Ald. David Ahrens announced Tuesday he would not be running for re-election this spring. Ahrens has represented District 15 since 2013.
“It has been an honor to represent the district and I have worked hard to merit that support,” Ahrens said in a press release. “It has also been heartening to work with so many people who are committed to improving their neighborhoods.”
While some candidates are not seeking re-election, many more are stepping up to fill other, soon-to-be vacant positions.
Ald. Keith Furman, District 19, was appointed in August to a seat previously held by Mark Clear. Furman intends to run for a full term next year.
Among Furman’s agenda items is flood mitigation.
“Flooding has become a more common occurrence and given the impact of climate change, this situation is likely to get worse over time,” Furman said on his website. “The recent storm gave us all a wake-up call.”
Joining Furman in their respective elections bids are UW-Madison students Matthew Mitnick and Avra Reddy. The two are running for Ald. Zach Wood’s District 8 seat after he announced he would not be seeking re-election.
“I no longer believe I am the person to best fill the role, and I have no qualms about stepping aside and creating room for new, young leaders in our community to step up,” Wood said on Facebook. “I have always believed that representation matters, especially in government. That’s why I ran for this seat in the first place.”
The Council primaries are scheduled for Feb. 19, and the general election is set for April 2.
