History
The boundaries of districts have changed over history. Previous politicians of a specific numbered district have represented a different geographic area, due to redistricting.
After the fifth (1852) session of the state legislature, the Wisconsin Senate was expanded to 25 members. The first member for the 25th District was James T. Lewis, of Columbus (later a Governor of Wisconsin). The district at that time consisted of Columbia County. [7] This was true until 1872, when the district became the counties of the counties of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara (Columbia County was now the Twenty-Seventh District).
In 1876, the Senate was again redistricted: the Twenty-Fifth now consisted of the City of Madison, and various other Towns and Villages in Dane County, Wisconsin (more or less the previous Seventh District); while what had been the 25th was now the Ninth District. [8]
In 1883, the Twenty-Fifth now consisted of Eau Claire, Pepin and Pierce Counties (three of the eleven counties which had made up the Seventh District); Dane County became the Twenty-Sixth District.
From 1887-1891, the district consisted of Clark and Eau Claire Counties. The short-lived redistricting of 1891 left the district consisting of Clark, Price, Taylor, and Wood Counties. From 1892-1895, the district once again consisted of Clark and Eau Claire Counties. From 1896-1910, the district consisted of Clark and Marathon Counties. From 1911-1922, the district consisted of Langlade and Marathon Counties. From 1923-1954, the district consisted of Lincoln and Marathon Counties.
After the 1954 redistricting, the district had completely changed, and now consisted of Ashland, Bayfield, and Douglas Counties (Lincoln and Marathon Counties had been split between the new 12th and 29th Districts). The 1960 federal census showed that this district, at 74,293 people, was the least populous of Wisconsin's 33 districts, 38.0% below the average; [9] in the wake of Baker v. Carr , a redistricting would be necessary. After a great deal of litigation, the Wisconsin Supreme Court created a redistricting map promulgated on May 14, 1964. The new Twenty-Fifth District added Iron, Price, Rusk and Sawyer Counties to the district. [10] The 1972 redistricting took away Rusk County and a southern portion of Price County, adding the eastern part of Barron County instead; but left the district mostly unchanged. [11] The 1982 redistricting removed Price County entirely, and modified the Barron County portion, as well as adding one Rusk County township. In 1992, the latest court-ordered redistricting added the remainder of Barron County, while dropping the Rusk County township once more. The 2002 court-ordered redistricting added part of Burnett County for the first time, while taking away segments of Sawyer and Barron Counties. The new 2011 redistricting bill took away most of Sawyer, but added for the first time a single township in Vilas County, and a township from both Dunn and Saint Croix Counties, and Price County in whole.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin is a federal court in the Seventh Circuit.
The Wisconsin Court of Appeals is an intermediate appellate court which reviews contested decisions of the Wisconsin circuit courts. The Court of Appeals was created in August 1978 to alleviate the Wisconsin Supreme Court's rising number of appellate cases. Published Court of Appeals opinions are considered binding precedent until overruled by the Supreme Court; unpublished opinions are not. The Court hears most appeals in three-judge panels, but appeals of circuit court decisions in misdemeanor, small claims, and municipal ordinance cases are decided by a single judge.
The 29th District of the Wisconsin Senate is located in north-central Wisconsin, and is currently composed of Marathon, Barron, Bayfield, Price, Rusk, and Taylor Counties. Other than the metro Wausau area, the district is mostly rural.
The 23rd Senate District of Wisconsin is one of 33 districts in the Wisconsin State Senate. Located in northwest Wisconsin, the district comprises all of Chippewa County and most of Clark County, as well as eastern Eau Claire County, eastern Dunn County, western Marathon County, and parts of northwest Jackson County and northeast Trempealeau County. The district is mostly rural, but contains the city of Chippewa Falls, most of the city of Marshfield, and part of the city of Eau Claire.
The 28th District of the Wisconsin Senate is located in Southeastern Wisconsin, and is currently composed of parts of Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, and Walworth counties. During the late 19th and early 20th century, it was located around Richland County, Wisconsin and neighboring counties.
There are a variety of schema for dividing Wisconsin into regions.
The 3rd Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in northeast Wisconsin, the district comprises most of the north half of Calumet County, including the parts of Appleton and Menasha that fall within Calumet County, as well as parts of southeast Outagamie County, including the village of Kimberly and part of the village of Little Chute. The district is represented by Republican Ron Tusler, since January 2017.
The 4th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in northeast Wisconsin, the district comprises part of central Brown County, including the villages of Ashwaubenon and Allouez, and parts of the city of Green Bay and the village of Howard. The district is represented by Republican David Steffen, since January 2015.
