By David W. Burns
April 11, 2011

Another Tuesday means another week of mayoral elections. In almost all corners of the country, a new round of mayoral elections took place this past Tuesday, April 5, as cities such as Madison, Green Bay, Las Vegas, and Miramar went to the polls.

A familiar face is returning in Madison (WI) as former Mayor Paul Soglin defeated the current incumbent, twice elected Dave Cieslewicz, by less than one percent of the vote. Soglin, who was previously mayor from 1973-1979 and again from 1989-1997, will be sworn into office April 19. During his previous term, Soglin was an active member of The United States Conference of Mayors, serving as the chair of the Urban Economic Policy Committee (since renamed the Metro Economies Committee) and also as an Advisory Board member.

In Las Vegas, which held its primary April 5, Carolyn Goodman, the wife of current Mayor Oscar B. Goodman, led a pack of 18 candidates with 37.28 percent of the vote. She will face Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, who claimed second place in the vote with 17.35 percent, only 15 votes over fellow commissioner Larry Brown. The runoff will take place June 7.

Elsewhere, in Green Bay, Mayor Jim Schmitt was reelected with 61 percent of the vote. He defeated Brown County Supervisor Patrick Evans, who came in with 29 percent of the vote. Schmitt is an Advisory Board member and the Chair of the Children, Health and Human Service Committee for The United States Conference of Mayors.

Also, across the United States, Fort Collins (CO) elected former Mayor Pro Tem and City Councilmember Karen Weitkunat as mayor. In Naperville (IL), George Pradel won his bid for reelection to a fifth term. In nearby Joliet (IL), Tom Giarrante was elected as mayor. Giarrante previously served the city as a city councilmember.

Upcoming elections throughout April include Burbank (CA) and a runoff in Colorado Springs (CO).