The Milwaukee County Executive serves as the chief executive officer of

Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Milwaukee County is located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. At the 2020 census, the population was 939,489, down from 947,735 in 2010. It is both the most populous and most densely populated county in Wisconsin, and the 45th most populous coun ...

. Vested with

veto A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president or monarch vetoes a bill to stop it from becoming law. In many countries, veto powers are established in the country's constitution. Veto ...

power and appointing authority over department heads, the county executive oversees the administrative functions of county government and carries out ordinances passed by the

Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors is the legislative branch of the government of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. Supervisors are elected to the board in nonpartisan elections. There are 18 supervisors. The county board has sev ...

. The county executive is elected to a four-year term; there are no term limits. Vacancies in the office are filled temporarily by the chairman of the County Board, who may personally appoint an interim county executive until such time as a

special election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-larges ...

may be held. The office of county executive was created in 1960;County Executive of Milwaukee County
/ref> executive functions were consolidated under the office during the tenure of County Executive Bill O'Donnell. Prior to 1960, the County Board and its chairman conducted county administration unilaterally.

County executives

John Doyne John Lyons Doyne (March 13, 1912 – January 29, 1997) was a Wisconsin politician and the first County Executive of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Doyne received his bachelor's degree from Marquette University and the ...

(1960–1976) * William O'Donnell (1976–1988) * Dave Schulz (1988–1992) *

Tom Ament Francis Thomas Ament (November 17, 1937 - March 10, 2014) was the fourth Milwaukee County Executive, serving from 1992 until his resignation in 2002 amid a county pension scandal. Ament had served as chairman of the Milwaukee County Board of Sup ...

(1992–2002) *

Karen Ordinans Karen Ordinans is an American politician and child care advocate. Ordinans graduated from University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Ordinans taught in a day care center and was involved with the health of children. She was elected to the Milwau ...

(acting) (2002) *

Janine Geske Janine P. Geske (born May 12, 1949) is an American jurist and law professor who served as a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court from 1993 to 1998 and as interim Milwaukee County Executive in 2002.

(interim) (2002) * Scott Walker (April 30, 2002December 27, 2010) *

Lee Holloway Lee Holloway (December 4, 1946 - March 14, 2018) was an American social worker and politician who served two terms as chairman of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. From December 28, 2010 to February 4, 2011, Lee Holloway served as Ac ...

, (acting) (December 27, 2010February 4, 2011) *

Marvin Pratt Marvin E. Pratt (born May 26, 1944) is an American politician who served as acting mayor of Milwaukee in 2004 and as interim Milwaukee County Executive in 2011. He was the first African-American to serve as mayor of Milwaukee. Early life Pratt ...

(interim) (February 4, 2011April 25, 2011) *

Chris Abele Christopher Seton Abele (born January 28, 1967) is an American businessman and Democratic Party politician. He served as the 6th Milwaukee County Executive from 2011 to 2020. Abele is the son of American businessman John Abele, the co-founder ...

(April 25, 2011May 4, 2020) * David Crowley (May 4, 2020present)

References

{{reflist Government of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Milwaukee County Executive The Milwaukee County Executive serves as the chief executive officer of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Vested with veto power and appointing authority over department heads, the county executive oversees the administrative functions of county gover ...

Executives