Acting Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson took home 42 percent of the votes in Tuesday’s special mayoral primary election and will face off against former Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan in April to become Milwaukee’s next mayor.
Results from the election show Johnson receiving 42 percent of the votes and Donovan receiving 22 percent. State Sen. Lena Tayor received 13 percent of the vote while current Milwaukee Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic and Milwaukee County Sheriff Earnell Lucas received 12 and 10 percent, respectively.
Former mayor Tom Barrett, who’s been mayor of Wisconsin’s largest city since 2004, resigned from the position last year and became the United States’ new ambassador to Luxembourg.
Johnson was sworn into office on Dec. 23, 2021, as the acting mayor. He was first elected to the Common Council in 2016 and re-elected without opposition. Johnson was elected president in 2020.
Donovan served as the District 8 alderman for 20 years and ran for mayor against Barnett in 2016.
Johnson is the second Black acting mayor, and is looking to become the city’s first elected Black mayor.
The spring election is Tuesday, April 5.
