A city known for its strong political ties, Madison will have the opportunity to redefine itself as residents look to elect a new leader in the 2015 mayoral election.
Madison voters will have a choice of three candidates in the elections: current mayor Paul Soglin is running for re-election against Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, and former Ald. Bridget Maniaci, District 2.
Soglin has been elected seven times in city mayoral elections and three times as a Common Council member. The mayor served on the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and rallied against the active participation of U.S. military advisers in Vietnam during his time at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
As a UW-Madison graduate student, Soglin was elected to the city’s Common Council and later elected as the youngest mayor in Madison’s history in 1973.
Resnick is the Common Council President Pro Tempore and won a District 8 Common Council seat in 2013, representing the area between Babcock Drive and Lake Street, which covers some off-campus housing and all university residence halls. He officially announced his candidacy for mayor in July.
In the 2013 elections, Resnick said he was especially proud of the campus safety projects, including new city lighting that he was able to push through the city council despite opposition. Resnick also graduated from UW-Madison in 2009.
The third candidate, Maniaci, filed to run for mayor July 2. Her campaign platform includes support for women’s rights and marriage equality, according to her social media accounts. Her former aldermanic district covers a portion of the isthmus along Lake Mendota, including East Washington and Gorham Avenues, near the state Capitol. Maniaci is also a UW-Madison graduate.
The three Madison leaders will compete in the Feb. 17 primary, followed by the general election April 7.
