Ellen Zhang
Ellen Zhang is running for election to the Madison Common Council to represent District 8 in Wisconsin. Zhang is on the ballot in the general election on April 7, 2026. The primary for this office on February 17, 2026, was canceled.
Elections
2026
See also: City elections in Madison, Wisconsin (2026)
General election
The general election will occur on April 7, 2026.
General election for Madison Common Council District 8
Bobby Gronert (Nonpartisan) and Ellen Zhang (Nonpartisan) are running in the general election for Madison Common Council District 8 on April 7, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Bobby Gronert (Nonpartisan)  | |
| Ellen Zhang (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = 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
The primary scheduled for February 17, 2026, was canceled. Bobby Gronert (Nonpartisan) and Ellen Zhang (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Madison Common Council District 8 without appearing on the ballot.
Endorsements
Zhang received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Ellen Zhang has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Ellen Zhang asking them to fill out the survey. If you are Ellen Zhang, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?
Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate's Ballotpedia profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for. More than 26,000 candidates have taken Ballotpedia's candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here.
You can ask Ellen Zhang to fill out this survey by using the button below or emailing ellenfordistrict8@gmail.com.
Campaign website
Zhang's campaign website stated the following:
THE PLATFORM
POLICIES * SOLUTIONS
UW Students are 15% of Madison's
population, yet none of us are on city.
council. Heres what I'll do to address
the issues we care about.
TENANT PROTECTIONS
Increasing supply units and quality
isn't enough, we need to have specific
protections as renters!
Conceptualized by Madison Tenant
Power, this Tenant Bill of Rights
includes Right to: remain, safe housing,
fair leases, rent control, privacy, equal
protection, older and disabled tenants,
and to know your rent history.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
The population of Madison is growing
and we already don't have enough
housing! To increase supply, and
directly target rent hikes, Ill work with
developers to implement reduced rate
units and surpass building height
restrictions. Additionally, Ill support
development further away from
campus, which will decrease pressure
on the downtown market.
TRANSPORTATION
Car-centric infrastructure is student-
hostile. Reconceptualize getting
around with better service with a
Reverse 80, Rapid campus-airport
route, late night buses. Support
alternative transportation methods
with protected bike lanes and
prioritizing pedestrian safety.
ICE & SANCTUARY CITY STATUS
Dane County has already rejected
working with ICE. It's time to extend
that policy to the city. We have to
prevent ICE from using municipal
property & distribute know your rights
literature to employees, tenants, and
staff when approached by agents.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Funding Madison's mental health-
centric alternative to police crisis
response, ending unnecessary bar
raids, supporting public health clinics
for reproductive & racial justice,
making Madison a sanctuary city
against ICE.
SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE
What we build today affects our health
tomorrow. Advocating for energy
efficiency in new buildings and transit,
downtown green spaces, and requiring
landlords to disclose efficiency of
units.
— Ellen Zhang's campaign website (March 6, 2026)
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
