# Harout O. Sanasarian

Harout O. Sanasarian (born March 31, 1929) is a retired Armenian American immigrant, teacher, and Democratic politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served four terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing central Milwaukee from 1969 to 1977. He later served more than a decade as a member of the Milwaukee County board of supervisors.

## Early life and education

Sanasarian was born on March 31, 1929, in Baghdad to Armenian parents. As a child, he emigrated to the United States with his parents, settling in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He graduated from Milwaukee's Union High School, then went on to attend the Milwaukee School of Engineering and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, earning his bachelor's degree in political science in 1961.

## Political career

After obtaining his degree, Sanasarian went to work as a civics teacher in the Milwaukee Public Schools. As a teacher, he became active in the local teachers' union, the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association, and through the union became active in politics with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. He was first elected to the Assembly in 1968, running on the Democratic Party ticket in what was then Milwaukee County's 4th Assembly district. During his first term, state senator Norman Sussman died in office and a special election was held to fill the remainder of his term. Sanasarian ran in the Democratic primary, but fell 111 votes short of fellow state representative Ronald G. Parys. He was subsequently re-elected to his Assembly seat in 1970. After the major redistricting act in 1972, Sanasarian won two more terms—in 1972 and 1974—running in the new 26th State Assembly district.
While in office, he also served as an at-large delegate from Wisconsin to the 1972 Democratic National Convention.
In 1975, Sanasarian announced that he would run for election to the Milwaukee County board of supervisors rather than seeking another term in the Assembly, saying the job would allow him to remain closer to home. Around this same time, Sanasarian became an early supporter of Jimmy Carter's 1976 presidential campaign. He was appointed chairman of Carter's Wisconsin operation, at a time when most of the state's Democratic operation was supporting Mo Udall. Critically, he fought to have Carter's name listed as "Jimmy Carter" on the primary ballot, when state party Democrats tried to list him as "James E. Carter". After enlisting the support of Republican state elections board chair James Klauser and state attorney general Bronson La Follette, Sanasarian prevailed in his battle over Carter's ballot listing, and Carter went on to narrowly defeat Udall in the Wisconsin primary, setting him on course for the Democratic nomination. Sanasarian was back to work for Carter in the 1976 general election, helping Carter to a narrow victory over incumbent president Gerald Ford.
Two years later, Sanasarian entered the race for Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin. Ultimately six other candidates entered the race. Sanasarian came in a distant 3rd, receiving just 12% of the vote. Sanasarian ultimately remained on the Milwaukee County board of supervisors for more than a decade. He was active in the Jimmy Carter's re-election campaign in 1980, served on the rules committee at the 1980 Democratic National Convention, and opposed Ted Kennedy's primary challenge.

## Personal life and family

Sanasarian married Joy A. Draak. Mrs. Sanasarian worked for 30 years as a librarian for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. They had two children and retired in 1991 to Florida, where she died in 2002. Sanasarian subsequently moved to Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, where he now resides.

## Electoral history
### Wisconsin Assembly, Milwaukee 4th district (1968, 1970)

| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Elected | Elected | Elected | Defeated | Defeated | Defeated | Defeated | Total | Plurality |
| 1968 | Primary | Sep. 10 | Harout Sanasarian | Democratic | 885 | 51.45% | Frank E. Schaeffer Jr. (inc) | Dem. | 577 | 33.55% | 1,720 | 308 |
| 1968 | Primary | Sep. 10 | Harout Sanasarian | Democratic | 885 | 51.45% | Ronald A. Kuisis | Dem. | 258 | 15.00% | 1,720 | 308 |
| 1968 | General | Nov. 5 | Harout Sanasarian | Democratic | 3,957 | 59.41% | William P. McGovern | Rep. | 2,703 | 40.59% | 6,660 | 1,254 |
| 1970 | General | Nov. 3 | Harout Sanasarian (inc) | Democratic | 8,908 | 88.05% | John L. Maier | Rep. | 1,209 | 11.95% | 10,117 | 7,699 |

### Wisconsin Senate (1969)

Wisconsin Senate, 9th District Special Election, 1969 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Special Democratic Primary, September 9, 1969 ||||||
| | Democratic | Ronald G. Parys | 2,112 | 44.78% |
| | Democratic | Harout O. Sanasarian | 2,001 | 39.08% |
| | Democratic | Richard B. Mackey | 403 | 7.87% |
| | Democratic | Minnie Townsend | 351 | 6.86% |
| | Democratic | Fred A. Hardy | 253 | 4.94% |
| Plurality | Plurality | Plurality | 111 | 2.17% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,120 | 100.0% |

### Wisconsin Assembly, 26th district (1972, 1974)

| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Elected | Elected | Elected | Defeated | Defeated | Defeated | Defeated | Total | Plurality |
| 1972 | General | Nov. 7 | Harout Sanasarian | Democratic | 8,891 | 70.63% | Leonora L. Von Sehlen | Rep. | 3,467 | 27.54% | 12,589 | 5,424 |
| 1972 | General | Nov. 7 | Harout Sanasarian | Democratic | 8,891 | 70.63% | Roy Vallarta | Amer. | 231 | 1.83% | 12,589 | 5,424 |
| 1974 | General | Nov. 5 | Harout Sanasarian (inc) | Democratic | 4,416 | 100.0% | | | | | 4,416 | 4,416 |

### Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor (1978)

Wisconsin Lieutenant Gubernatorial Election, 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Democratic Primary, September 12, 1978 ||||||
| | Democratic | Doug La Follette | 151,366 | 44.78% | |
| | Democratic | Dale McKenna | 47,257 | 13.98% | |
| | Democratic | Harout O. Sanasarian | 40,268 | 11.91% | |
| | Democratic | Paul Offner | 40,008 | 11.84% | |
| | Democratic | Robert A. Anderson | 21,230 | 6.28% | |
| | Democratic | Charles E. Smith | 19,504 | 5.77% | |
| | Democratic | Monroe Swan | 18,392 | 5.44% | |
| Plurality | Plurality | Plurality | 104,109 | 30.80% | -41.51pp |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 338,025 | 100.0% | +2.59% |