Todd Novak

Todd Novak
File:Rep. Todd Novak.jpg
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 51st district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2015
Preceded by	Howard Marklein
Personal details
Born	(1965-04-23) April 23, 1965 Cobb, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Residence(s)	Dodgeville, Wisconsin, U.S.

Todd D. Novak (born April 23, 1965) is an American newspaper editor and politician.

Born in Cobb, Wisconsin and currently residing in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, Novak was the government and assistant editor of the Dodgeville Chronicle newspaper from 1990 until his retirement in 2014. In 2012, Novak was elected mayor of Dodgeville, Wisconsin.

In November 2014, Novak was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Republican by a 64-vote margin. The Democratic candidate, Dick Cates, did not seek a recount.

On November 8, 2016, Novak was re-elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly by a margin of 723 votes, defeating Democrat Jeff Wright.

In 2018, Novak defeated Jeff Wright for a second time. Novak was also successful in winning an Assembly District also won by Democratic Governor Tony Evers.

Novak is the first openly gay Republican to serve in the Wisconsin state legislature. On taking office, became one of four openly LGBT members of the Wisconsin State Legislature, alongside Sen. Tim Carpenter (D–Milwaukee) and Reps. JoCasta Zamarripa (D–Milwaukee) and Mark Spreitzer (D–Beloit).

Although a Republican, Novak has positioned himself as an "independent voice" and has touted a bipartisan voting record, which is helpful in his liberal-learning district.

Wisconsin State Assembly

For the 2019-2020 Legislative Cycle, Novak serves on the following committees

• Assembly Committee on Local Government (Chair)
• Speakers Task Force on Water Quality (Chair)
• Assembly Committee on Agriculture (Vice Chair)
• Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice & Public Safety
• Assembly Committee on Mental Health
• Assembly Committee on Rural Development
• Assembly Committee on Environment

In his inaugural term in the State Assembly, Novak authored a bill creating the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail which links the architects notable creations using existing roadways.

On February 11, 2019, Speaker Vos appointed Novak chairman of a 16 member bipartisan task force on water quality. The task force was created to provide recommendations on assessing and improving the quality of surface water and groundwater throughout the state of Wisconsin. The task force has traveled extensively throughout the state, visiting the cities of Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Janesville, Racine, Lancaster, LaCrosse, Mauston, Stevens Point, Menomonie, Tomahawk, Marinette, and Superior holding public hearings to gather information on specific concerns in the various regions of the state.

Electoral History

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2018 Election for Wisconsin's 51st Assembly District

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Todd Novak (incumbent)	12,445	50.6%	-.7%
	Democratic	Jeff Wright	12,113	49.3%	+.6
	Republican hold

2016 Election for Wisconsin's 51st Assembly District

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Todd Novak (incumbent)	13,912	51.3%	+3.8%
	Democratic	Jeff Wright	13,189	48.7%	+1.5%
	Republican hold

2014 Election for Wisconsin's 51st Assembly District

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Todd Novak	10,619	47.5%
	Democratic	Dick Cates	10,560	47.2%
	Libertarian	Adam Laufenberg	1,177	5.3%
	Republican hold