Derek Field

Derek Field is a member of the Madison Common Council in Wisconsin, representing District 3. He assumed office on April 18, 2023. His current term ends on April 20, 2027.

Field ran for re-election to the Madison Common Council to represent District 3 in Wisconsin. He won in the general election on April 1, 2025.

Biography

Derek Field was born in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Field earned a bachelor's degree and a graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2016 and 2017, respectively. His career experience includes working in higher education.^[1]

Elections

2025

General election

General election for Madison Common Council District 3

Incumbent Derek Field won election in the general election for Madison Common Council District 3 on April 1, 2025.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Derek Field (Nonpartisan)	98.7	5,019
	Other/Write-in votes	1.3	68

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,087
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Derek Field advanced from the primary for Madison Common Council District 3.

Endorsements

Field received the following endorsements.

2023

General election

General election for Madison Common Council District 3

Derek Field defeated Matt Van Eperen in the general election for Madison Common Council District 3 on April 4, 2023.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Derek Field (Nonpartisan)	62.0	3,044
	Matt Van Eperen (Nonpartisan)	37.2	1,827
	Other/Write-in votes	0.7	35

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,906
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Madison Common Council District 3

Derek Field and Matt Van Eperen defeated Stephanie Salas in the primary for Madison Common Council District 3 on February 21, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Derek Field (Nonpartisan)	43.1	1,296
✔		Matt Van Eperen (Nonpartisan)	31.5	946
	Submit photo	Stephanie Salas (Nonpartisan)	24.1	725
		Other/Write-in votes	1.2	37

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,004
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Field received the following endorsements.

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

Derek Field did not complete Ballotpedia's 2025 Candidate Connection survey.

2023

Derek Field completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Field'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 am a data and analytics professional with six years of public service experience as an employee for state government agencies. I am passionate about using public policy as a tool to improve peoples' lives, and about using data and evidence as a tool to make good policy. I grew up on my parents' farm in Blue Mounds, WI and moved to Madison eleven years ago. I have a Master of Public Affairs degree from the La Follette School of Public Affairs at UW-Madison.

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?

Madison is experiencing a housing crisis that we all feel impacting our household budgets. The supply of homes and apartments doesn't meet the demand for housing, pushing prices far too high, far too quickly. I support responsible development and zoning tools that will bring more housing options to Madison - including options at lower price points.
Public trust in the safety of our water supply is essential. With PFAS and other contaminants being found in our public wells, we must be diligent in adding treatment systems and other infrastructure upgrades that protect the health and safety of our drinking water supply. We cannot afford to take this essential natural resource for granted.
Residents around the district are increasingly concerned about traffic safety where we see high speeds and dangerous driving behavior on our main roads through Far East Side neighborhoods. I support measures that will slow these drivers down, including traffic safety improvements like radar speed signs, redesigned intersections, and speed bumps. Our neighborhood roads must be safe for pedestrians, bikers, and drivers.

Community Question Featured local question

Do you believe crime rates are changing? Where do you get your crime rate data from? Would you make any changes to existing public safety policy?

Beliefs aside, data shows us that property crime rates increased during the beginning of the pandemic and then declined in 2022 in Madison. This is evident in the Madison Police Department's published car theft, break-ins, and shots-fired reports data.

Community Question Featured local question

Do you think the downtown area is healthy? What is your definition of a healthy downtown? What changes, if any, would you like to make?

Yes. A healthy downtown includes a vibrant and diverse group of employers, everyday services, entertainment venues, and tourism attractions that create a sense of place and make a City's downtown an attractive place to live or visit.

Community Question Featured local question

How important is it to involve residents in the government’s decision-making process? What plans do you have regarding resident involvement in this process?

Very important. If I win the election for District 3 Alder, I will continue the existing weekly blog posts with updates on city business. I will also join as many neighborhood meetings as possible with neighborhood associations in the district and I will build relationships with nonprofit community organizations who serve and understand the needs of residents (especially those not traditionally represented by neighborhood associations). With each of these groups and organizations, I will be available to hear their input and concerns and I will serve as a source of information about city proceedings and city business to make sure they're aware of issues relevant to their members and stakeholders.

Community Question Featured local question

How should record requests from the public be handled? Do you have any policies around transparency and accountability you want to enact?

