Sara Eskrich and Zach Madden are running for the District 13 seat on the Madison Common Council.
The deadline to file nomination papers for the Madison Common Council is just a few weeks away, but so far, only half of the 20 members have indicated they're running for reelection.
Incumbent alders Ledell Zellers, Marsha Rummel, Steve King, Paul Skidmore, John Strasser, David Ahrens, Denise DeMarb, Joe Clausius, Maurice Cheeks, and Mark Clear have all filed papers of their intent to run for reelection. For now, they're running uncontested.
However, two races are shaping up for open seats.
At least two people are vying for district 13, which includes the near west neighborhoods Vilas, Greenbush and Dudgeon-Monroe. Sara Eskrich, project assistant at University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and Zach Madden, chairman of the College Democrats of Wisconsin, are both running for the seat, which had been held by Sue Ellingson.
Ellingson resigned from the seat in March and Madden and Eskrich both applied to fill the remainder of her term. However, the Common Council in May appointed Lucas Dailey, who pledged not to run for reelection, to the seat. Dailey has so far kept his pledge and not filed papers to run again, although he is under no legal obligation to keep his promise.
On the north side's district 18, which includes neighborhoods north of Warner Park and Maple Bluff, Rebecca Kemble and Peng Her have filed papers to run. The district is now represented by Anita Weier, who announced last month she is not seeking reelection. Her is assistant director at the Center for Resilient Cities and Kemble works for Union Cab and contributes writing to The Progressive.
In two other districts, only one candidate has so far filed papers to run.
Amanda Hall will run for the seat held by Lauren Cnare on the far southeast side and Zachary Wood is running for the downtown seat now held by Ald. Scott Resnick, who is running for mayor.
Ald. Mike Verveer, who has not yet filed to run for reelection but plans on doing so soon, is the council's longest serving member, having first been elected in 1995. "Over the years, it seems the average number of vacant seats is one quarter of the council," he says. "As things are shaping up this cycle, we seem to be following that pattern."
The deadline to file nominating papers is Jan. 6, according to the city clerk's office.
Each seat on the 20-member council is up for election every two years. The primary will be on Feb. 17 and the general election, which includes the race for mayor, is on April 7.