Graham Kilmer
Vote Tuesday

County Board District 14 Special Election

Three candidates competing for county board seat representing much of Milwaukee's south side.

By - Apr 3rd, 2023 04:01 pm
County Board candidates Caroline Gómez-Tom, Angel Sanchez and Travis Hope.

County Board candidates Caroline Gómez-Tom, Angel Sanchez and Travis Hope.

For some county residents, their ballot for the spring election Tuesday, April 5 will feature a special-primary election for Milwaukee County Board District 14.

District 14 is one of two districts with a Hispanic-majority population created during redistricting in 2021. It begins in the north along W. Virginia Street in Walker’s Point and stretches south to W. Howard Avenue and Wilson Park. The district’s western boundary largely runs along S. 20th Street. The majority of its eastern edge is drawn along I-94, the Kinnickinnic River and S. 1st Street.

While the election Tuesday, April 4 is a general election, the race for District 14 Supervisor is a primary and will have three candidates on the ballot. They are Caroline Gómez-Tom, Travis Hope and Angel C. Sanchez.

County Executive David Crowley called the special election in February following the resignation of former supervisor Dyango Zerpa.

Supervisors serve two-year terms on the county board which chiefly provides financial oversight of county government, including the parks system, the transit system, public senior centers, the circuit court system and the Sheriff’s Office. Milwaukee County is also responsible for the area’s governmental behavioral and mental health response, homeless outreach and housing and child support services.

Want more information about what’s on your ballot? See our coverage of the three Common Council races, school board races, the municipal judge race and appeals court race.

Want to see what’s on your ballot and where to vote? Visit MyVote Wisconsin to see your polling place and access a sample ballot.

Below you’ll find basic information provided by the candidate and a link to any available campaign resources. If you click on their name you’ll be brought to any stories written about the candidate. Candidate names are listed in alphabetical order.

Caroline Gomez-Tom

Caroline Gómez-Tom is the president of the City of Milwaukee Board of Health, a professional health care advocate, and a candidate for Milwaukee County Board.

Raised by working-class parents, her father a cross-country truck driver and her mom a repair technician, Caroline and her two brothers were instilled with a strong work ethic and dedication to family and community.

Caroline watched her parents work multiple jobs and sacrifice to make ends meet, and, in some cases, still come up short in a system not built for them. Seeing the successes and challenges of her parents inspired her commitment to lifting up the community, working in outreach and policy, and building bridges to support working families.

Caroline currently works at Covering Wisconsin, organizing community partners and stakeholders to help more people find affordable health insurance coverage. She previously worked in community engagement for Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers.

As one of Wisconsin’s foremost health leaders, Caroline currently serves on the boards of the Milwaukee Latino Health Coalition (MLHC), Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin (CHAW), Kids Forward, and the UW-Madison School of Social Work Board of Visitors. In 2022, she was elected the president of the City of Milwaukee Board of Health. Caroline was previously honored as one of the “40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Healthcare” by the National Minority Quality Forum.

Born and raised in Racine, Caroline attended public schools, and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UW-Madison. She, her husband Derek, and their two dogs, live in Milwaukee’s Garden District. In her free time, Caroline sings with the Milwaukee Choristers and enjoys gardening, cooking, and supporting local restaurants.

Travis Hope

Hope is a community organizer on the city’s South Side who has worked on the city’s Block Watch Council, the Southside Organizing Center and as president of the Kinnickinnic River Neighbors in Action since 2016, as Urban Milwaukee previously reported.

Angel Sanchez

Sanchez is a construction contractor and former one-term alderman, as Urban Milwaukee previously reported.

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Categories: MKE County, Politics

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