Madison adopted new aldermanic districts in November 2021 as part of the decennial redistricting process. When the new maps took effect on Jan. 1, 2022, six alders found themselves no longer living in the districts they represent on the Common Council.
“It is a little odd not to represent my immediate neighbors or the Tenney-Lapham neighborhood where I still live,” says Ald. Patrick Heck, whose district was arguably most affected by the redrawing of aldermanic lines. “But the only input I gave the redistricting committee was my hope that the Tenney-Lapham neighborhood would stay intact, which is what ended up happening.”
The Tenney-Lapham neighborhood (previously District 2) is now part of the same district as the Marquette neighborhood, uniting much of the geographic isthmus in District 6. Brian Benford is the alder for that district but he doesn’t live in either of those neighborhoods and no longer lives in the area he’ll represent for more than a year.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed but in the end, I think the process was fair and the new map makes sense,” says Benford, who now lives in District 15, represented by Ald. Grant Foster. “I know that I’m still more than willing to help out people in what’s now my old district and I’m sure Ald. Heck is, too. I’ve always leaned on neighborhood associations for guidance so in that way, not much has changed.”
Downtown Ald. Mike Verveer still lives in District 4, which shrank due to the population increase caused by the new high-rises that have sprung up over the last decade. He served on the council when they redrew the lines in 2000 and 2010.
“During my tenure, this was the greatest upheaval on the council I’ve seen through redistricting,” says Verveer. “It’ll be interesting to see what happens with the council races next April. Some alders may have some difficult decisions to make.”
The new map means nearly a third of city council seats will have no incumbent in the spring 2023 election. It also could pit alders against each other. There are three council members who now live in District 10, which is on the city’s southwest side and includes the Allied, Dunn’s Marsh, and Orchard Ridge neighborhoods. Ald. Yannette Figueroa Cole represents the district under the previous and current maps. But two of her new constituents are Alds. Sheri Carter and Christian Albouras.
Confused yet? Ald. Barbara Harrington-McKinney now lives in District 20 represented by Albouras. No alder lives in District 1 on the far west side, which Harrington-McKinney will continue to serve until April 2023. But since Albouras no longer lives in District 20, Harrington-McKinney could run in that district without challenging an incumbent — that is, unless Albouras moves back into the district he currently represents!
City planning staff prepared a number of new maps based on criteria developed by the Ad Hoc Redistricting Committee. The map ultimately recommended by the committee was approved by the full council with a number of technical amendments added to align the city’s redistricting effort with the new county district lines. Ald. Arvina Martin (District 11) was on the redistricting committee and says they did not consider how alders would be affected during the planning process.
“It was complicated. There were state and federal rules we had to follow. We also had to consider population growth over the past 10 years, projected population growth, and incorporating the town of Madison,” says Martin. “This is way, way over-simplifying it, but our goal was to keep neighborhoods unified, keep demographically similar areas together, and ensure we still had polling place locations that made sense for voters.”
Ald. Juliana Bennett fought to keep District 8 — historically the campus district — from being split in two. She’s pleased the new map accomplished that goal even though she no longer lives in that district.
“I’m technically in District 2 but District 8 is literally across the street,” says Bennett. “I will have to move if I run again, but redistricting isn’t about me. It’s about what makes sense for voters in Madison.”
Heck isn’t sure whether he’ll run for city council again but has no plans to move further west in order to continue to represent District 2 — which includes Mansion Hill, the area near James Madison Park, the top of State, and Langdon Street.
“I would say it’s more likely now that District 2 will be represented by a student, a grad student, an activist of some sort,” says Heck. “It’s probably not going to be a middle-aged white guy from Tenney-Lapham, like me.”
You can find your alder on the city's website.
