There will be a referendum on the April 2022 Election ballot for all Wauwatosa voters. The referendum is asking if the size of the Common Council should be reduced from 16 to 12 members and if we should create term limit for alderpersons, so that no person could serve more than two consecutive four-year terms (unless one full term or more has passed since that person last held office).

People have been submitting questions to us, and the answers are below. You can also submit your question at the bottom of this referendum webpage.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a budget impact to reducing the size of council?

If the Common Council is reduced from 16 to 12 members, the salary will be evenly distributed across the 12 members. Under the current budget, the current 16 members make $5,400 in a year. This means that the 12 members would make $7,050 in a year.

Why is the size of council and term limits in the same question?

The Common Council discussed the council size and term limits and ultimately decided to combine these two elements. The Common Council adopted the language for the referendum via resolution 21-114 on July 20, 2021. They discussed this topic at meetings on June 15, 2021 and July 20, 2021. Government Affairs Committee discussed the topic on March 4, 2021, March 9, 2021, May 11, 2021, and June 8, 2021. Links to these meetings are available in the meeting portal.

Why is there a referendum?

Elected officials discussed council size and the number of variables related to this decision for several months. Their discussion included:

• The decision-making process of 16 vs 12 elected officials
• Term limits
• Communication and responsiveness if you have 1 vs 2 alders
• Will diversity be more difficult to achieve with a smaller council?
• Compensation of alders
• Would we benefit from our current council size (breadth of opinions and expertise), or would we benefit from a deeper dive into topics?

Ultimately, they created a referendum for voters to decide the size of the Common Council and term limits. The voters, by a simple majority, will decide the outcome of the referendum. 

Why do we currently have two alderpersons per district?

Having two alderpersons per district is the default per state law. Cities have the ability to change their representation to one alderperson per district.

If the referendum passes, how will districts be redrawn? Who will do the redistricting, what criteria will be used, and what will the new districts look like?

If the referendum passes, the Common Council will outline a process to approve new aldermanic districts. This process wouldn't take place until closer to 2026 because Wauwatosa would still be represented by 16 alderpersons until 2026. We would need new maps by 2026 when Wauwatosa would be represented by 12 alderpersons, one per district.

Where can I learn more?

• Attend an open house in City Hall's Lower Civic Center on March 15 from 6:00 - 6:30 pm. We'll have a brief presentation and time to answer questions. This is an in person event.
• We'll also host an entirely virtual open house on March 30, 6:00 - 6:30 pm. Zoom ID: 828 4834 6309