In support of government transparency, I believe that public record requests should always be handled as soon as practicable and without delay - in accordance with state and federal open government laws.

Community Question Featured local question

How would you address crime and public safety? Do you have a different stance than current city council policy?

Neighborhoods in my district are safe, though residents worry about increased crime incidents over the past few years - including dangerous driving behaviors and high traffic speeds. I'm connecting with East Side police officers to understand what they see as their biggest barriers to public safety. Providing stable, affordable housing options that meet folks' is a must to prevent crime. I support Madison's CARES alternative response program. Its first-year report shows that the program successfully gets most patients the help they need without involving police.

Community Question Featured local question

What do you think about the city's environmental health? Would you make any changes to current policy?

Madison is privileged to have good air and water quality in general, with a few problem spots. Some areas of Madison struggle with point-source contamination that the City needs to clean up (especially near drinking water wells) and prevent in the future.

Community Question Featured local question

What plans do you have regarding infrastructure?

I support infrastructure investments that build climate resilience in the community, especially resilience to increased flooding and more severe heat. I also support infrastructure investments that will allow residents to make more sustainable choices about housing and transportation, such as public transit routes that serve as an alternative to driving cars through our growing city's traffic.

Community Question Featured local question

What policies would you have implemented in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic? Why did you select those policies?

I support science-informed and evidence-based policy recommended by public health experts, such as testing and contact-tracing to control the spread of COVID or other transmissible infections. I also support vaccinations and public health education about the importance of vaccines.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am a public policy nerd with a passion for several areas of public policy. Most of my professional experience is in human services policy like education policy and child welfare/family services policy. I care deeply about supporting our public schools so that they can support our communities and offer pathways to college and careers. Our children are the future of our communities; as such, I believe that investing in the wellbeing and preparedness of kids is an investment in all of our future.

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

This local municipal office funds and oversees essential local government services, including state-mandated services. Alders also oversee and fund election activities via the Madison City Clerk's office, making this position very important in ensuring the security and integrity of our elections.

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

Respect, accountability, transparency, dedication, a passion for serving the community, and a willingness to change their mind in response to new information.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am a good listener, a level-headed decision-maker, and I'm good at thinking strategically to solve policy problems. I am willing to change my mind in response to more or better information.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to contribute to the health of our representative democracy and use local government to make our community a better place.

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

Grocery bagger and cashier, Miller & Sons Grocery in Mount Horeb for four and a half years

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Death and Life of the Great Lakes. It's a fascinating story about humans' blunders with natural resource management for industrial, agricultural, and recreational uses - and the lakes' amazing resiliency to adapt to many negative human impacts.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Not necessarily - I think it's important for someone in the Alder position to understand how to use public policy to address the community's needs and to prioritize issues that are important to their district. It's also important that they be a quick learner if they don't have prior public policy experience.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Public policy, data-driven policymaking, policy analysis.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Fair Wisconsin (state-level LGBTQ civil rights organization)

LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
South Central Federation of Labor
AFSCME
Building Trades Council
Democratic Party of Dane County
Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce
Downtown Madison Inc.Lindsay Lemmer, former District 3 Alder

Jeff Pertl, former East Side Dane County Supervisor
Jacob Wright, current District 17 Dane County Supervisor
Gretchen Lowe, community activist
Barbara Davis, community activist and MMSD teacher
Mike Jones, District 3 resident and MMSD educator
Robert Beets, one-time District 3 alder candidate
Musa Jallow, District 3 resident and realtor
Samba Baldeh, District 48 WI State Assembly Rep
Melissa Ratcliff, District 46 WI State Assembly Rep
Sondy Pope, former WI State Assembly Rep
Yogesh Chawla, current East Side Dane County Supervisor
Anthony Gray, current Dane County Supervisor

Nicki Vander Meulen, MMSD School Board

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Candidate

Madison Common Council District 3

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Madison Common Council District 3

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Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 15, 2023

Political offices
Preceded by -	Madison Common Council District 3 2023-Present	Succeeded by -

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 15, 2023

[1]

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Derek Field

Contents

Biography

Elections

2025

General election

General election for Madison Common Council District 3

Nonpartisan primary election

Endorsements

2023

General election

General election for Madison Common Council District 3

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Madison Common Council District 3

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

2023

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

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