Ilstrup Files to Run for Madison Mayor
Downtown Madison Inc. president Jason Ilstrup has filed to enter the race for mayor after Satya Rhodes-Conway said she will not seek a third term.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in People
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Jason Ilstrup, president of Downtown Madison Inc., has filed a declaration of candidacy for Madison mayor. The filing follows Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway's Oct. 23 announcement that she would not seek a third term.
Why it matters
The open seat draws a crowded field, with eight other candidates having announced bids before Rhodes-Conway withdrew. Ilstrup's entry adds a candidate with long ties to the downtown business community and regional airport governance.
Nine candidates in total had announced bids for the Madison mayoral seat before Rhodes-Conway withdrew, per the extraction. Ilstrup has led Downtown Madison Inc. since 2018, a role he has held for roughly eight years.
The players
Jason Ilstrup
Jason Ilstrup is president of Downtown Madison Inc., a nonprofit advocating for economic development in downtown Madison, and previously held leadership roles at HotelRED and the Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee.
Satya Rhodes-Conway
Satya Rhodes-Conway is the current mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, who announced she would not seek a third term.
The details
Ilstrup filed a declaration of candidacy and campaign finance registration with city records. Shortly after Rhodes-Conway's Oct. 23 announcement, he said he was strongly considering a run.
Timeline
Oct. 23, 2026: Rhodes-Conway announces she will not seek a third term.
Nov. 10, 2026: Ilstrup files declaration of candidacy and registration.
Feb. 16, 2027: Spring primary election scheduled.
April 6, 2027: General election scheduled.
Market Landscape
Ilstrup's bid enters a Madison race that Rhodes-Conway's exit opened after she declined a third term. The filing places a downtown-business leader directly into the contest for the city's top executive post.
Madison voters will choose a successor to Rhodes-Conway in the Feb. 16 primary and April 6 general election. Downtown business and city-level policy priorities may shift depending on who wins.
The takeaway
Ilstrup's candidacy signals that downtown business leadership is seeking a direct role in Madison's city government. Voters will weigh that background against the field as the primary approaches.
What happens next
The spring primary election is scheduled for Feb. 16, 2027, and the general election for April 6, 2027.
Further reading
For more on the candidates shaping Madison's leadership, see People coverage.
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