Longtime Supervisor and Political Newcomer Advance In County Board Primary

(Left to right) Sup. Deanna Alexander and Brandon Williford.

Milwaukee County Supervisors Deanna Alexander and first-time political candidate Brandon Williford are advancing to the general election for District 18 on the Milwaukee County Board.

Alexander narrowly finished ahead of Williford with 1250 votes (46.01%). Williford received 1076 votes (39.60%). Marty Hagedorn finished third with 380 votes (13.99% ) and will not advance to the general election on April 2.

District 18, which represents the northwest side of the county, was the only board seat that attracted more than two candidates, necessitating a primary election. The district was redrawn in 2021 during redistricting and covers the northwest side of the city of Milwaukee, including the Granville neighborhood and county parks Dretzka and Kohl.

County supervisors are elected to a two-year term and serve in the legislative branch of county government. The part-time, non-partisan position pays $25,924 annually.

Alexander has represented District 18 on the county board for four nonconsecutive terms. She served on the board from 2012 to 2020. A change in state law during her first term reduced supervisory terms from four years to two beginning in 2016. Alexander did not run in 2020, having pledged not to run for more than three terms. She ran again in 2022, defeating one-term incumbent Russell Antonio Goodwin, Sr. and five other candidates during; all running write-in campaigns.

Alexander is a graduate of UW-Parkside and earned a Masters of Public Administration from Regent University. She has worked for the county’s Behavioral Health Division, the state Department of Children and Families, as the Administrator for the Village of Newberg and is currently the Town Clerk for the Town of Brookfield.

Williford is a lifelong Milwaukee resident and a graduate of Morse-Marshall High School. He graduated from UW-Milwaukee in 2021 and works as an organizer focused on healthcare policy with Citizen Action of Wisconsin. Williford is also the youngest member of the Board of Directors for the Milwaukee Turners in the history of the organization.

Hagedorn is a teacher at Brown Deer High School. He is a lifelong resident of the northwest side and a graduate of Rufus King High School and UW-Milwaukee. He earned a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from UW-Madison.