APPLICATIONS TO REDISTRICTING COMMISSION CONTINUE TO BE ACCEPTED
August 21, 2020
County Board Chair Analiese Eicher (608.571.6823) or County Clerk Scott McDonell (608.266.4121)
County Board
Today, Dane County Board Chair and Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell announced that the application period for the Dane County Redistricting Commission will be extended until September 11 to allow for a more diverse, representative pool of applicants.
"We had a lot of interest in the commission, but we need to make sure the commission that determines Supervisory district lines, and how Dane County residents are represented matches the diversity of the people that make up this county," said County Board Chair Analiese Eicher.
The 11-member commission will be appointed by Chair Eicher and Clerk McDonell.
"Redistricting has traditionally had a disproportionate effect on marginalized communities. We must make sure they have a chair at the table," remarked County Clerk Scott McDonell.
Under Section 59.10 of the Wisconsin Statutes, county governments in Wisconsin must create new county board district boundaries every ten years, immediately after the federal census.
In 2016, the Dane County Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance Amendment 2016-OA 32, which created a nonpartisan independent citizen Redistricting Commission. The Commission is tasked with submitting at least three draft supervisory district maps to the County Board by no later than May 31, 2021.
There are several criteria that members of the commission need to meet, including:
Must be a resident of Dane County
May not be a member of the Dane County Board, an employee of Dane County, or a contract consultant
May not hold or have held an official position with a political party or partisan organization within the year prior to appointment
May not have participated in the State of Wisconsin 2011 partisan redistricting process
Must be impartial, which includes refraining from engaging in any political party activity or supporting the election or defeat of any candidate or referendum during their tenure on the commission, and at the time of appointment no intent to seek election to the office of county board supervisor in the spring primary and general election immediately following redistricting
Must have a familiarity with maps
May not be a lobbyist registered with the Dane County Board
Must disclose any potential conflict of interest in conformance with s. 9.60
Anyone interested in applying for the Dane County Redistricting Commission needs to complete an application available on the Dane County Planning and Development Department’s website: https://www.danecountyplanning.com/Projects/Redistricting