The Milwaukee County Board is back to full strength after a special election. What to know about new supervisor Caroline Gómez-Tom
After months sitting vacant, Milwaukee County's District 14 seat has been filled by Caroline Gómez-Tom, who carried 66% of the vote in a special election Tuesday over Angel Sanchez, according to unofficial results.
The nonpartisan seat represents one of Milwaukee County's two Hispanic-majority supervisory districts that was created after the once-a-decade redistricting process in 2021.
"We have a lot of work to do, but I am confident that together we can improve the health and wellbeing of everyone in Milwaukee County," she wrote in a statement on Facebook. "We will work together to provide better access to healthcare, create more economic opportunities, and make our neighborhoods safer and more vibrant."
The position had been held by Dyango Zerpa, who resigned in January following series of concerns about his attendance at County Board and committee meetings, questions about his campaign finance reports and his firing as a state legislative aide. He was a county supervisor for less than a year after being elected in April 2022.
County Board elections will be up again in April 2024.
What to know about Caroline Gómez-Tom
Gómez-Tom, 34, emphasized throughout her campaign that her goal is to build bridges and relationships with residents and improve engagement and accessibility for her constituents.
Despite funding challenges at the county level, she has promised to invest in Milwaukee residents, including making parks cleaner and safer, increasing measures for accessible public transport, as well as tackling on-going issues involving behavioral health and drug use.
In her current job at Covering Wisconsin she coordinates efforts to help individuals find affordable health insurance coverage, and currently serves on the boards of the Milwaukee Latino Health Coalition (MLHC), Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin (CHAW), Kids Forward, and the UW-Madison School of Social Work Board of Visitors. She was also elected the president of the City of Milwaukee Board of Health in 2022.
Gómez-Tom also previously worked for Milwaukee's Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers in a community engagement position.
She was born and raised in Racine by her two parents who immigrated from Mexico City. She lives in Milwaukee with her husband, Derek Tom.
Tuesday's special election attracted low voter turnout
Voter turnout was low Tuesday with 886 ballots cast out of the 15,342 registered voters who live in the district, fewer than 6%, according to the Milwaukee County Election Commission.
It was reported that 729 absentee ballots had been issued, with just over 400 sent in for special election day.
Contact Vanessa Swales at 414-308-5881 or vswales@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Vanessa_Swales.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Caroline Gómez-Tom wins special election for Milwaukee County Board
