Despite telling Madison365 last month that he “can’t see (himself) running again,” and despite being arrested earlier this month on eight felony domestic violence charges, and despite being formally censured by the Madison Common council, and despite being stripped of all committee assignments, Madison Alder Charles Myadze was spotted on the city’s north side, apparently collecting nomination signatures to run for a third term in office.
A district resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told Madison365 that Myadze asked for a signature on his petition to be placed on the ballot in the spring election. The resident said Myadze told them he intended to run for re-election, and the resident said the form on Myadze’s clipboard was the same form he had circulated in previous elections.
Myadze, 49, first ran in 2021, defeating incumbent Rebecca Kemble, and won re-election in 2023.
In the spring of 2024, former girlfriend Michelle McKoy and ex-wife Jamie Johnson alleged that Myadze had abused them for years, going back as far as 2002.
Later, three women brought complaints of sexual harassment. In October, an independent investigation found that Myadze did engage in “bizarre” and “troubling” behavior with the women — a fellow Alder, a City employee and a local nonprofit leader — but that he did not violate city policy or state law.
In November, former Madison school board president, deputy mayor and mayoral candidate Gloria Reyes alleged that Myadze abused her during a three-year relationship, including choking her and knocking her unconscious while he was serving as an Alder.
On December 10, the Common Council censured him on a vote of 13-2 for the behavior described in the investigative report, and Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway removed him from all committees.
On December 12, Madison police arrested him based on Reyes’s allegations. Charges include two counts of attempted burglary, three counts of strangulation, one count of subtantial battery with intentional bodily harm, one count of false imprisonment and one count of battery during a burglary. If convicted on all charges, he could face 60 years in prison. He was released on a signature bond after spending the weekend in jail and is due to appear in court again on February 3.
Carmella Glenn and Anthony McNally have also declared their candidacies for the seat to represent District 18 on Madison’s north side.
Myadze has denied most of the allegations, only acknowledging that his relationship with Reyes did become violent at times. He claimed it was Reyes who initiated the physical fights.
Neither Myadze nor his attorney responded to requests for comment or confirmation that he is running again. He will need to collect 20 signatures by January 7 to appear on the ballot for the February primary and April general elections.
