MADISON, Wis. – In Tuesday’s primary election, Dane County voters voted to send state Sen. Melissa Agard and former Dane County Councilwoman Dana Pellebon to the November general election.
The two women are vying for the position of the next Dane County Executive.
Agard took first place on Tuesday with 57.3% of the vote, or 61,283 votes. Pellebon came in second with 17.4% of the vote, or 18,560 votes.
Madison City Councilwoman Regina Vidaver and Wes Sparkman, director of Dane County’s Office of Equity and Inclusion, dropped out of the race.
Pellebon is the executive director of the RCC Sexual Violence Resource Center of Dane County. Previously, she served as the director of housing and operations for Porchlight, Inc.
Pellebon came in second with 17.4% of the vote, or a total of 18,560 votes. (Spectrum News 1/Cody Taylor)
Pellebon, who lives in Fitchburg, also held public office as Dane County Supervisor from 2022 to spring 2023.
“I’m a person in the community who has just done the work and wants to continue the work that I do in a place that makes a difference,” Pellebon said.
(Spectrum News 1/Cody Taylor)
She said the real work for the November election begins now as she tries to compete with Agard’s campaign contributions and reach more voters.
Issues that Pellebon says are particularly important include criminal justice reform, the environment and improving access to affordable food and housing.
“When people are in trouble at 3 a.m., I’m the person they call. So I want to be able to get these systems up and running across the county,” Pellebon said.
Agard declared her victory in the primary around 10 p.m. on Tuesday. She said her years of experience in the state Senate and Assembly, as well as on the Dane County Board of Supervisors, set her apart in the race.
Agard took first place on Tuesday with 57.3% of the vote, or 61,283 votes. (Spectrum News 1/Cody Taylor)
She said she wanted to lead the country where she had spent her entire life.
“To move into the executive branch of a community that really raised me, that gave me so many opportunities, that I’m raising my children in, is really humbling,” Agard said.
(Spectrum News 1/Cody Taylor)
Issues she has championed in state government include abortion rights, workforce development and marijuana legalization.
She said her goal is to empower all Dane County residents.
“We are in a place where people feel safe and belong, and we must continue to protect that for everyone who lives, works and plays in our community, especially our children,” Agard said.
The Dane County Executive position is a four-year term position with a salary of over $140,000 per year and includes the administration of county government services, departments and finances.
This is the first time in over a decade that Dane County has elected a new county supervisor.
Longtime Dane County Executive Joe Parisi retired in May. Parisi endorsed Agard in the primary election. Former Dane County Supervisor Jamie Kuhn is currently serving as the county’s interim executive.
In the coming months, both Agard and Pellebon will work to convince voters that they are the right candidates for the post.
