Twelve candidates announced intentions to run to be Milwaukee's next mayor, but only six of them met today's deadline to appear on the Feb. 15 primary ballot.
In addition to Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Bob Donovan, Earnell Lucas, Lena Taylor, Marina Dimitrijevic and Michael Sampson all filed papers at City Hall. That's not a guarantee that all of them will appear on the ballot, however. Candidates were required to submit at least 1,500 signatures to appear on the ballot, which can be challenged by their competitors until Friday.
The final ballot will be certified next week.
Milwaukee City Attorney Tearman Spencer was one of several announced candidates who did not submit papers to appear on the ballot by the deadline. Two other candidates, Sheila Conley-Patterson and Ieshuh Griffin, did file papers, but did not submit a sufficient number of signatures to appear on the ballot, according to court records.
The two biggest vote-getters in the Feb. 15 primary will face off against each other on the April 5 spring election to determine who will become Milwaukee's first elected mayor since Tom Barrett, who had held the position since 2004.
Barrett stepped down from the position late last year to become the United States Ambassador to Luxembourg.
Another candidate for Milwaukee mayor, Sheila Conley-Patterson, arrives to drop off her signatures at City Hall. That’s eight candidates who have dropped off at least 1,500 signatures to make it onto the ballot for the February 15 primary. Deadline is 5:00 pm today. pic.twitter.com/jwD3IxxGGt
— 620wtmj (@620wtmj) January 11, 2022