Melissa Lemke is running for city council in Racine, representing the 15th District. She made the announcement Monday at the annual Labor Fest event.
The 15th District is currently represented by Alderman Ed Diehl. He announced last week that he is running for mayor.
Lemke lives on the northside and said in a written statement that she is seeking public office because of “issues she has seen impact her community personally” like unemployment/jobs; health; and natural resources.
Jobs: Lemke said she will “work to build on existing efforts to attract businesses to the area. This includes supporting an increase in the minimum wage to $10.10 to move the most vulnerable residents out of poverty and spur spending at area businesses.”
Health: With her background in public health, Lemke said she plans to put her experience to work “to support public health leaders in continuing to tackle challenges related to community and public health.”
Natural resources: Lemke notes that the Root River and Lake Michigan are a part of the city landscape and need to be better protected so they last into the future.
Lemke has lived in Southeast Wisconsin for over ten years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a Master’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She currently works in public health delivering health programs to underserved communities.
Lemke ran as a Democrat in 2012 for state office as the representative for the 62nd Assembly District but lost to Tom Weatherston, R-Caledonia.