Daniel Bauman

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Daniel Bauman

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

April 1, 2025

Education

High school

Rufus King High School

Personal

Birthplace

Milwaukee, Wis.

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Daniel Bauman ran in a special election to the Milwaukee Common Council to represent District 3 in Wisconsin. He lost in the special general election on April 1, 2025.

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

Biography

Daniel Bauman was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He graduated from Rufus King High School. He attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison. His career experience includes working in nonprofit, private, and public sectors including as an outreach staffer in the mayor’s office and with AmeriCorps VISTA.

Elections

2025

See also: City elections in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2025)

General election

Special general election for Milwaukee Common Council District 3

Alex Brower defeated Daniel Bauman in the special general election for Milwaukee Common Council District 3 on April 1, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Alex Brower (Nonpartisan)	53.9	8,185
		Daniel Bauman (Nonpartisan)	46.1	7,000

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. Source	Total votes: 15,185
= 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 Milwaukee Common Council District 3

The following candidates ran in the special primary for Milwaukee Common Council District 3 on February 18, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Alex Brower (Nonpartisan)	28.8	1,623
✔		Daniel Bauman (Nonpartisan)	27.9	1,576
	Submit photo	Alexander Kostal (Nonpartisan)	26.9	1,518
		Nasser Musa (Nonpartisan)	6.4	362
	Submit photo	Franco Ferrante (Nonpartisan)	3.1	173
	Submit photo	Josh Anderson (Nonpartisan)	3.0	172
	Submit photo	Bryant Junco (Nonpartisan)	2.2	123
	Submit photo	Ieshuh Griffin (Nonpartisan)	1.6	93

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. Source	Total votes: 5,640
= 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Gary Lawrence (Nonpartisan)

Endorsements

Bauman received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Bauman's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here.

• Mayor Cavalier Johnson (Nonpartisan)

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

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

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in Milwaukee’s Sherman Park neighborhood, where I grew up in a strong middle-class community that shaped my values and commitment to this city. I’m a proud graduate of Milwaukee Public Schools, and today, my wife and I are raising our two kids—both MPS students—in Riverwest. My experiences as both a lifelong Milwaukeean and a parent drive my passion for making this city a place where families can thrive.

My professional background spans public service, nonprofit work, and the private sector. I served as an AmeriCorps VISTA worker, supporting immigrant communities, and later built a career in advertising before transitioning into public service. I worked on Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s campaign, rising from volunteer to deputy campaign manager, then served in his office tackling reckless driving, housing, and neighborhood development. I now work as an independent consultant, helping organizations create solutions that benefit communities.

One thing has remained constant: my belief in strong communities and responsive government. I’m running for Common Council because Milwaukee needs leadership that listens, takes action, and fights for a city that works for all of us. By investing in neighborhoods, strengthening public services, and fighting for policies that improve lives, we create a stronger Milwaukee for everyone.

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?

• Milwaukee deserves the power to govern itself, free from interference by state politicians and a federal administration hostile to urban communities. For too long, Milwaukee has been treated as a scapegoat by those who refuse to invest in our success. We must push back against efforts to strip our local control, defund our public services, and weaken our public schools. I will fight to protect Milwaukee’s funding, stand up against attacks on our communities, and ensure our city remains a place of opportunity, inclusion, and progress. We need leadership that will reject defeatism and fight for our future—because Milwaukee’s success shouldn’t be dictated by politicians in Madison or Washington who don’t have our best interests at heart.
• Housing should be for people, not for out-of-state corporations and speculators looking to profit at the expense of our neighborhoods. Milwaukee is facing an affordability crisis, fueled by absentee landlords and corporate buyers who purchase properties in bulk, push out renters, and let buildings fall apart. When families and first-time homebuyers are competing with private equity firms, we all lose. I will push for policies that expand housing options, protect tenants, and strengthen oversight on landlords—ensuring renters have real protections and homeowners have a fair shot. Keeping Milwaukee’s neighborhoods strong, stable, and affordable means taking action now to keep our housing supply in the hands of people who actually live here.
• Milwaukee must be a city where all people—regardless of race, nationality, gender identity, or background—feel safe and supported. But right now, we’re seeing a surge of attacks on immigrant rights, LGBTQ+ protections, and civil liberties from state and federal leaders who want to roll back progress. I will fight to protect immigrant families from unjust crackdowns, push for stronger city-level LGBTQ+ protections, and stand against discrimination in housing, employment, and public spaces. Our city thrives when everyone has the opportunity to live with dignity and security. Milwaukee has long been a place where people from all backgrounds come to build a better life. I will work to make sure that remains true for generations to come.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I’m passionate about increasing Milwaukee’s housing supply to ensure people of all incomes have access to stable, affordable places to live. Too many residents are being priced out due to limited housing options and predatory investors. We need policies that encourage responsible development, protect renters, and create more mixed-income neighborhoods. I’m also committed to designing safer, more accessible streets that prioritize people over cars. Reckless driving is a crisis, and we can’t police our way out of it. We need smart street design—better crosswalks, protected bike lanes, and traffic-calming measures—that make our neighborhoods safer and more connected.

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

An elected official’s job is to serve their constituents—not the loudest voices in the room, not outside interests, and not their own political ambitions. That starts with being responsive, listening to concerns, and following through on the issues that impact people’s daily lives. Accessibility and accountability are key—residents should know they have someone in their corner who will answer their calls, take their issues seriously, and work toward real solutions.

Integrity and a willingness to take on difficult fights also matter. Milwaukee faces serious challenges—housing affordability, reckless driving, public safety, and state overreach—and we need leaders who aren’t afraid to push for real, meaningful change. That means advocating for policies that protect renters, expand housing options, invest in public transit, and put people first. It also means standing firm against attacks on public education, immigrant rights, and local control.

At the same time, good leadership requires collaboration. The best solutions come when we bring people together—residents, businesses, and community organizations—to shape policies that work for everyone. I’ve built my career on navigating tough conversations, finding common ground, and getting things done, and I’ll bring that same approach to City Hall.

Ultimately, an elected official should be someone who truly believes in their city and its people—who sees not just the challenges but the potential Milwaukee has and is willing to fight for a better future for everyone.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Roberts Frozen Custard on Appleton Avenue as a high school student.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Citizen Action of Wisconsin

Former MPS Board President Bob Peterson
MPS Board Vice President Jilly Gokalghandi
Retired Municipal Judge Jim Gramling
Mayor Cavalier Johnson

Alderwoman Laressa Taylor
Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa

Rayna Andrews
Lauren Baker
Phyllis Brostoff
Bill Christianson
Maggie Daun
John Drew
Kathleen Dunn
Leslie Fillingham
Matt Flynn
Cade Gerlach
Kathleen Geiger
Jim Gramling
Joseph and Dina Goode
Patrick Hartmann
Susan Hansen
Donelle Johnson
Juli Kaufmann
Jim Nitz
Former State Representative Barbara Notestein
Mike Rosen
Linda Rosen
Howard Snyder
Carol Stein
Melissa Tempel
Mark Thomsen
Emilio De Torre
Jonathan Ward

Jan Wilberg

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.

See also

2025 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Milwaukee Common Council District 3

Website

Facebook

Personal

LinkedIn