2022 Milwaukee mayoral special election explained

Election Name:	2022 Milwaukee mayoral special election
Flag Image:	Flag of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.svg
Type:	mayoral
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2020 Milwaukee mayoral election
Previous Year:	2020
Next Election:	2024 Milwaukee mayoral election
Next Year:	2024
Election Date:	April 5, 2022
Image1:	File:Cavalier Johnson 2022 (cropped) (3x4).jpg
Candidate1:	Cavalier Johnson
Colour1:	c0c0c0
Popular Vote1:	62,143
Percentage1:	71.7%
Candidate2:	Bob Donovan
Colour2:	c0c0c0
Popular Vote2:	24,543
Percentage2:	28.3%
Mayor
Before Election:	Cavalier Johnson (acting)
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:	Cavalier Johnson
After Party:	Democratic Party (United States)

The 2022 Milwaukee mayoral special election was held on April 5, 2022, concurrent with Wisconsin's spring general election, to elect a new mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, following the resignation of mayor Tom Barrett in December 2021.^[1] Acting mayor Cavalier Johnson, who had been president of the common council when Barrett resigned, won the election, receiving 71% of the vote and defeating alderman Bob Donovan. Johnson became the first African American elected mayor of Milwaukee.^[2]

Municipal elections in Wisconsin are nonpartisan. A nonpartisan primary election was held on February 15, 2022,^[1] in which the top two vote-getters advanced to the April general election. This special election was the first open race for mayor of Milwaukee since 2004.

Candidates

Advanced to general

• Bob Donovan, Milwaukee alderman and candidate for mayor in 2016^{[3] [4]}
• Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee Common Council president and acting mayor^{[1] [5]}

Eliminated in primary

• Sheila Conley-Patterson^[4]
• Marina Dimitrijevic, Milwaukee alderwoman and former chairwoman of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors^[4]
• Earnell Lucas, Milwaukee County sheriff^[6]
• Nick McVey^[4]
• Michael Sampson^[4]
• Lena Taylor, Wisconsin state senator, former Wisconsin state assemblywoman, and candidate for mayor in 2020^[7]

Withdrew

• Daniel Riemer, Wisconsin state assemblyman^[8]

Declined

• Chris Abele, former Milwaukee County Executive^[3]
• Mandela Barnes, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin and former Wisconsin state assemblyman (running for U.S. Senate)^[3]
• David Bowen, Wisconsin state assemblyman^[3]
• David Clarke, former Milwaukee County sheriff^[3]
• Evan Goyke, Wisconsin state assemblyman^[3]
• Chris Larson, former minority leader of the Wisconsin Senate^[3]
• Chantia Lewis, Milwaukee alderman^[3]
• Michael Murphy, Milwaukee alderman^[3]
• Tearman Spencer, Milwaukee city attorney^[3]

Primary election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Marina Dimitrijevic	Bob Donovan	Isehuh Griffin	Cavalier Johnson	Earnell Lucas	Michael Sampson	Lena Taylor	Undecided
Remington Research Group (R)^[9]	February 2–3, 2022	673 (LV)	± 4.0%	5%		24%	1%		41%	6%	1%	10%	12%
Public Policy Polling (D)^[10]	January 19–20, 2022	1,135 (LV)	± 2.9%	7%		18%	1%		25%	5%	1%	13%		30%
Global Strategy Group (D)^[11]	January 5–10, 2022	500 (LV)	± 4.4%	9%	14%	–		25%	7%	–		18%		25%

Results

General election

Results

Notes

Partisan clients

Notes and References

1. News: Jordan. Gerron. December 23, 2021. Milwaukee special mayoral election to be held April 5. WISN-TV. live. December 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211224075503/https://www.wisn.com/article/milwaukee-special-mayoral-election-to-be-held-april-5-2022/38604334. December 24, 2021.
2. News: Cavalier Johnson becomes first African American elected mayor of Milwaukee, defeats Bob Donovan in the spring general election . Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . Alison . Durr . Bill . Glauber . Mary . Spicuzza . April 5, 2022 . April 5, 2022 .
3. Web site: Bice . Daniel . Who's in, who's out and who's undecided in what should be a crowded field for city's next mayoral race . Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . 13 October 2021 . August 27, 2021.
4. Web site: 2022 Special Mayor Candidates.xlsx - Google Drive . docs.google.com . City of Milwaukee Election Commission . 24 October 2021 . 2021.
5. Web site: Dirr . Alison . Milwaukee Common Council President Cavalier Johnson to run for mayor after Barrett departs for ambassadorship . Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . 13 October 2021 . August 26, 2021.
6. Web site: Holmes . Isiah . Ald. Cavalier Johnson makes his case to become Milwaukee’s next mayor . Wisconsin Examiner . 13 October 2021 . 23 September 2021.
7. News: Caine. Patrick. December 26, 2021. Democratic State Senator Lena Taylor to run for Mayor of Milwaukee. WTMJ (AM). live. January 13, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20211229122332/https://wtmj.com/news/2021/12/26/senator-lena-taylor-to-run-for-mayor-in-milwaukee/. December 29, 2021.
8. News: Reports: Daniel Riemer drops out of Milwaukee mayoral race after brief run . . December 24, 2021 . December 24, 2021 .
9. https://urbanmilwaukee.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/remington-poll.pdf Remington Research Group (R)
10. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iLIps7-_wtzbbILiocPG5FjHSH5t3cZ4/view Public Policy Polling (D)
11. https://archive.today/20220119211839/https://twitter.com/DanielBice/status/1483836947718193152 Global Strategy Group (D)