Wisconsin's 4th State Senate district

Wisconsin's 4th
State Senate district
Wisconsin's 4th; State Senate district
	Wisconsin Senate District 4, defined in 2011 Wisc. Act 43
Senator
	Lena Taylor; D–Milwaukee
	since January 3, 2005 (17 years)
Demographics	26.4% White; 61.6% Black; 4.8% Hispanic; 5.4% Asian; 0.3% Native American; 1.5% Other
Population (2010); • Voting age	172,425; 120,560
Notes	Milwaukee metro area (north)

The 4th Senate District of Wisconsin is one of 33 districts in the Wisconsin State Senate.^[3] Located in southeast Wisconsin, the district is entirely contained within northern Milwaukee County. It comprises part of the city of Milwaukee's north side, as well as the village of Shorewood, the southern half of the city of Glendale, and part of northern Wauwatosa.^[4]

Current elected officials[]

Lena Taylor is the senator representing the 4th district. She was first elected in the 2004 general election, and is now serving her fifth term. Prior to her election as senator, she was a member of the State Assembly, representing the 18th Assembly district from 2003 to 2005.^[5]

Each Wisconsin State Senate district is composed of three Wisconsin State Assembly districts. The 4th Senate district comprises the 10th, 11th, and 12th Assembly districts. The current representatives of those districts are:^[6]

Assembly District 10: David Bowen (D–Milwaukee)
Assembly District 11: Dora Drake (D–Milwaukee)
Assembly District 12: LaKeshia Myers (D–Milwaukee)

The district is also located within Wisconsin's 4th congressional district, which is represented by U.S. Representative Gwen Moore.^[7]

Past senators[]

At the time of the creation of the state of Wisconsin, the 4th Senate District was defined in the Constitution as consisting of Fond du Lac and Winnebago counties.^[8] In the first two sessions of the state legislature, the 4th District was represented by:

Warren Chase, 1848-49 (Democrat) of Ceresco. He joined the new Free Soil Party,^[9] and ran in 1849 (unsuccessfully) as the Free Soil candidate for Governor. He was succeeded by
John A. Eastman, 1850-51 (Democrat) of Fond du Lac
Bertine Pinckney, 1852 (Whig) of Rosendale

The Senate was redistricted from 19 to 25 districts before the 1853 session; the old 4th Senate District was now the 20th and 21st Districts, and the new 4th District consisted of the Towns of Erin, Richfield, Germantown, Jackson, Polk, Hartford, Addison, West Bend, Newark, Trenton, Farmington, Kewaskum and Wayne, in Washington County, formerly part of the original 11th District. The new 4th was represented by:

Baruch Schleisinger Weil, 1853 (Democrat) of West Bend
Baltus Mantz, 1854 (Democrat) of Meeker (died in office of cholera)
James Rolfe, 1855 (independent)
Baruch Schleisinger Weil, 1856 now living in Schleisingerville

For the 1857 session, the Senate was expanded to 30 seats; the new 4th district included all of Washington County now, and once more elected:

Baruch Schleisinger Weil, 1857
Densmore Maxon, 1858-61 (Democrat) of Cedar Creek

As of 1862, the Senate expanded to 33 seats, a size it would retain well into the 21st century; the 4th District remained unchanged. It elected:

Frederick Thorpe, 1862-67 (Democrat) of West Bend
Adam Schantz, 1868-71 (Democrat) of Addison

In 1871, the Senate was drastically redistricted. Washington County became part of a revised 33rd District. A new 4th District was created, consisting of Monroe and Vernon Counties (formerly parts of the 31st and 30th Districts respectively). This new district elected:

William Nelson, 1872-73 (Republican) of Viroqua
Adelbert Bleekman, 1874-75 (Republican) of Tomah

In 1876, the District lost Monroe County, and gained Crawford County instead. The new district elected:

J. Henry Tate, 1876-77 (Republican) of Viroqua
George W. Swain, 1878-79 (Republican) of Chaseburg
Ormsby Thomas, 1880-81 (Republican) of Prairie du Chien
Van S. Bennett, 1882-83 (Republican) of Rockton
Joseph W. Hoyt, 1885–1888 (Republican) of Chaseburg

