Sean O'Brien (Wisconsin)

Sean O'Brien is a member of the Madison Common Council in Wisconsin, representing District 16. He assumed office on April 15, 2025. His current term ends on April 21, 2026.

O'Brien is running for re-election to the Madison Common Council to represent District 16 in Wisconsin. He is on the ballot in the general election on April 7, 2026. The primary for this office on February 17, 2026, was canceled.

Biography

Sean O'Brien earned a high school diploma from Madison East High School and a bachelor's degree from Edgewood College in 2020. His career experience includes working as a policy director.^[1]

Elections

2026

General election

The general election will occur on April 7, 2026.

General election for Madison Common Council District 16

Incumbent Sean O'Brien (Nonpartisan) is running in the general election for Madison Common Council District 16 on April 7, 2026.

		Candidate
		Sean O'Brien (Nonpartisan)

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for February 17, 2026, was canceled. Incumbent Sean O'Brien (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Madison Common Council District 16 without appearing on the ballot.

Endorsements

O'Brien received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.

Dane County, Wisc., Democratic Party

2025

General election

General election for Madison Common Council District 16

Sean O'Brien defeated Kim Richman in the general election for Madison Common Council District 16 on April 1, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sean O'Brien (Nonpartisan)	62.2	4,040
	Submit photo	Kim Richman (Nonpartisan)	37.4	2,432
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4	25

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,497
= 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

The primary election was canceled. Sean O'Brien and Kim Richman advanced from the primary for Madison Common Council District 16.

Endorsements

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

Campaign themes

2025

Sean O'Brien completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by O'Brien's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a lifelong Madisonian, Eagle Scout, and civil rights advocate. I grew up on the east side and attended our city’s public schools. My first job was as a dishwasher at the Chocolaterian Café, eventually working my way up to being the manager. After graduating from college, I bought my first home right here in District 16.

I currently serve as the Policy Director for Fair Wisconsin, our state’s only LGBTQ+ civil rights and political advocacy organization. I’ve worked with every level of government, drafted policy and budget proposals, and built relationships with leaders and organizations across Wisconsin. I am also a member of the Richmond Hill Condo Association Board.

I'm running for alder because I love Madison and want to give back to the community that raised me. I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and tackle some of our city’s toughest issues, from affordability and transparency to public safety, transportation, and protecting our environment. You can learn more about our campaign at www.seanformadison.com.

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?

I am running for alder to bring new ideas, energy, and thoughtful leadership to the council. I believe it’s time for a new generation of leadership that will bring a fresh perspective to government focused on lowering costs, increased communication, and protecting our values.
As a young homeowner with parents who are living on a fixed income, I’ve seen firsthand the financial strain Madisonians face. We have to make it more affordable for people to live, buy a home, and raise a family here if we want to see the full benefit of the growth Madison is experiencing. We must use every tool available to prevent people from being priced out, including improving efficiency and building more affordable housing that prioritizes access to public transportation, jobs, and opportunities. We must also continue to provide financial relief for those struggling most, including our seniors. I am committed to finding ways to lower costs and make Madison affordable for current and future residents.
I am a civil rights advocate and proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. I've spent my career listening, fighting for others, and protecting them from unfair treatment. I’ve worked with every level of government at every step of the policymaking process to get things done. I’m ready to hit the ground running on Day 1 to deliver for District 16.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Affordability, access to reliable city services, and transparency are the three biggest concerns I hear about when talking to my neighbors. In addition to these areas, I’m passionate about public transportation, protecting our environment, economic development, and creating more opportunities for youth in our community.

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

Listening is the most important job of an alder. Elected officials should be accountable to the people who elect them. As an alder, I want to ensure that our neighborhoods are heard and have a voice in projects that affect them. I am committed to finding new ways to engage with residents and make government more accessible, from hosting community coffees and listening sessions to ensuring regular communication with neighborhood associations and bringing city staff to the district to hear directly from residents.

Collaboration and building coalitions is also key to being successful. It helps ensure a diverse set of voices and ideas are at the table that may not have been elevated before. I have spent almost a decade working in and around government, whether in the state legislature, on local and statewide campaigns, or for nonprofit advocacy organizations. I have a strong understanding of how the government works and how to build coalitions to get things done.

As an Eagle Scout, I was always taught to leave the world a better place than when we came into it. That’s exactly why I’m running for Madison Common Council.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The Madison Common Council is the legislative body of our city government. Alders propose and sponsor policies, vote on ordinances, and oversee the functioning of our city and the services it provides to residents.

Alders need to be good listeners and collaborators. I want to ensure that the city is keeping everyone informed and giving residents a voice in decisions that impact them. It is important that residents of District 16 feel seen, valued, and benefit from the services that our city has to offer.

There are some things that are truly out of the Common Council’s control, from funding public schools to lowering the cost of gas and groceries. But I look forward to working closely with District 16 residents to address what is in the council's control and do everything possible to make their lives easier. Our city government should be focused on using every tool available to lower costs and prevent people from getting priced out of Madison.

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

My first job was as a dishwasher at the Chocolaterian Café on the east side of Madison, eventually working my way up to being the manager. I worked at the Chocolaterian for seven years. My first full-time job after graduating college was at Fair Wisconsin, our state’s only LGBTQ+ civil rights and political advocacy organization.

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

In order to deliver for District 16, our next alder needs to be ready to hit the ground running with policy knowledge, advocacy skills, and working relationships with leaders across our city. I understand the legislative process and have been directly involved in bill drafting, budget proposals, and constituent services. My professional experience working with all levels of government prepares me to be a strong, effective alder.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Congressman Mark Pocan, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, the Democratic Party of Dane County, AFSCME People, the South Central Federation of Labor/AFL-CIO, the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, Wisconsin Progress

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.

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Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 2, 2025

Political offices
Preceded by Jael Currie	Madison Common Council District 16 2025-Present	Succeeded by -

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 2, 2025

[1]

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Sean O'Brien (Wisconsin)

Contents

Biography

Elections

2026

General election

General election for Madison Common Council District 16

Nonpartisan primary

Endorsements

2025

General election

General election for Madison Common Council District 16

Nonpartisan primary election

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2025

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2026 Elections

2025 Elections

Election analysis

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

Get Engaged

Services

Additional analysis

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