Voting: Block out some time, and other changes

This week the City Clerk's office ran a mock election to study the results of the new voter ID law, and the results were unsurprising. It could take over a minute to process each voter. If the line is long - say, for the presidential election next November, or the recall of Gov. Walker that Wisconsin Democrats are promising - you could be there awhile. So plan ahead.

Meanwhile, my neighbors and I are looking at some electoral changes for next year.

To quote an article I wrote for the upcoming neighborhood newsletter:

The 2011 redistricting process, while controversial across much of Wisconsin, will lead to few changes for the Sherman Neighborhood. Some residents will have a new polling place and new state senator.

The neighborhood is currently split along Vahlen Street, and the new map preserves this boundary. North of Vahlen, residents get their own new Ward 32 and will now vote at the Packers Townhouses on Northport Drive. To the south, the old Ward 30 becomes the new Ward 31, and residents continue to vote at Sherman Middle School.

The other change for residents north of Vahlen is a new state senator. Currently, they are located in the 27th Senate District, represented by Sen. Jon Erpenbach of Middleton. Under the new map they become part of the 16th Senate District, represented by Sen. Mark Miller of Monona, the Senate minority leader.

With Reps. Mark Pocan and Kelda Helen Roys both running for Congress, the Sherman Neighborhood will have new state representatives. North of Vahlen becomes part of a new 48th Assembly District combining the north and east sides of Madison, which will be an open seat. To the south residents join the new 76th Assembly District, into which Rep. Chris Taylor of the old 48th district has been moved; she intends to run for the seat.

In local government, residents will remain part of Madison’s 12th Aldermanic District, currently represented by Satya Rhodes-Conway, and Dane County’s 12th Supervisory District, represented by Paul Rusk.