2021 Municipal Redistricting

Redistricting is the process of adjusting the geographical boundaries of congressional, state legislative, and local electoral districts to account for shifts in population over time. Municipalities in Wisconsin are required to adjust their municipal ward boundaries following the decennial Federal Census. Ward boundaries are intended to be as permanent as possible, with changes made only to accommodate changes in population, alterations in municipal boundaries, and the mathematical requirements of creating electoral districts of equal population.

In a typical redistricting cycle, the Census Bureau delivers official census data to the states no later than March 31 of the year following the year of the federal decennial census, as required by Federal law. Counties are then required to adopt redistricting plans for supervisory districts by July 1, with municipal districts due within the following 60 days. However, due to COVID-19-related delays in the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 census data, County plans weren't received until September 16, and local jurisdictions are being required to submit ward plans no later than October 15.

Redistricting is a three-step process, which begins at the county level, moves to the municipal level, and finally culminates with county adoption of supervisory districts and city adoption of aldermanic districts. Both Racine and Walworth Counties completed their tentative County Supervisory District plan on September 16. Although there was no shift in supervisory districts in Walworth County, there was a slight change within Racine County's supervisory district. Burlington's Supervisory Districts (20 & 21), splits the city roughly in half. The boundary runs from west to east, from State Street to Milwaukee Avenue to the Fox River, to East State Street (Hwy. 11). Racine County's plan, shifts Supervisory District 21 up into Wards 6 and 7. For cities of our size the wards must be between 600 and 2100 people in population, and cannot cross County Supervisor districts. Because wards cannot cross supervisory districts, adjustments needed to be made, which also resulted in population shifts within all wards 1 through 8.

Public Participation

The proposed Ward Plans (below) will be discussed at the October 5, 2021 Committee of the Whole meeting at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers, 224 E. Jefferson Street or via Zoom using the link in the Public Notice below. The plans are scheduled to be voted on by the Common Council at the October 19, 2021 Common Council meeting, immediately following the Committee of the Whole meeting at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers or via Zoom using the link in the Public Notice. Public attendance is encouraged. View the Public Notice here

Proposed Ward Plans

Below you will find the current and proposed Municipal Ward Plans. The wards were established in order to even out the population of the Aldermanic Districts. They were also created with the goal of leaving current incumbents within the boundaries of their current district, while accounting for anticipated population growth.  Under the proposed Ward Map, the Aldermanic Districts would be composed of the following:

• District 1 (Population 2,661) – Wards 1 & 2
• District 2 (Population 2,742) – Wards 3 & 4
• District 3 (Population 2,920) – Wards 5, 6 & 10
• District 4 (Population 2,725) – Wards 7, 8 & 9

Nearly all of the Ward and District boundaries needed to be adjusted. Click on the maps below to view the current and proposed boundaries. 

Current Ward Map - Racine County

Proposed Racine Co. Ward Plan

Proposed Walworth Co. Ward Plan

Interactive Maps to View the Ward Maps

Use the links below to explore the proposed ward maps for Racine and Walworth counties. The interactive maps allow users to zoom in and out to view boundary lines more clearly.  

Racine County Proposed Ward Plan: https://wisedecade.legis.wisconsin.gov/WISELR_Viewer.aspx?shareID=V68A5MWRG45K37GN

Walworth County Proposed Ward Plan: https://wisedecade.legis.wisconsin.gov/WISELR_Viewer.aspx?shareID=JEBJV5KBIYVFG3HK