In 1887, the Senate districts were again totally revamped; the new 4th District consisted of the 1st, 6th, 9th, 13th and 18th Wards of Milwaukee (the old 4th was split between new 16th and 31st Districts). It elected

John J. Kempf, 1889-1892 (Republican)

In 1891 and 1892, the Senate was redistricted; after lawsuits, the 4th District lost the 6th and 9th Wards, gaining the 3rd and 7th Wards instead. It elected:

James W. Murphy, 1893-1894 (Democrat) of Milwaukee
James C. Officer, 1895-1896 (Republican) of Milwaukee

By 1896, the Milwaukee portion of the 4th District had been reduced to the 6th, 13th, 18th and 21st Wards, but it gained Whitefish Bay, and the Towns of Granville and Milwaukee.

J. Herbert Green, 1897-1903 (Republican) of Milwaukee

After the 1901 redistricting, the 4th consisted of Milwaukee's 1st, 13th, 18th and 21st Wards and added the Villages of East Milwaukee and North Milwaukee.

J. Herbert Green was re-elected in 1902 from the new district
Henry Bodenstab, 1909–1912 (Republican) of Milwaukee
William L. Richards, 1913-1916 (Republican)of Milwaukee
Herman C. Schultz, 1917-1920 (Republican) of Milwaukee
Oscar Morris, 1921-1938 (Republican) of Milwaukee

After the 1921 redistricting, the 4th lost Milwaukee's 1st Ward, but gained its 25th, and lost Granville and North Milwaukee (the former East Milwaukee was now Shorewood). This district re-elected Morris for over a decade to come. By the 1931 redistricting, the City of Milwaukee portion of the 4th was reduced to the 13th, 18th and 21st Wards, but the district included the Town of Milwaukee and the village of Shorewood, plus the addition of the villages of Fox Point and River Hills. It continued to elect Oscar Morris until his 1939 death in office.

Milton T. Murray, 1939-1944 (Republican) of Milwaukee
John C. McBride, 1945-1948 (Republican) of Milwaukee
George A. Mayer, 1949-1952 (Republican) of Milwaukee
Harry F. Franke, Jr., 1953-1956 (Republican) of Milwaukee

The 1950s was a period of redistricting plans, referenda and lawsuits. By 1954, the 4th District still had three Milwaukee Wards (the 1st, 18th and 20th), Fox Point, River Hills, Shorewood, and Whitefish Bay, and added Bayside, Brown Deer, and Glendale (which between them had absorbed all of the old Town of Milwaukee). This new 4th District elected:

Kirby Hendee, 1957-1960 (Republican) of Milwaukee
Jerris Leonard, 1961–1969 (Republican) of Milwaukee

After more lawsuits and failure by the legislature to act, in 1964 the Wisconsin Supreme Court reapportioned the legislative districts for the 1964 elections. The 3rd and 18th Wards of the City of Milwaukee, the part of Bayside in Milwaukee County, Brown Deer, Fox Point, River Hills, Shorewood and Whitefish Bay became the new 4th.

Jerris Leonard was re-elected from the new district.
Nile Soik, 1969-1973 (Republican) of Whitefish Bay

In 1971, the legislature was reapportioned without incident. The new 4th encompassed the seven North Shore suburbs, but also Thiensville, Mequon, and eight townships in Southeastern Washington County, from Erin in the southwest to Farmington in the northeast. This new district elected:

Bob Kasten, 1973-1974 (Republican) of Brown Deer, who left when he was elected to Congress. A special election was held, electing:
Jim Sensenbrenner, 1975-1979 (Republican) of Shorewood, who in turn resigned when he was elected to Kasten's old seat in Congress. He was succeeded in another special election by:
Rod Johnston, 1979–1984 (Republican) of Whitefish Bay

In 1984, an election was held under a plan passed by the legislature in 1983, under which the 4th consisted of the North Shore suburbs east of Brown Deer and Glendale, plus part of Milwaukee's inner city and the East Side of Milwaukee east of the Milwaukee River south to where the river flows into Milwaukee's harbor.

