Amani Latimer Burris
Amani Latimer Burris was a member of the Madison Common Council in Wisconsin, representing District 12. She assumed office on April 18, 2023. She left office on April 15, 2025.
Latimer Burris ran for re-election to the Madison Common Council to represent District 12 in Wisconsin. She lost in the general election on April 1, 2025.
Latimer Burris completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Amani Latimer Burris was born in Madison, Wisconsin. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in 1991. She also attended the University of Minnesota.
Latimer Burris' professional experience includes working as a journalist, small business owner, educator, and legislative aide for Wisconsin State Senator Lena Taylor (D). She has also worked as a field and community organizer for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, the Biden-Harris Campaign, the National Urban League, the NAACP, and the Pete Buttigieg Presidential Campaign.[1][2]
Elections
2025
See also: City elections in Madison, Wisconsin (2025)
General election
General election for Madison Common Council District 12
Julia Matthews defeated incumbent Amani Latimer Burris in the general election for Madison Common Council District 12 on April 1, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Julia Matthews (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 53.3 | 3,477 | |
Amani Latimer Burris (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 46.1 | 3,008 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.6 | 39 | ||
| Total votes: 6,524 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Madison Common Council District 12
Incumbent Amani Latimer Burris and Julia Matthews defeated Hussein Amach in the primary for Madison Common Council District 12 on February 18, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Amani Latimer Burris (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 52.5 | 1,031 | |
| ✔ | Julia Matthews (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 42.0 | 825 | |
| Hussein Amach (Nonpartisan) | 4.9 | 96 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 13 | ||
| Total votes: 1,965 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Latimer Burris received the following endorsements.
2023
See also: City elections in Madison, Wisconsin (2023)
General election
General election for Madison Common Council District 12
Amani Latimer Burris defeated Julia Matthews in the general election for Madison Common Council District 12 on April 4, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Amani Latimer Burris (Nonpartisan) | 56.6 | 3,177 | |
Julia Matthews (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 42.8 | 2,402 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.6 | 34 | ||
| Total votes: 5,613 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Madison Common Council District 12
Julia Matthews and Amani Latimer Burris defeated Blake Alvarenga, Victor Toniolo, and Josh Walling in the primary for Madison Common Council District 12 on February 21, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Julia Matthews (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 33.9 | 1,221 | |
| ✔ | Amani Latimer Burris (Nonpartisan) | 30.7 | 1,105 | |
Blake Alvarenga (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 15.0 | 540 | ||
Victor Toniolo (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 14.0 | 503 | ||
| Josh Walling (Nonpartisan) | 4.9 | 175 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.6 | 56 | ||
| Total votes: 3,600 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Latimer Burris received the following endorsements.
2021
See also: Municipal elections in Dane County, Wisconsin (2021)
General election
Special general election for Dane County Board of Supervisors District 12
Incumbent Larry Palm defeated Amani Latimer Burris in the special general election for Dane County Board of Supervisors District 12 on April 6, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Larry Palm (Nonpartisan) | 53.6 | 1,481 | |
Amani Latimer Burris (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 45.9 | 1,269 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.5 | 13 | ||
| Total votes: 2,763 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Special nonpartisan primary for Dane County Board of Supervisors District 12
Incumbent Larry Palm and Amani Latimer Burris defeated Goodwill Obieze in the special primary for Dane County Board of Supervisors District 12 on February 16, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Larry Palm (Nonpartisan) | 54.4 | 770 | |
| ✔ | Amani Latimer Burris (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 31.1 | 441 | |
| Goodwill Obieze (Nonpartisan) | 13.6 | 192 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.9 | 13 | ||
| Total votes: 1,416 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
To view Latimer Burris' endorsements in the 2021 election, please click here.
2020
See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Wisconsin State Senate District 26
Kelda Roys defeated Kelly Tenpas in the general election for Wisconsin State Senate District 26 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Kelda Roys (D) | 98.2 | 102,569 | |
| Kelly Tenpas (D) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 0 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.8 | 1,919 | ||
| Total votes: 104,488 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 26
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 26 on August 11, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Kelda Roys | 40.2 | 19,801 | |
Nada Elmikashfi ![]() | 26.8 | 13,220 | ||
Brian Benford ![]() | 9.5 | 4,699 | ||
Amani Latimer Burris ![]() | 8.9 | 4,370 | ||
Aisha Moe ![]() | 7.4 | 3,632 | ||
John Imes ![]() | 6.2 | 3,074 | ||
William Davis III ![]() | 0.8 | 408 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 44 | ||
| Total votes: 49,248 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!
Campaign finance
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Amani Latimer Burris completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Latimer Burris' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I started out my career as an investigative journalist. Most recently, I worked as an Advisor and Assistant to Dr. Opal Lee, a national dignitary, who recently received the Presidential Medal of Honor and a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee. "Ms. Opal," as she is often referred to as is known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth and is also my cousin.
Prior to working with Lee, I worked in the Wisconsin State Senate for Senator Taylor. In my career, I have worked at the intersections of education, equity, law, policy and business. Specifically, I have worked in policy development, on issues advocacy, coalition building, resident services, systems management, business development and communications for several different factions on a local, state and national level.
