Your Favorite Local Elected Official

For the third year in a row, Joe Luginbill, president of the Eau Claire School Board, was the top vote-getter as Favorite Local Elected Official. A strong advocate for children, family, and LGBTQ issues, Luginbill was elected to the school board in 2015 after serving as a student member of the board while enrolled at North High School. Likewise, for the third year in a row Andrew Werthmann, Eau Claire City Council vice president and acting president, won second place. Elected to the council in 2009, Werthmann focuses on issues such as diversity and equality, the environment, energy, and food sustainability. Third place went to newly elected state representative from the 91st District, Jodi Emerson. Emerson got into politics via volunteering —  then working —  for Fierce Freedom, a nonprofit aimed at abolishing human trafficking. She successfully collaborated with others to help pass bipartisan anti-trafficking legislation in Wisconsin. — Barbara Arnold