New Election Commission Director Approved

Paulina Gutierrez. Photo from the City of Milwaukee.

It’s official. Paulina Gutiérrez now has one of the most difficult jobs in Milwaukee.

On Tuesday morning, the Common Council unanimously confirmed her appointment to lead the Milwaukee Election Commission.

It followed a publicly tumultuous month when Mayor Cavalier Johnson unexpectedly announced that he was replacing incumbent director Claire Woodall with Gutiérrez, the deputy. A definitive reason for Woodall’s replacement, beyond personnel issues, was never publicly offered.

In the ensuing month, Gutiérrez has accumulated supporters in seemingly every corner of City Hall. She even won over a key employee who initially wrote a letter to the mayor expressing “deep concerns” regarding her experience and current knowledge.

That employee, acting deputy director Jonatan Zuñiga, in a statement to Urban Milwaukee Tuesday, said the letter was submitted following the “significant shock” of the change from Woodall to Gutiérrez. “Since then, we have had several meetings, both as a staff and individually, to move forward, work together and build trust. I fully support Paulina and I know all of the staff does too,” he said.

Zuñiga served as Woodall’s deputy, including during the 2020 election recount. He then departed the election commission for a private sector job before returning to city service.

“I am sure that people with change are going to express some feelings. Not everyone’s going to get along. I don’t have those concerns. Colleagues of mine have not expressed those concerns to me at all,” said Common Council President José G. Pérez after the meeting.

“Paulina Gutiérrez is highly qualified and experienced in elections. She has already improved processes and is well prepared for the special election, the primary election, and the general election coming up over the coming months,” said the mayor’s office.

“I think we have all had experience with her at several departments and leadership roles at the city,” said Pérez, noting the council’s confidence in her. “I know that I have worked with her. It’s been a great experience.”

Pérez said both Woodall and Gutiérrez, who had served as the deputy since February 2023, had successfully addressed challenges since they arose.

“I don’t see how she’s not ready and not going to step up to the challenge this election cycle,” said Pérez.

Gutiérrez now heads towards her first presidential election with the election commission.

During her confirmation hearing, she took a diplomatic and forward-looking tone in assuring council members she was ready.

“I am focused on the future. We have lots of work ahead of us to prepare for November,” she told the committee. “I am committed to Milwaukee and to our mission, which is to ensure that elections are administered in a fair, transparent, equitable and accessible manner in order to instill voter confidence in the democratic process.”

She holds a bachelor’s degree in business and management from Alverno College and a master’s degree in public service from Marquette University. She’s previously worked as a regional coordinator for Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a lobbyist for the City of Milwaukee and Wisconsin Department of Corrections and the city’s emergency communications and policy director.

“My career in public service spans over 17 years, most of which has been dedicated to the City of Milwaukee,” said Gutiérrez. “This is where my immigrant parents settled and where I was born and raised.”

She said she understood why some had reservations.

“Change is hard and different people react to it differently,” said Gutiérrez. She said she is working to build a cohesive staff. “Our loyalty is to fair and transparent elections.”

Woodall previously told Urban Milwaukee she would work to support Gutiérrez. A settlement agreement will keep her working for the commission, but communicating only with Gutiérrez, through early August.

Pérez isn’t the only council member to back Gutiérrez.

“You are honestly one of the smartest people I have ever met and I am not shy about saying that. Whatever the challenges are, you’ll figure it out” said Ald. Scott Spiker after asking her questions during her confirmation hearing.

The election commission will get a warm-up run before the pressure cooker of the presidential election.

A special election to fill Lena Taylor‘s former seat in the Wisconsin State Senate is coming up quickly. State representatives LaKeshia Myers and Dora Drake will face off in a Democratic primary July 2. The winner will not face an opponent in the July 30 general election as no Republicans are registered to run, but it’s only a temporary reprieve. A full term is on the fall ballot, with Drake and Myers already set to square off against each other again on Aug. 13.

A copy of Zuñiga’s letter was released publicly by Alexander Shur on Tuesday morning in advance of the vote.

Related Legislation: File 240121