The 14th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in southeast Wisconsin, the district comprises parts of western Milwaukee County and eastern Waukesha County. It includes most of the northern half of the city of Wauwatosa and several blocks of the city of Milwaukee, including Mount Mary University, in Milwaukee County, as well as the northern half of the city of Brookfield and the northern parts of the town of Brookfield in Waukesha County. The district is represented by Democrat Robyn Vining, since January 2019.
The 21st Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in southeastern Wisconsin, the district covers the southeast corner of Milwaukee County, including all of the suburban cities of Oak Creek and South Milwaukee, as well as a few blocks of the neighboring city of Franklin. The district is represented by Republican Jessie Rodriguez, since winning a special election in November 2013.
The 54th Assembly District of the Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in east-central Wisconsin, the district covers most of the city of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in eastern Winnebago County. It also contains landmarks such as the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh campus, the Oshkosh campus of the Fox Valley Technical College, and the Oshkosh Corporation headquarters. The district is represented by Democratic Minority Leader Gordon Hintz, since January 2007.
The 26th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in eastern Wisconsin, the district comprises southeast Sheboygan County, including most of the city of Sheboygan, as well as all of the city of Sheboygan Falls, and the villages of Adell, Cedar Grove, Oostburg, and Random Lake. It also encompasses the Kohler-Andrae State Park on the shore of Lake Michigan, south of Sheboygan. The district is represented by Republican Terry Katsma, since January 2015.
The 27th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in eastern Wisconsin, the district comprises northeast Sheboygan County and southeast Manitowoc County. It includes part of northern Sheboygan, as well as the cities of Plymouth and Kiel, and the villages of Cleveland, Elkhart Lake, and Kohler. It also contains Lakeland University, the Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run golf courses, the Road America motorsport course, and the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport. The district is represented by Republican Tyler Vorpagel, since January 2015.
The 30th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in northwest Wisconsin, the district comprises southwest St. Croix County and part of northwest Pierce County. It includes the cities of Hudson and River Falls, as well as the village of North Hudson. It also contains the University of Wisconsin–River Falls campus and Willow River State Park. The district is represented by Republican Shannon Zimmerman, since January 2017.
The 34th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in northern Wisconsin, the district comprises all of Florence County and most of Vilas County and Oneida County, along with the northern half of Forest County. It contains the cities of Rhinelander and Eagle River and about half of the Nicolet National Forest, including the Blackjack Springs Wilderness and Headwaters Wilderness. The district is represented by Republican Rob Swearingen, since January 2013.
The 44th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in southern Wisconsin, the district comprises most of the city of Janesville, in central Rock County. It contains the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater at Rock County campus and the Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport. The district is represented by Democrat Sue Conley, since January 2021.
The 47th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in south-central Wisconsin, the district comprises municipalities in south-central Dane County, including the city of Monona, the village of McFarland, and the northern half of the city of Fitchburg. It also contains the Capital Springs State Recreation Area, the Pflaum-McWilliams Mound Group, and the Alliant Energy Center. The seat is represented by Democrat Jimmy P. Anderson since January 2017.
The 49th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in southwest Wisconsin, the district comprises all of Grant County, as well as most of the western half of Richland County and a small part of southwest Lafayette County. It includes the cities of Boscobel, Cuba City, Fennimore, Lancaster, and Platteville, and the villages of Benton, Bloomington, Blue River, Boaz, Cassville, Dickeyville, Hazel Green, Livingston, Montfort, Muscoda, Potosi, Woodman, and Yuba, and the part of the village of Viola within Richland County. The district also contains the University of Wisconsin–Platteville campus, Wyalusing State Park, and Nelson Dewey Memorial State Park, and historic landmarks such as the Potosi Brewery and the Grant County Courthouse. The district is represented by Republican Travis Tranel, since January 2011.
The 68th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in Northwestern Wisconsin, the district comprises the eastern half of Eau Claire County and most of the western half of Clark County, as well as parts of southern Chippewa County, northwest Jackson County and northeast Trempealeau County. The district includes the cities of Altoona, Greenwood, Osseo, Stanley, and Thorp, and part of the city of Eau Claire. The district is represented by Republican Jesse L. James, since January 2019.
The 74th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in northern Wisconsin, the district comprises all of Ashland, Bayfield, Price, and Iron counties, as well as neighboring municipalities in northeast Douglas County, northern Sawyer County, and southwest Vilas County. It includes the cities of Ashland, Bayfield, and Washburn, and the Bad River, Lac du Flambeau, and Red Cliff Indian reservations. The district also contains the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Big Bay State Park, and most of the Chequamegon National Forest. The district is represented by Democrat Beth Meyers, since January 2015.
