John Guequierre
Madison Common Council District 19
Tenure
Term ends
Years in position
Predecessor
Elections and appointments
Personal
Contact
John Guequierre is a member of the Madison Common Council in Wisconsin, representing District 19. He assumed office on January 23, 2024. His current term ends on April 20, 2027.
Guequierre ran for re-election to the Madison Common Council to represent District 19 in Wisconsin. He won in the general election on April 1, 2025.
Biography
John Guequierre was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Guequierre's professional experience includes working as a business executive. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1968 and a graduate degree from the University of Chicago in 1972.[1]
Elections
2025
See also: City elections in Madison, Wisconsin (2025)
General election
Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. Incumbent John Guequierre and Anthony Nino Amato advanced from the primary for Madison Common Council District 19.
Endorsements
Guequierre received the following endorsements.
2023
See also: City elections in Madison, Wisconsin (2023)
General election
Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. John Guequierre and Kristen Slack advanced from the primary for Madison Common Council District 19.
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
John Guequierre did not complete Ballotpedia's 2025 Candidate Connection survey.
2023
John Guequierre completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Guequierre's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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UW-Madison undergrad, U Chicago grad, married 54 years with 3 children & 3 grandchildren. CFO, COO and CEO of multiple companies producing affordable, energy-efficient & climate-resilient homes, over 1,000 across US and Canada. Currently consultant to nonprofits, architects and developers using prefabrication to build affordable, energy-efficient homes. Founded Otologic Technologies in 2020 to commercialize a university patent to diagnose ear diseases with artificial intelligence. Nine years on Wexford Village association, Active in MERLIN Mentors helping startups grow and produce good-paying jobs. Previously chair of Elkhart County Indiana United Way and Chair of Indiana Association of United Ways. Every generation of family since 1870 has been involved in public safety (police, fire, emergency services).
- I'm running because my experience in affordable, energy-efficient housing is relevant to Madison's highest priority challenge - a crisis in affordable housing.
- My experience in building climate-resilient, energy-efficient homes will aid Madison's efforts in addressing climate change.
- My financial and budgeting experience, leading business and community service organizations, through budget cycles and financial challenges will allow me to working through Madison's deepening fiscal deficit.
Featured local question
Crime rates in Madison and District 19 rose during the Pandemic but now appear to be receding. It is easy to get current data on crime rates and types and MPD publishes regular reports. The Mayor and MPD are focusing on data-driven responses, and I approve of that approach.
Featured local question
Downtown Madison is bouncing back from the COVID-19 pandemic and riot damage following the George Floyd murder. State Street, the traditional downtown retail corridor still has too many vacancies. Numerous proposals have come forward for supporting a healthier retail environment, in the midst of tectonic shifts in the retail economy which are also affecting outlying malls. The surest path is to continue to support the development of more housing in the downtown area, which I will fully support.
Featured local question
Resident engagement is crucial. Madison's Common Council has robust digital capabilities for reaching residents and alerting them to key issues and related research. I will be working with the strong neighborhood associations in District 19 and their platforms and regular meetings for disseminating information. I will be involved in public meetings introducing and discussing planning and infrastructure projects affecting District 19. Several retiring and incumbent alders and I have noted that we still need to do better to avoid residents surprised by decision time on important legislation and intend to explore new creative ways to alert our residents.
Featured local question
Given my family background (my grandfather's name is etched on the Milwaukee Fallen Firefighters Memorial and my youngest brother, a Whitewater policeman, nearly died from injuries sustained in the line-of-duty), I was motivated during this campaign to meet with the captains of the two police districts serving Council District 19. We had a helpful discussion of priorities - those well-publicized such as body cameras, the diversion of mental health crises to a team of mental health professionals, and the violent crime prevention team as well as the less publicized challenge of recruitment and retention. If elected, I will meet regularly with the captains as we negotiate our way through some looming very tight budgets.
Featured local question
This appears to be a duplicate question from above
Featured local question
The mayoral campaign this Spring is putting values and goals at the forefront. The platforms are similar in many ways on the value front, with nuanced differences in the goals to realize those values. The Election will be a first step to solidify those goals, and will be top-of-mind as the Common Council and city staff support a continuation of policies or their adjustment. As we continue to move forward from their, we will need to perpetuate and improve upon Madison's tradition of engaging residents in developing the details.
Featured local question
Notwithstanding calls for redirecting funding to other areas, Madison has greatly increased police funding in recent years. The structural deficit will make that difficult in ensuing years. The first annual report from the CARES project (use of trained mental health professionals instead of police for mental health crises) shows great promise and the value of expansion. A pilot program for body cameras needs to move forward. Then we will need to undertake the difficult process of setting priorities.
Featured local question
Madison is in the midst of environmental initiatives that will take years fund and complete. On the whole, I support the environmental initiatives like Complete Green Streets, the several transit-oriented development concepts, and efforts to increase our tree canopy. We will need to watch for needed corrections and unintended consequences.
Featured local question
District 19 was particularly affected by a flood event in 2018. I participated in the City's watershed modeling and stormwater management studies. Following through with the various stormwater management projects will be one of my priorities. The City just launched the West Area Plan update which includes District 19 and affects every aspect of development, infrastructure and parks planning. I will be deeply involved.
Featured local question
Madison only recently recruited an independent police monitor. We need to support the monitor and pay attention to the monitor's regular reports for additional reform. Recruitment and retention are serious challenges, so training and programs for retention are important.
Featured local question
With a daughter who is an ER MD and multiple connections to Wisconsin health researchers, including mentoring a startup working on a rapid test, I had a front-row seat to the drama of the unfolding pandemic. We had to navigate from boot-strap policies based on evolving information to a successful vaccine hindered by horrible non-scientific push-back to the realization that long-term shutdowns, particularly of schools, had devastating developmental and psychological problems. Hind-sight is easy. At least we know a lot more about how to improve our response to future crises.
Lifting up our most disadvantaged neighbors lifts us all up and will make Madison more prosperous, healthy and livable for all. That's why I'm passionate about affordable housing, climate action, good-paying jobs, and equal opportunity for all.
Abraham Lincoln, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Barak Obama, champions of progress for all.
Start of Korean War. Age 4.
EMT for Guequierre Ambulance Service, Mukwonago, Wisconsin during high school and college.
Shakespeare's "The Tempest"
No. This is the training ground for public service. Volunteering with community service organizations that interface with the city government is helpful preparation .
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Alder Keith Fermin, Former Alder Ron Trachtenberg, Wexford Village Homes Association President Jim Rather, Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, South Central Wisconsin Realtors Association
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.
Note: Community Questions were submitted by the public and chosen for inclusion by a volunteer advisory board. The chosen questions were modified by staff to adhere to Ballotpedia’s neutrality standards. To learn more about Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Expansion Project, click here.
See also
External links
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 9, 2023
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