Personally, I'm heartened to be descendant of the people who built and rebuilt Greenwood (Tulsa, Oklahoma), and who survived the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, which grounds me and serves as a reminder to always people over politics; truth over taglines.
As your Alder and your neighbor, I understand the challenges and dreams of our residents and am deeply committed to building a city that listens, includes, and is transparent about what's what.- Transparency – Transparency isn’t optional—it’s essential. I don't believe in hiding the ball or holding things close to my chest for political gain. My preference is to tell the truth about what is what. You have a right to know what’s happening in your city. I believe in open communication, accessible information, and honest conversations, whether it’s city budgets, development deals, or community safety plans—all of us deserve this, even if we disagree. As such, in my freshman year, I have hosted/participated and supported over 47 engagement sessions, 23 that were specific to District 12. This is in addition to publishing regular updates attending neighborhood meetings, events and working on issues in District 12.
- Integrity -Leadership begins with trust. I don't like gameplaying as I know there are real lives and real people are affected by our choices and the issues. Although I have my own personal opinions, as your Alder I know my job to listen, learn, and make a decision that reflect the well-being of the entire community now and into the future. I certainly don't think my job is to be a rubber stamp, always vote in a bloc, be an agent for one, or put my finger on the scale by obfuscating the facts or substituting in my personal opinion for fact. My job is to learn the facts, measure and decide with honesty, empathy, and on purpose. I'm proud of the fact that I 've worked really hard to be independent.
- Accountability: Public service means showing up, being transparent, staying connected and being truthful (even when you made a mistake, are wrong, dropped the ball or were misled or misinformed. I work for you. That means I return calls, respond to inquiries, address concerns, and work side-by-side in collaboration. As Alders, we're imperfect human beings so of course there is always room for improvement as we grow and learn but today I 'm actually where I wish I was day one. Every new job has a high learning curve, and as Alder, I realize, if you are doing the work, taking feedback, being curious, it will take you a couple of years in service to become "Shovel Ready" and deal with the 4th wall which is "governmental politics"
I had the privilege of traveling with her, living at her house, being with her 24/7 (on /off for a couple of years). On this journey I learned so much especially as she has had nearly 100 years of experience living this life so she understands what really matters, what life is really about, how things work , what has happened in this country historically, the list goes on.
During this season, we met so many incredible people doing incredible things from everyday folks taking care of their communities to folks in the highest offices, at the very top of their game, world famous. It was surreal but more importantly humbling in the space and context of humanity.
Within this place it was incredible to see her resilience, watch her tenacity, see her grace, feel her empathy. Seeing her love on people just as they are and noticing her ease with folks of all walks of life was not only amazing but a blessing.
I not only got to watch history as it was made but more importantly quietly watch what leadership looks like: her unwavering commitment to doing what is right, being kind, making space when there is no room; her commitment to working to make the world a better place, day after day-as a committee of one. Being the same in every room. Living with integrity and limiting one's ego. Forgiveness. Providence.
the lens of ordinary people seeking justice, dignity, and opportunity. It reflects my belief in
We see a lack of integrity when words and actions don’t align—when people are undermined, dismissed, or used as stepping stones. When leadership becomes about power over people rather than service to them. Integrity refuses to treat others as obstacles or objects.
serve as a bridge between residents and city government. Ultimately, it’s about representing the
voices of the people and being available, accessible, and accountable. To be present. To be
informed. To be persistent. To amplify community voices. To make decisions that reflect the values, needs, and
stood up, and lifted voices that weren’t always heard or ignored. That I made things a little more fair, a little
the deeper story really stuck with me.
It explores gentrification and displacement in a Brooklyn neighborhood. You feel the tension between what’s seen and what’s hidden. As someone deeply invested in preserving community voice and advocating for equitable development, the book
It’s a quiet track, but it lingers in my head like a broken record. The line “I can’t please everybody” resonates with me deeply. In
public service, you quickly learn that not every handshake is sincere, and not every compliment is free from expectation. There’s often an undercurrent, an invisible exchange that will ask you to trade a piece of your integrity for approval. I’ve never been comfortable with that. I believe leadership should be rooted in something authentic.
can be hard to step back. I’ve learned that rest is resistance—and taking care of myself helps me
needs of the community but overtime rally others to help address them. A successful Alder needs to
build trust, navigate city systems, and work across differences to get things done. That means
understanding policy, identifying opportunities, and convincing others to move in a shared
direction. It’s not just about talking—it’s about aligning people, building partnerships, and
After engaging with thousands of residents in my district—including through 23 in-person community meetings —it became clear that people want to understand how decisions are made. They want transparency around budget priorities, development deals, land use, city services, and how we’re planning for the future—not just reacting to it.
What they don’t want are surprises. They don’t want to be shut out of information, dismissed, or labeled obstructionist simply for asking questions, raising concerns, or seeking clarity.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2023
Amani Latimer Burris did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.
2021
Amani Latimer Burris completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Latimer Burris' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- Racial Equity and Inclusion
- Economic Dignity
- Equal Access and Opportunity
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
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Note: Latimer Burris submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on July 26, 2020.
Note: Latimer Burris submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on July 15, 2020.
Note: Latimer Burris submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on July 10, 2020.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 15, 2020
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 24, 2021
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Madison Common Council District 12 2023-2025 |
Succeeded by Julia Matthews |
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