Claire Woodall is out as Milwaukee's Election Commission Executive Director.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson nominated Paulina Gutierrez to fill the position. She's held the position of Deputy Director for just over a year.
“Paulina’s integrity and capabilities are ideally suited to this position. She will lead the office at an important juncture when public scrutiny of the work of the department will be extremely high,” Mayor Johnson said. “I have confidence in her, and I will make certain the department has the resources it needs to fulfill its duties.”
According to information found Milwaukee's Harbor District website, Gutierrez got a master’s degree in Public Service from Marquette University. She also received a Bachelor’s degree, with high honors, in Business & Management from Alverno College.
Woodall was appointed Executive Director of the Election Commission in the summer of 2020. Woodall handled elections during the pandemic, helped guide poll workers though confrontations with poll watchers, helped find new voting locations when previous polling places closed and even testified during a voting fraud trial that involved her former deputy.
Alderman Bob Bauman tells TMJ4's Mariam Mackar he was surprised by the news about Woodall.
"I had a good relationship with Claire," said Bauman. "I thought she was very knowledgeable in the election laws and rules and regulations. I thought she had done a good job up until this point. If there were problems I wasn't aware of them."
Other alders tell Mackar off-camera removing Woodall was the right move from a personnel standpoint.
But the shift in leadership will also be a change for voting groups in the city
Kyle Johnson, the political director with Black Leaders Organizing Communities (BLOC) said he's worked with Woodall closely over the past few elections.
"I think a lot of folks know to look to her when it comes to updates around the election. So when the news came out, it was surprising," Johnson said.
He says he's hoping the potential transition to Gutierrez will be a smooth one ahead of November's elections.
"I think it's a good move that the deputy is the one taking over — someone who can hopefully provide that continuity already knows the systems and the processes and the policies in the department, and then kind of just pick up where Claire left off," Johnson told TMJ4.
The Mayor's office didn't give a reason for removing Woodall from the role.
Meanwhile, Gutierrez's shift to the position won't be official until the Common Council votes her in.
Mayor Johnson nominated several other people for several other positions on Monday, including:
- Jim Bohl for Innovation Director,
- Jordan Primakow for Intergovernmental Relations lead as Legislative Liaison Director,
- Khalif Rainey for Director of the Office of African American Affairs, and,
- Veronica Rudychev for Labor Negotiator.
The newly nominated officials at elections, intergovernmental relations, and labor negotiations will require Common Council confirmation, as will most of the re-appointed department heads.
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