Tentative Madison redistricting plans were presented to Common Council for discussion Thursday, where it was agreed the Lakeshore dorms and Smith Hall should join the rest of the UW-Madison dormitories in Aldermanic District 8.
Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said moving Smith Hall into District 8 is win, and all undergraduates living in university dorms can now vote in the same place.
""We have a lot of students that are here for a few years, we want to make it as simple for them as possible,"" said Reapportionment and Redistricting Ad Hoc Committee Member Brian Grady.
All Lakeshore dorms will tentatively move from District 5 to District 8. However, Eagle Heights will remain in District 5, along with Babcock Hall and other UW buildings.
Despite Resnick's proclamation, moving Smith Hall from District 4 to District 8 poses a problem for the census bureau. The census district would not allow the businesses on the far end of the proposed plan's District 8, such as U-Haul, to actually move into the district along with Smith Hall.
To accommodate this, the committee is looking to split Murray Street, which runs behind Smith Hall, so that everything but Smith Hall will remain District 4.
The proposed plan would also re-zone a part of State Street, which has always been split between District 4 and District 8, into District 2. Alders said they fear this would complicate city processes for businesses on State Street.
The purpose of redistricting the aldermanic zones is to equalize the population within each district. Boundaries are adjusted based on population changes that have occurred over the last decade.
Madison's population as of April 2010 is 233,209, making the target aldermanic district population 11,660.
The downtown redistricting plans will be presented to the community for their input May 11.
