Milwaukee County residents have the chance to learn more about the county supervisor’s race in District 7 and ask questions at a public forum this Saturday.
The Voices of District 7 Community Forum will take place from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 in the atrium of Sherman Phoenix Marketplace, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave.
County Supervisor Felesia Martin, who has represented the district since 2018, is running for reelection this spring and facing a challenge from Stacy Smiter, a real estate broker who owns Dream Investment Holdings LLC.
All seats on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors are up for election on Tuesday, April 7.
District 7, which includes North and West Side neighborhoods, including Sherman Park, Lincoln Creek, Enderis Park and Nash Park, is one of only three districts where there is more than one candidate on the ballot.
Both candidates were invited. A spokesperson for Martin’s campaign said her attendance at the forum is uncertain because the event was scheduled before checking her availability. Smiter is planning to attend, according to Artavia Logan, a district resident and one of the event’s organizers.
Logan, who opened Midwest Productions Studio about a year ago in Sherman Phoenix, said she wanted to start the forum so community members could learn about and have conversations about how local elections shape what happens in the district.
“There’s so many things that are at risk when you don’t vote or you don’t know what you’re voting for,” Logan said. She hosts the Facts Over Feelings podcast with Jordan Roman and Dorion Higgins to discuss issues such as politics at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays. Martin and Smiter have both appeared as guests.
About the forum and candidates
Guests can submit questions for the candidates when they enter. There will be a question-and-answer session moderated by Roman and Higgins and candidates will have time to outline their agendas, according to Logan.
“Milwaukee County Supervisor Felesia Martin is committed to advancing policies that strengthen the well‑being of every resident,” a spokesperson for Martin’s campaign said.
This includes supporting development of affordable housing, championing a right‑to‑counsel program for residents facing eviction, protecting and expanding the transportation network and paratransit services, along with other community safety priorities, according to her campaign.
Smiter said he plans to listen to residents and connect with them on housing affordability and stability, provide support for seniors amid the closure of McGovern Park Senior Center, focus on public safety and economic opportunity, as well as how the role of county supervisor can be used effectively.
Then the hosts plan to share resources on how to vote and open it up for a meet-and-greet.
“I just want people to come out and get informed,” Logan said.
More election coverage
Find what’s on your ballot here or read an overview on the spring election here.
Wisconsin Watch is covering the Wisconsin Supreme Court race.
Here’s how to vote early in Milwaukee.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
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