ City of Madison, "Elections," accessed April 13, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "Blacks gain historic presence on Madison City Council," April 9, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin News, "Just Ask Us: Which wards turned out the most voters in Madison’s spring election?" April 12, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Vox, "What we know about the police shooting of unarmed 19-year-old Tony Robinson in Madison, WI," March 9, 2015
- ↑ Race to Equity: A Baseline Report on the State of Racial Disparities in Dane County, October 2, 2013
- ↑ Wisconsin Gazette, "Madison Mayor Soglin statement on death of Tony Robinson," March 9, 2015
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Capital Times, "Community meeting on death of Tony Robinson draws hundreds," March 7, 2015
- ↑ WKOW, "Protesters stage march at shooting scene, vow continued activism," March 7, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "Tony Robinson shooting investigation will be turned over to district attorney on Friday," March 24, 2015
- ↑ BET, "No Charges for Officer Who Killed Tony Robinson Jr.," May 12, 2015
- ↑ The Capital Times, "Paul Soglin: Madison is better, but there's more work to do," February 11, 2015
- ↑ The Capital Times, "Scott Resnick: Judge Doyle Square hotel a want, not a need," November 30, 2014
- ↑ The Capital Times, "Bridget Maniaci: Put politics aside to solve Judge Doyle Square issue," December 8, 2014
- ↑ The Capital Times, "Christopher Daly: City needs a public bank, not a Doyle Square hotel," February 11, 2015
- ↑ The Capital Times, "Richard Brown: Doyle Square project shows need for better leader," February 11, 2015
- ↑ Isthmus, "City of Renters," February 11, 2015
- ↑ WKOW, "City services a key issue in Tuesday's Madison mayoral primary," February 16, 2015
 |
State of Wisconsin Madison (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |