Five Muslim candidates are on ballots in Wisconsin’s April 7 nonpartisan elections; all won endorsements from the Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance. 

WMCA is an organization that works to empower the Wisconsin Muslim community in political and civic engagement. 

Since its founding in 2019, WMCA has endorsed candidates, hosted forums, worked to educate voters on the electoral process, conducted national fundraisers and engaged with elected officials across the state. Its database identifies 30,000 active Wisconsin Muslim voters from an estimated 70,000 Muslims in the state.

Muslim candidates on the April 7 ballots in Wisconsin are:

  • Maqsood Khan, M.D., a two-term member of the Franklin School Board, is running to represent District 9 on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.
  • Huma Ahsan, an attorney, former appellate judge, and founder and principal of Madison Immigration Law, is running for Dane County Circuit Court Judge, Branch 1.
  • Monis Khan, a founding board member of the Muslim Caucus of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, is running unopposed for a seat on the Ozaukee County Board of Supervisors.
  • Yousef Hasan, an incumbent, is running to continue to serve as Franklin Alder for District 3.
  • Faisal Ahmad, an incumbent, is running to continue to serve on the Barron City Council as alderman for District 3.

“We are proud to support leaders in our community who are stepping up to serve and make a difference,” WMCA Executive Director Fauzia Qureshi told the Wisconsin Muslim Journal in an interview this week. “Representation matters. When our communities are engaged, informed and present in the civic process, we all move forward together.” 

In addition to the five Muslim candidates, Qureshi highlighted WMCA’s endorsement of Judge Chris Taylor, who is running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. This statewide position will be on everyone’s ballot, she noted.

“Our Supreme Court makes decisions that shape our daily lives for years, sometimes for generations,” Qureshi explained.

“It has the final say in how laws are interpreted and whether they are Constitutional or not, issues like redistricting, voting rights, civil rights, any Constitutional right would go through the Supreme Court.”

How WMCA endorses candidates

WMCA endorsed dozens of candidates, both Muslims and non-Muslims, in races across the state. See WMCA’s full list of endorsements for the April 7th elections here. 

WMCA does not endorse candidates based solely on faith or religious background, Qureshi explained. WMCA endorses candidates, Muslims and non-Muslims, who align with the organization’s values, no matter their political affiliation or faith. 

To be endorsed by WMCA, candidates fill out a survey that asks questions about issues that matter to Wisconsin Muslims. Their responses are evaluated in a three-step process by WMCA’s staff, strategy committee and board. 

Why vote April 7?

“We want to make sure that folks are active and stay engaged in every single election,” said Qureshi. “That’s the way we make our voices heard.”

That said, the non-partisan elections are particularly important, she said. “They center the conversation on people’s qualifications and real impacts rather than party affiliation. Voters have the opportunity to choose candidates based on their values and experience, and how they’ll serve the community.

“And many of these roles, like judges, school board members, county supervisors and common council members make decisions that directly affect our daily lives—from education to public safety.”

Since the number of voters in these local elections is small, your vote matters that much more, she added. “Sometimes an election is decided by a few hundred or even by a couple of dozen votes. In this election, your vote is actually very critical.”

In related news:

  • Despite active lobbying since September against the IHRA Bill by WMCA and other organizations, it was recently signed into law. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism “has been widely criticized by civil rights organizations for its potential to conflate legitimate political speech with antisemitism, particularly in relation to advocacy around Palestinian human rights,” a WMCA press release said. It warned that “this bill would have a chilling effect across college campuses and communities statewide.”

WMCA, a registered lobbying organization, lobbied both the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate. When the Senate passed the legislation, WMCA condemned its decision to advance the bill without a recorded roll call vote, “raising serious concerns about transparency, accountability and democratic integrity,” its press release said.

Qureshi said she was shocked, angry and disappointed by Gov. Evers’ decision to sign the bill, codifying it into law.

  • Promoted a bill to recognize the Eid holiday

WMCA gained bipartisan support for a bill to recognize the Eid holiday statewide. “We think it will be passed in the January 2027 session. “It had a number of sponsors and co-authors,” Qureshi said. “Having Eid recognized, even though it won’t be an official day off, will make it easier for students or employees to be able to attend Eid prayers, or for schools to schedule exams, graduations and other events on the Eid.”

  • WMCA and WMCF have recently moved into an office in Franklin.

They are preparing for an open house and grand opening. The date will be announced soon, Qureshi said. Prior to opening this office, “we were basically hybrid. We would have in-person meetings in a shared co-working space at No Studios. This will be our first real office.”

  • Amplifying Muslim Voices at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and UWM

Wisconsin Muslim Civic Foundation, a partner organization with WMCA, is holding competitions this spring for students, testing their civic knowledge, particularly the duties of nonpartisan positions elected in the spring. The online competition allows students to join from their phones when they know the answer. Prizes are given to first, second and third places. The university competitions are held in conjunction with the campus Muslim Student Associations.

The first civic competition was held at Salam School in January for high school students. A second was held in Green Bay. Another high school competition is being planned for Brookfield.