Joseph O'Brien (Waukesha County Board of Supervisors District 21, Wisconsin, candidate 2026)
Joseph O'Brien ran for election to the Waukesha County Board of Supervisors District 21 in Wisconsin. O'Brien was on the ballot in the general election on April 7, 2026.
[1]
Click here to view Ballotpedia's local election coverage in Wisconsin by county in 2026.
Biography
Ballotpedia did not receive biographical information for this candidate.
Elections
General election
General election for Waukesha County Board of Supervisors District 21
Joel Gaughan (Nonpartisan) and Joseph O'Brien (Nonpartisan) ran in the general election for Waukesha County Board of Supervisors District 21 on April 7, 2026.
Candidate | ||
Joel Gaughan (Nonpartisan)  | ||
| Joseph O'Brien (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. | ||||
Election results
Endorsements
Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Joseph O'Brien did not complete 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 Joseph O'Brien to fill out this survey by using the button below or emailing vote@josephobrienforwaukeshacountyboard.com.
Campaign website
O'Brien's campaign website stated the following:
Our Community, Our Priorities
Transparency & Proactive Governance
- Ending "Quiet" Proposals: Local government works best when it’s open. I will ensure major Waukesha County Board proposals are publicized before they reach a vote, giving New Berlin residents a seat at the table.
- Relationship-Based Representation: As a small business owner, I value the power of a handshake. I am committed to being a "boots on the ground" supervisor who meets you in the community rather than hiding behind social media.
- I WAS AGAINST THE Milwaukee Rescue Mission Homeless Drug Rehabiltation Center in New Berlin and I was definitley against the public not being notified before it went before New Berlin Planning Committee, where it was intially passed. I was also against it being zoned as a church, which allowed it to be tax exempt.
- I WAS AGAINST THE PROPOSED WHEEL TAX IN NEW BERLIN in 2025.
Fiscal Accountability & Taxpayer Defense
- Your Money, Your Voice: You deserve to know why costs are rising and exactly how your tax dollars are being used. I will bring a business owner’s eye to the Waukesha County budget, prioritizing efficiency over automatic "yes" votes for tax increases.
- Fighting for Our Fair Share: Waukesha County residents send $1.7 billion to Madison but receive only $72 million back in State Shared Revenue. I will work aggressively with state representatives to claw back more of those resources for our local infrastructure and schools.
- Proper Representation In Madison: Milwaukee's $252 Million Dollar Referendum should have never cleared Madison. New Berlin had to give up over $950,000 to Milwaukee because extreme fiscal Mismanagement. Every county in Wisconsin is shouldering the Milwaukee Fiscal Mismanagement Crisis. Now we just found out they are $46M over budget and they don't have the money to pay it back. We need to fight the next Milwaukee Referendum. Keep our Tax Dollars in New Berlin! No More Rubber Stamping Votes. It ends with me.
Safety & Prosperity for District 21
- Safe Neighborhoods: I will prioritize funding for Law Enforcement and Public Safety, which currently makes up over half of the county's levy. We must ensure our first responders have the resources they need to keep New Berlin families safe.
- Economic Growth: By keeping the Waukesha County tax rate competitive and reducing red tape, we can ensure New Berlin remains the best place in Wisconsin to start a business, raise a family, and retire.
- Accountability Over Rubber-Stamping: Unlike the incumbent, I believe a Supervisor’s job is to challenge the status quo and seek solutions before the gavel falls. I am running to be your voice, not a rubber stamp for the board. I am running to provide a check and balance on the County Board. While others may offer a "yes" vote as the path of least resistance, I will prioritize your wallet. [11][13]
Holding the Line on Spending: As a New Berlin business owner and home owner, I am held fiscally accountable every day. I will bring that same standard to the Waukesha County Board by challenging unnecessary spending and opposing tax increases that slip through without proper public debate. [11][13]
Stop the "Pass It Now, Figure It Out Later" Culture: You deserve a County Board Supervisor who asks the tough questions before the gavel falls. I will be the "no" vote on any proposal that hasn't been transparently vetted.
— Joseph O'Brien's campaign website (March 25, 2026)
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ "Email with Wisconsin State Election Commission," March 16, 2026
