Redistricting in Wisconsin: A Comparison of Majority Minority Populations

Sarah Kemp, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The population of State of Wisconsin is comprised of 86% white and racially/ethnically diverse populations are not distributed throughout the State. However, a notable population by race/ethnicity does include Hispanic, African American, Native American, and Asian populations concentrated in various parts of the State. This research compares the demographic composition of race/ethnicity by assembly districts in the State of Wisconsin for 2000 and 2010. Ward boundaries were used to create the legislative districts in 2002, while U.S. Census block data were used in 2011. This research will examine which of these two methods produce more distinct legislative districts. Maps illustrate and tables provide an assessment of the race/ethnicity by district and offer a comparison of the demographic composition between the 2002 and 2011 assembly districts. Preliminary results indicate that legislative districts are no more racially and ethnically distinct created with a smaller geography of census blocks.