In turnabout, appointee seeks to re-enter process to be considered for Milwaukee Election Commission executive director

After deciding last week to withdraw from the appointment process to head the Milwaukee Election Commission, Mayor Tom Barrett's pick for the position has changed her mind.

In a letter sent to Common Council members Thursday, Claire Woodall-Vogg expressed her "continuing desire" to serve as executive director. 

"Over the past week, through thoughtful conversations with members of the Council, community partners, other city employees, and poll workers, I have been assured of the support and assistance that the Election Commission needs in order to remove as many barriers to voting as possible," she wrote. 

Her re-entry is yet another twist in a weeklong saga over who will head the commission as it prepares for elections in August and in November, when voters will cast ballots for president. 

Milwaukee and Wisconsin are expected to play a key role in determining the results of the November presidential election. President Donald Trump unexpectedly won Wisconsin by a narrow margin four years ago.

Election preparation was thrown into turmoil last week when Woodall-Vogg withdrew from the process to succeed retiring Executive Director Neil Albrecht. Deputy Director Theresa Gabriel had already resigned, and Albrecht had been expected to retire earlier this week.

Woodall-Vogg moved to leave her current position last week but told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Thursday that she would remain employed as the commission's business systems administrator through the end of next week.

Then on Thursday afternoon, the Common Council received the letter expressing her interest in the executive director position after all.

Her appointment will go before the Common Council on July 7.

On Thursday, Mayor Tom Barrett expressed support for Woodall-Vogg, saying he believed she was the best person to lead the commission "at this critical time."

"I am pleased she has reconsidered being appointed and fully support her decision," he said in a statement. 

Albrecht will stay on until a successor is confirmed, according to Barrett's office.

Albrecht could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

In her letter Thursday, Woodall-Vogg said she was confident she could lead the commission.

"My nearly eight years of experience in election administration, where I have spearheaded the introduction of new technology and streamlined procedures into our absentee and registration programs, has prepared me for the fast evolution within the department that COVID19 requires," Woodall-Vogg wrote. "Now, more than ever, I feel entirely equipped and confident in my ability to lead the department forward during this pivotal time."

She said if given the opportunity to serve as executive director she would do anything in her authority to fight voter suppression and increase voting access.

Woodall-Vogg's nomination was one of a series of Barrett's cabinet-level appointments sent back to committee by the Common Council for further consideration. 

Ald. Milele Coggs, who made the motion to further consider the appointments, said her intention was not to hold up the process for an extended length of time but rather for the council to reshape the city's efforts to serve Milwaukee residents. 

The motion came after weeks of protests following the death of George Floyd, a Black man, under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer. 

Woodall-Vogg withdrew after the appointment was delayed. 

"I respect and fully support the Council's desire for departments to come forward with clearly outlined plans on how we will work to improve equity for communities of color and to make programming decisions through an equity lens," Woodall-Vogg wrote in an email to aldermen last week.

"However, holding my appointment has jeopardized my ability to lead and evolve the Election Commission. Elections are administered by the hour and day, not by weeks."

Contact Alison Dirr at 414-224-2383 or adirr@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter @AlisonDirr.