Sylvia Ortiz-Velez

Sylvia Ortiz-Velez
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 8th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 4, 2021
Preceded byJoCasta Zamarripa
Member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors from the 12th district
In office
April 2018 – April 2022
Preceded byPeggy A. West
Succeeded byJuan Miguel Martinez
Personal details
Born
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (BA)
Occupationpolitician, real estate agent
Website

Sylvia Ortiz-Velez is an American real estate broker and Democratic politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 8th Assembly district since 2021. As of September 2025, she has quit the Assembly Democratic caucus after a heated disagreement in which Ortiz-Velez allegedly threatened to shoot three of her colleagues. She previously served on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors from 2018 until 2022.

Early life and education

Sylvia Ortiz-Velez was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[1] She earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.[2] She worked as a real estate broker for several years in Milwaukee before being elected to the County Board.[2]

Political career

In 2012, Ortiz-Velez made her first attempt at election to the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, challenging four term incumbent supervisor Peggy A. West (then going by the name "Peggy Romo West").[3] West prevailed in the spring election with 55.71%.[4] Ortiz-Velez challenged West again in 2018, however, and this time defeated her, taking 57% of the vote.[5][6] Ortiz-Velez was one of several candidates to benefit from the support of then-County Executive Chris Abele in his attempts to reshape the County Board in 2018.[7][8] She was re-elected without opposition in April 2020.

During her time on the County Board, she was a member of the Intergovernmental Relations Committee, the Judiciary, Safety and General Services Committee, and the Transportation, Public Works and Transit Committee. She was also a member of the Mitchell Park Domes Task Force, tasked with developing a long-term plan for the 50-year-old nature conservatory—Ortiz-Velez committed to preserving the domes for future generations in her campaign platform.[2] In addition to her service on the County Board, Ortiz-Velez serves on the advisory board of the United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS).[2]

In the spring 2020 election, incumbent Assemblymember JoCasta Zamarripa was elected to the Milwaukee Common Council and announced she would not run for another term in the Wisconsin State Assembly. On April 14, 2020, Ortiz-Velez formally announced her candidacy for Zamarripa's assembly seat.[9] In the primary, she faced JoAnna Bautch, the sister of outgoing Assemblymember JoCasta Zamarripa, and the Wisconsin Director of Citizen Action.[10][11] In the primary, Ortiz-Velez supported expanding BadgerCare (Wisconsin's Medicaid program) and legalization of medical marijuana.[11] Despite trailing in the early in-person vote returns, Ortiz Velez narrowly won the primary, taking 53% of the vote after absentee ballots were counted.[12] Ortiz-Velez earned 78% of the vote in the general election, defeating Republican Angel Sanchez.

Caucus split

In September 2025, Ortiz-Velez quit the Assembly Democratic caucus after months of conflict with other members, and was then briefly banned from the Wisconsin State Capitol after she allegedly threatened to shoot three Democratic colleagues. Ortiz-Velez had previously split from the Democratic caucus on several high profile votes since her arrival in the Assembly in 2021; one of her first major floor speeches was to oppose Democratic redistricting efforts. Recently, Ortiz-Velez has been in a heated feud with fellow Milwaukee representative Priscilla Prado over the Legislature's new Hispanic Legislative Caucus—which Ortiz-Velez declined to join.[13] Ortiz-Velez also plans to testify on an upcoming bill about local executive emergency powers to accuse Milwaukee County executive David Crowley of exceeding his authority in requesting county officials to disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status.[14]

Personal life and family

Ortiz-Velez is the daughter of a former evangelical minister; she has seven siblings.

Electoral history

Milwaukee County Board (2012)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
2012 General[4] Apr. 3 Peggy Romo West (inc) Nonpartisan 1,278 55.71% Sylvia Ortiz Non. 1,003 43.72% 2,294 275

Milwaukee County Board (2018, 2020)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
2018 General[15] Apr. 3 Sylvia Ortiz-Velez Nonpartisan 815 57.11% Peggy West (inc) Non. 602 42.19% 1,427 213
2020 General[16] Apr. 7 Sylvia Ortiz-Velez Nonpartisan 2,025 98.93% --Unopposed-- 2,047 2,003

Wisconsin Assembly (2020–present)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
2020 Primary[17] Aug. 11 Sylvia Ortiz-Velez Democratic 901 53.06% JoAnna Bautch Dem. 793 46.70% 1,698 108
General[18] Nov. 3 Sylvia Ortiz-Velez Democratic 8,914 78.70% Angel C. Sanchez Rep. 2,375 20.97% 11,326 6,539
2022 General[19] Nov. 8 Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (inc) Democratic 6,573 98.10% --Unopposed-- 6,700 6,446
2024 Primary[20] Aug. 13 Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (inc) Democratic 1,430 80.61% Enrique Murguia Dem. 336 18.94% 1,774 1,094
General[21] Nov. 5 Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (inc) Democratic 10,987 97.97% --Unopposed-- 11,215 10,759

References

  1. ^ "About Sylvia". Sylvia Ortiz-Velez for State Assembly. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Supervisor Sylvia Ortiz-Velez". Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  3. ^ Schultze, Steve (February 10, 2012). "Romo West faulted for tweeting and Facebooking". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  4. ^ a b 4-3-12 County Board Supervisor, District 12 (Report). Milwaukee County Election Commission. Archived from the original on May 29, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  5. ^ Behm, Don (March 26, 2018). "Seven Milwaukee County Board supervisor seats contested in April 3 spring election". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  6. ^ Maternowski, Michelle (April 3, 2018). "Spring Election Results: Milwaukee County Supervisors". WUWM. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  7. ^ Bice, Daniel (February 6, 2018). "Bice: Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele spending big money to target county supervisors in election". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  8. ^ Behm, Don (April 3, 2018). "Chris Abele's flood of cash failed to oust Lipscomb but pushed out two other critics". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  9. ^ "Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, announces candidacy to be next 8th District State Assembly Representative". Supervisor Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (Press release). April 14, 2020 – via Urban Milwaukee.
  10. ^ Jannene, Jeramey (August 12, 2020). "Nine Election Takeaways". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Andrea, Lawrence (August 4, 2020). "Two Democrats and two Republicans vie to replace JoCasta Zamarripa in the Assembly". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  12. ^ "Cabrera beats back primary challenge". Wispolitics.com. August 12, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  13. ^ van Wagtendonk, Anya (September 4, 2025). "Milwaukee Democrat splits from caucus after tensions boil over". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  14. ^ "Ortiz-Velez says she's been banned from Capitol over threat accusation, left Dem caucus". Wispolitics.com. September 4, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  15. ^ Summary Statement of the Board of Canvassers (PDF) (Report). Milwaukee County Election Commission. April 12, 2018. p. 2. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  16. ^ Official Results, Spring Election - April 7, 2020 (PDF) (Report). Milwaukee County Elections Commission. April 7, 2020. p. 60. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  17. ^ Canvass Results for 2020 Partisan Primary - 8/11/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 26, 2020. p. 15. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  18. ^ Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 9. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  19. ^ Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 30, 2022. p. 10. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  20. ^ County by County Report - 2024 Partisan Primary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 26, 2024. p. 8. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  21. ^ County by County Report - 2024 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 27, 2024. p. 8. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
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