Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson to replace elections chief Claire Woodall, email shows

Alison Dirr, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall-Vogg gives updates regarding the ballots for the general election on Tuesday November 8, 2022 at Central Count at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wis.
Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall-Vogg gives updates regarding the ballots for the general election on Tuesday November 8, 2022 at Central Count at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wis.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson is replacing Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall with her deputy, Paulina Gutiérrez.

The change comes six months before the November presidential election in which all eyes are expected to be on Milwaukee. Gutiérrez's nomination will require Common Council approval.

"Change, especially when it is unexpected, can often be unsettling," Gutiérrez wrote in a Sunday evening email to staff. "The experience of changing leadership is demanding and uncertain as we navigate uncharted waters and relearn to collaborate and communicate as an organization."

Gutiérrez wrote that she "is building a network of people with experience in elections to support our efforts in this upcoming critical election year. ... The Mayor has assured me that we will be provided with the appropriate resources as we move into the fall to ensure our success."

Gutierrez was appointed deputy director in early 2023, after the 2022 midterm election.

In a statement, Johnson's administration said Gutiérrez had held management positions at the state and local levels.

“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,” Johnson said in the statement. “I have confidence in her, and I will make certain the department has the resources it needs to fulfill its duties.”

Deputy Director of City of Milwaukee Election Commission Paulina Gutierrez fixes a jammed tabulator containing ballots for the 2023 Wisconsin spring general election on Tuesday April 4, 2023 at Central Count in Milwaukee.
Deputy Director of City of Milwaukee Election Commission Paulina Gutierrez fixes a jammed tabulator containing ballots for the 2023 Wisconsin spring general election on Tuesday April 4, 2023 at Central Count in Milwaukee.

The statement did not address Woodall's next steps.

She was appointed to the position in 2020 by then-Mayor Tom Barrett. By that point, she had worked at the Election Commission since 2013, except for a period when she went to work as the City of Cedarburg city clerk in June 2019, according to her resume.

At the Election Commission, she held the positions of election services administrator from February 2013 until May 2019 and then business systems administrator starting in February 2020.

This story will be updated.

Alison Dirr can be reached at adirr@jrn.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee mayor to replace city elections chief Claire Woodall

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