Andre Robitaille (Two Rivers Council Member, Wisconsin, candidate 2025)

Andre Robitaille

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Two Rivers Council Member

Elections and appointments

Last election

April 1, 2025

Education

High school

Florence High School

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Army

Years of service

1995 - 1999

Personal

Religion

Non-denominational Christian

Profession

Information technology professional

Contact

Campaign website

Andre Robitaille ran for election to the Two Rivers Council Member in Wisconsin. He was on the ballot in the general election on April 1, 2025.

Robitaille completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Andre Robitaille provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on March 20, 2025:

• High school: Florence High School
• Military service: United States Army, 1995-1999
• Gender: Male
• Religion: Non-denominational Christian
• Profession: Information Technology Professional
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign slogan: Putting Residents First, Rebuilding Trust, Strengthening TR
• Campaign website

Elections

General election

General election for Two Rivers Council Member (3 seats)

Jeff Dahlke, Bill LeClair, Tim Peach Petri, Andre Robitaille, and Scott Stechmesser ran in the general election for Two Rivers Council Member on April 1, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Jeff Dahlke (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Bill LeClair (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Tim Peach Petri (Nonpartisan)
		Andre Robitaille (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Scott Stechmesser (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Robitaille in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Andre Robitaille completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Robitaille's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a cybersecurity leader, Army veteran, and Two Rivers resident committed to making our city a better place for families. Since moving here, I’ve been actively engaged with city government, challenging decisions that don’t prioritize residents and pushing for greater transparency. I created TwoRiversMatters.com to highlight issues that impact our community, push for accountability, and give residents a stronger voice. That work helped bring back town hall meetings and forced city leaders to acknowledge problems they had ignored. Our city government should work for residents, not just their favored businesses, developers, or tourists. I believe in holding leaders accountable, asking tough questions, and ensuring that city policies actually serve the people who live here. We need council members who put in the effort, get things done instead of just talking about getting things done, and focus on making Two Rivers a great place to live - not just visit. I’m running to ensure families and taxpayers get the representation they deserve.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Families trying to buy or rent in Two Rivers are struggling because homes are being turned into Airbnbs or snatched up by outsiders for vacation homes. Meanwhile, apartment developments have stalled for years, with no real progress from city leaders. We need action - not excuses - to get these projects moving and ensure housing serves the people who live and work here, not just investors looking to profit. Without housing, we can’t attract employers, because businesses won’t come if their employees have nowhere to live. Our city must prioritize families and working residents, not absentee landlords and short-term rental owners.
• Two Rivers needs stable, good-paying jobs, not just part-time seasonal work tied to tourism. We have a strong pipeline of future workers through our school system, with excellent tech ed programs and the best apprenticeship and internship program in the area. But we need to do more to advertise those strengths to attract employers who can offer long-term jobs with benefits. We also need to focus on bringing in more retail and service businesses that improve life for residents, not just those that cater to tourists.
• Residents deserve a government that actively listens and engages with the whole community, not just a select few. Too many decisions are made behind closed doors with little public input, and there’s no clear plan for tackling crime, blight, housing, or jobs. I helped bring back town hall meetings and push for transparency through Two Rivers Matters, and I’ll keep fighting for real public engagement. City leadership needs to stop making decisions in a vacuum and start involving residents before policies are set, not just after the fact. If we want a stronger, more connected community, residents must have a real voice in shaping its future.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I believe in a focused, results-driven approach to city development. Too often, we spread resources too thin - whether it’s TIF districts, façade grants, or other initiatives - diluting their impact instead of concentrating on areas that need it most. We need to make tough decisions, prioritizing what matters and executing effectively.

I’m also passionate about getting more residents involved in city government. Too many people feel like their voice doesn’t matter or that it’s not worth the frustration. We need to actively recruit residents to serve on committees, run for council, and engage with local government. A city functions best when more people are directly involved, not when decisions are left to the same small group of insiders.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

City government is where decisions affect people’s daily lives the most. Unlike state or federal government, where laws take years to change, city council decisions impact neighborhoods, businesses, and families almost immediately.

What makes this office unique is that council members don’t just set policies - they shape the entire culture of how responsive and transparent local government is. If the council doesn’t ask tough questions, if they rubber-stamp budgets without real scrutiny, or if they ignore residents’ concerns, the whole city suffers.

Two Rivers needs leaders who take that responsibility seriously. City government should be the most accessible and accountable form of government, not just another layer of bureaucracy that leaves residents feeling unheard.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I’d recommend Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam. It explains how America lost the deep sense of community and civic responsibility that once defined us. People used to know their neighbors, be active in local organizations, and feel a duty to something bigger than themselves - whether it was their town, their church, or their country. Over time, that faded. Social clubs, church attendance, and civic engagement declined, and too many people today feel disconnected, unheard, and powerless to change things.

But it doesn’t have to be that way, especially in a place like Two Rivers. This is a city built on community. Families built homes and neighborhoods where people actually knew each other. Businesses thrived because the people who lived here supported them. And Americans took on impossible challenges, whether it was building homes for returning veterans or putting a man on the moon… Not because it was easy, but because they believed in something bigger than themselves.

Bowling Alone isn’t just about what was lost. It’s a reminder of what’s still possible. Two Rivers has the foundation to bring back that sense of connection, to make civic life something people want to be part of again. But it won’t happen on its own. It takes leadership willing to do the work and a community that believes in itself again.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity is the most important quality in an elected official. Leaders shouldn’t change their stance based on who’s watching, whether their friends are affected by a decision, or if it might impact their own business. They need to be guided by a strong moral compass, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Transparency is just as critical, but it’s not just about making information available to people who seek it out. It means proactively and clearly communicating decisions in a way that everyday residents can understand, not just those deeply involved in city government. People shouldn’t have to dig through meeting minutes to know what’s going on. Elected officials should be honest, consistent, and willing to explain their decisions to the public, because they WANT the public to be involved.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A city council member’s core responsibility is to do the hard work, not just show up and vote ‘yes.’ That means reading the documents, looking at what other communities are doing, and asking informed questions instead of just going along with whatever is handed to them. Too many council members don’t put in the effort to understand the issues or think through the impact of their decisions.

Council members also need real-world experience in areas like negotiation, finance, business, and law. These decisions impact real people and real money, and residents deserve leaders who ask tough questions, challenge bad ideas, and make informed choices - not ones who just go along with the group.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want my legacy to be that Two Rivers residents no longer say ‘why bother’ when it comes to speaking up in their own city. That people stop feeling like city government is something to avoid, and instead see it as something they can be part of.

If I do my job right, more residents will feel like their voices matter. They’ll feel like they belong in the conversation about where this city is headed - not like they’re being pushed to the side. And if more people start stepping up, joining subcommittees, or even running for council themselves, that’s how I’ll know I made a real difference.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Financial transparency and accountability aren’t just about making information available, they’re about making it make sense. Right now, Two Rivers’ budget is so high-level that even in budget meetings, no one could reasonably ask an insightful question. That’s not oversight… It’s a formality.

At the same time, we see TIF districts scattered across town instead of focused where they’d make a real impact. One was even amended the year it should have closed, just to keep it open and use the money elsewhere in the city. Facade grants go to business investors with many properties, while homeowners are told there’s no money available to help them fix up their homes. These aren’t small issues - this is how taxpayer dollars are managed.

Residents deserve a city government that treats their money with the same scrutiny and care that a public business or household would. That means clear, detailed budgets, real accountability for spending, and policies that prioritize residents, not just those who know how to work the system.

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.

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Candidate

Two Rivers Council Member

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