# Sue Conley (politician)

Sue Sharon Conley (née Seibert; born February 19, 1960) is an American nonprofit administrator and Democratic politician from Janesville, Wisconsin. She served two terms as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 44th Assembly district form 2021 to 2025. She also previously served as president of the city council of Janesville.

## Early life and career

Sue Conley was born Sue Seibert in Galesburg, Illinois, in February 1960. As a child, she moved with her parents to Janesville, Wisconsin, in 1971, where she was raised and educated. She graduated from Janesville's Joseph A. Craig High School and went on to attend the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and Blackhawk Technical College.
Conley became involved in nonprofit management in the Janesville community and was executive director of the Rock County YWCA, and later, from 2002 through 2014, with the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin. She retired in 2014, but continued to volunteer and offer her advice within the community, and served as interim executive director for several organizations over the next six years, including HealthNet of Rock County, KANDU Industries, and the UW–Rock County Foundation.

## Political career

Conley was elected to the Janesville city council in April 2017, and was reelected in 2019. At the start of the 2020–2021 session, Conley was elected President of the City Council.
In February 2020, Janesville's state representative, Debra Kolste, announced she would not seek a fifth term in the Wisconsin State Assembly in the 2020 election. Conley and Kolste were friends, and Conley had already been contemplating a run for higher office. With Kolste's endorsement, Conley entered the 2020 campaign. Conley was able to avoid a primary contest and secured the Democratic nomination unopposed. In the general election, she faced Republican former city councilmember DuWayne Severson; Libertarian hopeful Reese Wood had intended to run, but failed to secure enough valid signatures to appear on the ballot. During the campaign, Conley emphasized the need for redistricting reform, endorsing the so-called Iowa model of redistricting, utilizing a nonpartisan commission. In the general election, Conley defeated Severson with 60% of the vote.

## Personal life

Sue Conley is the eldest of seven children born to Bernard and Sheila (née Berry) Seibert. The Seiberts were Catholic.
Sue Seibert took the last name Conley when she married Jim Conley in 1987. They reside in Janesville and have three adult children.

## Electoral history
### Janesville City Council (2017, 2019)

Janesville City Council Election, 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| General Election, April 4, 2017 (choose four) ||||||
| | Nonpartisan | Sue Conley | 3,954 | 16.65% |
| | Nonpartisan | Douglas Marklein (incumbent) | 3,502 | 14.74% |
| | Nonpartisan | Jim Farrell | 3,201 | 13.48% |
| | Nonpartisan | Tom Wolfe | 3,033 | 12.77% |
| | Nonpartisan | Kay Deupree (incumbent) | 2,613 | 11.00% |
| | Nonpartisan | Jim Dennis | 2,430 | 10.23% |
| | Nonpartisan | Steve Knox | 2,332 | 9.82% |
| | Nonpartisan | Jeff Navarro | 1,708 | 7.19% |
| | Nonpartisan | Spencer Zimmerman | 721 | 3.04% |
| | | Scattering | 259 | 1.09% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 23,753 | 100.0% |
Janesville City Council Election, 2019 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| General Election, April 2, 2019 (choose four) ||||||
| | Nonpartisan | Sue Conley (incumbent) | 6,598 | 22.50% | +5.86% |
| | Nonpartisan | Tom Wolfe (incumbent) | 6,247 | 21.31% | +8.54% |
| | Nonpartisan | Douglas Marklein (incumbent) | 6,187 | 21.10% | +6.36% |
| | Nonpartisan | Jim Farrell (incumbent) | 5,720 | 19.51% | +6.03% |
| | Nonpartisan | Jan Chesmore | 4,384 | 14.95% | |
| | | Scattering | 185 | 0.63% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 29,321 | 100.0% | |

### Wisconsin Assembly (2020)

Wisconsin Assembly, 44th District Election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| General Election, November 3, 2020 ||||||
| | Democratic | Sue Conley | 17,205 | 60.11% | −37.36% |
| | Republican | DuWayne Severson | 11,335 | 39.60% | |
| | Independent | Reese Wood (write-in) | 13 | 0.05% | |
| | | Scattering | 68 | 0.24% | |
| Plurality | Plurality | Plurality | 5,870 | 20.51% | -74.43% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 28,621 | 100.0% | +54.94% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |