As you drive by neighborhoods or busy roads you might’ve noticed an election sign around every corner. This is because it’s another exciting mayoral election year for Brookfield residents. With the primaries on February 15 and the general election on April 5, 2022, there are a few candidates this year who show a lot of promise. 

Steve Ponto, our current mayor, is running for re-election this year. Ponto has been mayor since April of 2010 and is currently running for his fourth term as mayor of Brookfield. In his time as mayor, he has made some serious contributions to Brookfield. For example, Ponto has recently emphasized public safety by putting a significant amount of tax money towards the police and fire departments. Ponto also hopes to continue to grow Brookfield Square so that it may become a center-hub in the years to come. Overall, Ponto has served Brookfield well and hopes to continue to implement policies that will continue to grow our small town. 

However, Ponto is not running unopposed. David Marcello, a realtor and former alderman of Brookfield, is running against the current mayor. Marcello first ran 12 years ago against Ponto in 2010 but lost. Now he’s running again in hopes to bring a new perspective to Brookfield. Marcello plans to bring more people into the process of developing Brookfield. Marcello was born and brought up in Brookfield and served as an alderman for six years. One thing Marcello hopes to change if elected is the serving time, hoping to make it two years instead of four. Marcello also hopes to add sidewalks and lighting in the village of Brookfield. These new ideas and a new voice such as Marcello’s may help allow Brookfield to grow further. 

Both candidates show a lot of promise and are passionate about making Brookfield better. For the best candidate to be selected, it is crucial to encourage eligible Brookfield voters to go vote. So talk to your parents and encourage them to look into the candidates further. That way they can make an informed decision when they go vote for the primaries and general local elections this year.