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Lisa B. Subeck (born June 17, 1971) is an American political organizer and Democratic politician from Madison, Wisconsin. She is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the west side of Madison since January 2015. Prior to her election to the state Assembly, she served four years on the Madison Common Council.

Early life and career

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Subeck graduated from Rich Central High School in Olympia Fields, Illinois. She went on to earn her bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1993.

Subeck began her career after college working on programs for children and young mothers. She became a Dane County program director for the Head Start and Early Head Start programs, and helped launch Hope House, a Madison-based housing program for young mothers of infants and toddlers. In 1998, she also began teaching early education courses at Madison Area Technical College, and, in 2003, became a program coordinator for the Madison YWCA.

Political career

Her work on social programs assisting families and children led her into policy advocacy. In 2005, she made her first attempt for elected office, running as a Progressive Dane candidate for Madison Common Council. She was defeated by Jed Sanborn, who was one of a number of Democratic Party candidates backed by a coalition of realty and development interests.

She continued her involvement in local affairs, and was a member of Madison's Community Services Committee, Equal Opportunities Commission, and Madison's Southwest Neighborhood Plan Committee. In 2009, she was hired as Executive Director for NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, and, in 2011, she made another attempt for election to City Council. This time, she was supported by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. She topped a field of five candidates in the nonpartisan primary, and went on to win 58% of the vote against her general election opponent, who identified as a fiscally-conservative moderate.

City council

In 2011, Subeck and fellow Alder Matthew Phair introduced a series of budget amendments to address crime, gang and drug violence in the Southwest section of Madison. The budget amendments included $30,000 for police overtime as part of a community safety initiative, $900,000 for the purchase and rehabilitation of a vacant restaurant building for a community center, funding for a spray park, and $60,000 for an additional building inspector to work in deteriorating neighborhoods. A majority of the items were passed in the 2012 budget. A spray park opened at Elver Park in 2014, and after two years of negotiations, the city of Madison purchased the former Griff's Restaurant and, in 2019, opened the center, now known as the Southwest Madison Employment Center.

In January 2012, Subeck joined five other alders in calling for fellow Alder Solomon to resign over allegations he sexually harassed and assaulted an assistant city clerk in January 2012. After a lengthy investigation the city’s civil rights office found no proof that Solomon had sexually harassed the assistant city clerk and determined not to press charges. Solomon did not resign from office, but did not run for another term in 2013.

In 2013, Subeck worked with the Mayor to lead an effort to pass new campaign finance disclosure rules that exceed what is required by state law, requiring corporations and other entities making independent expenditures to disclose not only their campaign spending but also their donors who contributed to expenditures for or against a candidate in a city election.

State government

Subsequent to her election to the City Council, Subeck became involved in the project to recall Governor Scott Walker, and, in 2012, she was hired as Executive Director of United Wisconsin, an independent political action committee organized to facilitate that recall. Though the recall was unsuccessful, she continued to run United Wisconsin through the 2014 election.

In 2014, she announced a campaign for Wisconsin State Assembly in the 78th Assembly district. The 78th district was an open seat, as the incumbent, Brett Hulsey, chose to run instead for Governor of Wisconsin. In the Democratic primary, she defeated fellow city councilmember Mark Clear with 56% of the vote. She was unopposed in the 2014 general election, and was sworn in January 2015.

Subeck was subsequently reelected in 2016, 2018, and 2020.

In the Legislature, Subeck has been elected minority caucus vice-chair for the 2021–2022 session. She currently serves on the Assembly committees for Review of Administrative Rules, on Campaigns and Elections, on Energy and Utilities, on Health, and on Rules, and serves on the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules.

In addition to her service in the Legislature, Subeck serves as the Wisconsin director of the National Foundation for Women Legislators, and is an executive board member of the Women's Legislative Network of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Elections

Madison City Council (2005)

Madison City Council (2011, 2013)

Wisconsin State Assembly, 78th district (2014–2022)

References

1. ^ "Representative Lisa Subeck". Wisconsin Legislature. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
2. ^ "About Representative Subeck". Lisa Subeck State Representative. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
3. "Lisa Subeck". Urban Milwaukee.
4. Davidoff, Judith (April 2, 2005). "Council hopefuls draw special interests' cash". The Capital Times. Retrieved April 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Madison Alderperson District 1". 2005 Spring Election Results from Unofficial Canvass (Report). Office of the Clerk of Dane County, Wisconsin. April 8, 2005. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
6. ^ "Madison Alderperson District 1". 2011 Spring Primary Results from Official Canvass (Report). Office of the Clerk of Dane County, Wisconsin. February 17, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
7. Simmons, Dan (March 20, 2011). "Election 2011 - Madison City Council, 1st District". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 21. Retrieved April 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Subeck, Lisa (March 15, 2011). "Lisa Subeck, candidate for City Council in District 1". The Capital Times. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
9. ^ "Madison Alderperson District 1". 2011 Spring Election Results from Official Canvass (Report). Office of the Clark of Dane County, Wisconsin. April 8, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
10. "Proposed Budget Amendments for Southwest Madison Neighborhoods". Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
11. "Madison Parks' Newest Splash Parks Opening at Elver & Reindahl Parks". www.cityofmadison.com. City of Madison, Wisconsin. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
12. Tajanko, Darius. "City of Madison - File #: 34536". madison.legistar.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
13. "Southwest Madison Employment Center opens to help residents get jobs". WMTV. September 18, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
14. Mosiman, Dean (January 5, 2012). "Group calls for Solomon to resign". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
15. "Madison is right to lead on campaign reform". The Capital Times (Editorial). October 2, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
16. ^ Canvass Results for 2014 Fall Partisan Primary - 8/12/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. August 29, 2014. p. 46. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
17. Opoien, Jessie (August 12, 2014). "Subeck defeats Clear in 78th Assembly District primary". The Capital Times. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
18. "WI-Uncontested". WKOW. Associated Press. November 4, 2014. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014 – via Wayback Machine.
19. ^ Canvass Results for 2014 General Election - 11/4/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. November 26, 2014. p. 26. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
20. 2013 Spring Election - Official Results (Report). Office of the Clerk of Dane County, Wisconsin. April 2, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
21. Canvass Results for 2016 Partisan Primary - 8/9/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. September 30, 2016. p. 60. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
22. Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. December 22, 2016. p. 26. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
23. Canvass Results for 2018 General Election - 11/6/2018 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. February 22, 2019. p. 24. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
24. Canvass Results for 2020 Partisan Primary - 8/11/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 28, 2020. p. 46. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
25. Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 22. Retrieved April 2, 2021.

External links

• Representative Lisa Subeck at Wisconsin Legislature
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Lisa Subeck at Ballotpedia

• 1971 births
• Living people
• Women state legislators in Wisconsin
• Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
• Wisconsin city council members
• Politicians from Chicago
• Politicians from Madison, Wisconsin
• University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Letters and Science alumni
• Women city councillors in Wisconsin
• 21st-century American women politicians
• 21st-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature