Wisconsin's Local Redistricting Information Page
LTSB has received and processed the U.S. Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Dataset (Demographics).
Local redistricting began for Wisconsin counties on August 16, 2021.
In the State of Wisconsin, the Legislative Technology Services Bureau (LTSB) receives and processes the census data required for local redistricting, as well as provides the software and technology to perform local redistricting. Below you will find resources, software trainings, help documentation, and contact information intended to help Wisconsin county and municipal governments with the 2021 local redistricting process.
- The LRB Guidebook: Redistricting in Wisconsin 2020
- Extensive guidebook covering redistricting at all levels, including local redistricting
- Ask the Local Redistricting Experts
- This ‘Question & Answer’ style panel discussion featured a Wisconsin County Clerk, Municipal Clerk, and County Land Information Officer with experience in Local Redistricting.
- FAQs for Land Information Officers
- The Legislative Technology Services Bureau (LTSB) and the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) answer LIO-specific questions regarding local redistricting data, software, and timelines.
Software Documentation and Trainings
WISE-LR: Wisconsin Shape Editor for Local Redistricting
WISE-LR is a web application developed by the LTSB to assist local governments and counties with local redistricting in Wisconsin. The application was designed specifically to accommodate the rules and the process of local redistricting outlined in Wisconsin State Statutes. WISE-LR allows local officials, or their delegates, to create, analyze, and share county supervisory plans, municipal ward plans, and aldermanic plans with accurate demographic data. Every Wisconsin County Clerk, County Land Information Officer, and Municipal Clerk will be sent credentials and instructions on how to log-in to the WISE-LR Local Redistricting Software. If you need help using the WISE-LR application, please refer to: WISE-LR Help Documentation.
WISE-LR Training Webinars
LTSB hosted the following webinars on the local redistricting software “WISE-LR” via Zoom sessions throughout 2021. All hands-on webinars cover the entire breadth of the WISE-LR software, however, they are each geared toward a specific role in the process.
- 2021 WISE-LR Software Training for County Clerks
- Intended participants: County Clerks, GIS staff, and other county staff
- Intended participants: County Clerks, GIS staff, and other county staff
- 2021 WISE-LR Software Training for Municipalities
- Intended participants: Municipal Clerks, GIS staff, and other municipal staff
- Intended participants: Municipal Clerks, GIS staff, and other municipal staff
- 2021 WISE-LR Software Training for LIOs
- Intended participants: Wisconsin LIOs and Alternate LIOs
Local Redistricting Timeline
The local redistricting process consists of three stages, each lasting up to 60-days.
- Stage 0 & 1 – Census Block Verification and County Supervisory Districts
- County Land Information Officers (LIO's) will begin with Stage 0 - Census Block Verification.
- When Stage 0 is complete, County Clerks will begin Stage 1 - creating tentative Supervisory District Plan(s).
- Stage 2 – Municipal Ward Plans
- After a Supervisory Plan is approved in Stage 1, participating Municipalities will be alerted to begin drawing their Ward Plans.
- Stage 3 – Reconciliation of Supervisory Districts and Municipal Wards, (and possibly Aldermanic Districts - Stage A)
- For Stage 3, both the County and Municipalities will be notified that it is time to reconcile any conflicts between approved ward and supervisory plans.
- It is recommended that Aldermanic Districts (Stage A) are not created until after all plans are reconciled.
Contact Information
Local Redistricting Legal Questions:
Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB)
LRB-Redistricting@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 504-5898
Wisconsin Election Questions:
Wisconsin Elections Commission
elections@wi.gov
(608) 261-2028
Local Redistricting Software Questions:
GIS Team
Legislative Technology Services Bureau (LTSB)
GIS@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 283-1830
U.S. Census Questions:
Dan Veroff
UW-Applied Population Lab (APL)
dlveroff@wisc.edu
(608) 265-9545
Local Organizations:
- Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA): https://www.wicounties.org/
- Wisconsin County Clerks Association (WCCA): https://www.wisconsincountyclerks.org/
- Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association (WMCA): https://www.wisclerks.org/
- Wisconsin Towns Association (WTA): https://www.wisctowns.com/
- League of Wisconsin Municipalities (LWM): https://www.lwm-info.org/