69����

On Sunday, Brandon Buchanan announced he’ll run for the District 11 seat currently held by Lori Marshall.

Buchanan and his wife Skylee own a home on the west side of Beloit. He currently serves as the vice president of Beloit’s Police and Fire Commission. He also serves on the executive board for the Beloit NAACP, is a former committee co-chair for the Beloit League of Women Voters and is an active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Buchanan works as an environmental policy consultant.

“I’m running for county board to invest in jobs that pay a living wage, promote treatment courts and mental health services, and ensure every resident feels safe and welcome,” he said in a release.

“My wife and I chose the west side of Beloit because we believe in it, and I want to represent it with honesty, accessibility, and a focus on real results. Many residents do not always see how county government impacts their daily lives. I want to change that by bringing open communication and transparency to the 11th District,” the release continued.

“People deserve clear information, timely responses, and a supervisor who listens. That’s what I’ve done on the Police and Fire Commission, and that’s what I will do on the county board.”

Joining Buchanan’s campaign as his treasurer is former State Senate Majority Leader and Beloit resident Judy Robson. She served 12 years in the Wisconsin state Assembly, 12 years in the state Senate, and was Wisconsin’s first female Democratic Majority Leader.

Districts 12, 16 

A race is also emerging for District 16 on the county board, which is in the Beloit area. Current county board member Yuri Rashkin, who represents District 16, has said he won't seek re-election. Beloit resident Willow Wallis has announced they plan to run in District 16.

And Beloit resident Rodolfo Abarca has announced he’s running for the District 12 seat on the county board that’s currently held by April Whitledge.

�Ѿ����ٴDz���

Around the county, longtime Rock County Board member Mary Mawhinney, who represents a portion of the city of Milton and its surrounding rural area, has said she will not run again in 2026.

Mawhinney has represented District 6 on the Rock County Board since 1998. It includes parts of the cities of Janesville and Milton, parts of the towns of Harmony and Lima and the full towns of Johnstown and Milton.

That follows the recent announcement by Bill Wilson, who has represented District 5 on the county board since 2020, that he won't run again for that seat. District 5 lies entirely within the city of Milton.

Milton Common Council member Ken Smith has announced he's running for Wilson's District 5 seat, and is also running again for his council seat. Smith was appointed to the Milton Common Council in April 2024. 

Candidates interested in running for a county board seat can circulate nomination papers beginning today. Candidates have until Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 5 p.m. to turn in paperwork and signatures needed to be listed on the ballot. Candidates must submit a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 100 signatures.

Rock County Clerk, Lisa Tollefson can be contacted at 608-757-5660 for more information about running for the county board