Candidate Profile: Alicia Halvensleben For Alderman District 11

WAUKESHA, WI— The 2022 election is heating up in Wisconsin and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. Voters will also decide the outcome of state representative, senate seats and local government and school boards.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Name

Alicia Halvensleben

Age (as of Election Day)

32

Position sought (including ward or district number if applicable)

11th District Alderman

Party Affiliation

N/A - this is a non-partisan election

Family

No children, I live with my boyfriend whose name is Al

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Beloit College

Occupation

Sales Team Lead (11 years experience in sales)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

No previous or current public offices held

Campaign website

aliciaforwaukesha.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I decided to run because I saw many items come before the City Council with little to no discussion or input from the community. I believe that elected officials should work for the people and strive to represent those voices during discussions on all items that come before the Council. I am also a passionate advocate for the downtown area of Waukesha, and want to make sure that the downtown area recovers from the recent tragedy and continues to thrive.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

I think the single most pressing issue facing the Waukesha City Council is a lack of accessibility. Many of the voters that I have talked to, don't know who their alderman is or what they do. I want to make sure that I am as accessible as possible and proactive in my communications with constituents. I plan to use a variety of platforms including email, direct mail, and social media to make sure that I am getting messages out to the citizens and hearing their input as various items come before me.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I think that my passion and dedication are what make me truly unique. I am a staple of downtown life in Waukesha. From Farmer's Markets and Art Crawls, to Friday Night Live and the recent JanBoree, I am there. As a strong supporter of local businesses, I do the majority of my shopping (for myself and gifts for others) right on Main Street. I view the downtown area to be the lifeblood of the entire City of Waukesha and I want to make sure that our downtown businesses and activities truly thrive because that is the best way to support the entire city.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I think there is a lack of transparency and accessibility with the current board. One perfect example is the recent redistricting process. There were significantly more public comments about this process than usual. However, I didn't feel that the voices of the residents were heard and the process was sped up for convenience without consideration of the people speaking against the process. Additionally, only one map option was presented, which prevents the public from understanding the rationale behind the updates.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I have touched on this a little above, but I want to make sure that in addition to being accessible to residents of Waukesha, but it also needs to work better with our downtown businesses. The downtown businesses are the backbone of the activities that bring people into Waukesha and specifically the downtown area. The Council should serve as a partner, and not a barrier to our small businesses.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have held a variety of leadership positions in my life and think this will serve me well as a member of the City Council. My ability to work with others and communicate even in times of disagreement will be key to my ability to be effective as an alderperson.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

If you don't know the answer, be honest and work to find the answer for the person asking the question.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

While not originally from Waukesha, I chose Waukesha 9 years ago. I am so happy that I did, because I cannot imagine living anywhere other than this amazing community.