Barbara Ulichny, 1985–1993 (Democrat) of Milwaukee

A 1992 court-ordered redistricting moved most of the district west of the Milwaukee River, except for Glendale and part of Shorewood, and added a large slice of the inner city, extending at its westmost to the county line with Waukesha County. This new 4th elected:

Gwen Moore, 1993–2004 (Democrat) of Milwaukee

A new court-ordered map was created in 2002, by which the District was moved even further west into the inner city and out to 124th Street. In 2004, it elected Lena Taylor, the present incumbent. The 2011 redistricting expanded the portion of the district in the inner city, while still retaining Shorewood and part of Glendale. Taylor was re-elected from that district in 2012.

Note: the boundaries of districts have changed over history. Previous politicians of a specific numbered district have represented a completely different geographic area, due to redistricting.

Senator	Party	Notes	Session	Years	District Definition
District created				1848	Fond du Lac & Winnebago counties
Warren Chase	Dem.		1st	1848
Warren Chase	Dem.		2nd	1849
John A. Eastman	Dem.		3rd	1850
John A. Eastman	Dem.		4th	1851
Bertine Pinckney	Whig	Redistricted to 20th district.	5th	1852
Baruch S. Weil	Dem.		6th	1853	1852–1855 1855–1860 1861–1865 1866–1870 Washington County
Baltus Mantz	Dem.	Died in office.	7th	1854
--Vacant--			7th	1854
James Rolfe	Ind.		8th	1855
Baruch S. Weil	Dem.		9th	1856
Baruch S. Weil	Dem.		10th	1857
Densmore Maxon	Dem.		11th	1858
			12th	1859
			13th	1860
			14th	1861
Frederick Thorpe	Dem.		15th	1862
			16th	1863
			17th	1864
			18th	1865
			19th	1866
			20th	1867
Adam Schantz	Dem.		21st	1868
			22nd	1869
			23rd	1870
			24th	1871
William Nelson	Rep.		25th	1872	Monroe & Vernon counties
William Nelson	Rep.		26th	1873
Adelbert Bleekman	Rep.		27th	1874
Adelbert Bleekman	Rep.		28th	1875
J. Henry Tate	Rep.		29th	1876
J. Henry Tate	Rep.		30th	1877	1876–1881 1882–1887 Crawford & Vernon counties
George W. Swain	Rep.		31st	1878
George W. Swain	Rep.		32nd	1879
Ormsby B. Thomas	Rep.		33rd	1880
Ormsby B. Thomas	Rep.		34th	1881
Van S. Bennett	Rep.		35th	1882
Van S. Bennett	Rep.		36th	1883–1884
Joseph W. Hoyt	Rep.		37th	1885–1886
Joseph W. Hoyt	Rep.		38th	1887–1888
John J. Kempf	Rep.		39th	1889–1890	Central Milwaukee County Wards 1, 6, 9, 13, 18, city of Milwaukee
John J. Kempf	Rep.		40th	1891–1892
James W. Murphy	Dem.	Resigned	41st	1893–1894	Central Milwaukee County Wards 1, 3, 7, 13, 18, city of Milwaukee
James C. Officer	Rep.	Won 1894 special election.	42nd	1895–1896
J. Herbert Green	Rep.		43rd	1897–1898	Northern Milwaukee County Town of Granville Town of Milwaukee Wards 6, 13, 18, 21, city of Milwaukee
			44th	1899–1900
			45th	1901–1902
			46th	1903–1904	Northern Milwaukee County Town of Granville Town of Milwaukee Village of East Milwaukee Village of North Milwaukee Village of Whitefish Bay Wards 1, 13, 18, 21, city of Milwaukee
Theodore C. Froemming	Rep.		47th	1905–1906
Theodore C. Froemming	Rep.		48th	1907–1908
Henry Bodenstab	Rep.		49th	1909–1910
Henry Bodenstab	Rep.		50th	1911–1912
William L. Richards	Rep.		51st	1913–1914	Northern Milwaukee County Town of Granville Town of Milwaukee Village of East Milwaukee Village of North Milwaukee Village of Whitefish Bay Wards 13, 18, 21, 25, city of Milwaukee
William L. Richards	Rep.		52nd	1915–1916
Herman C. Schultz	Rep.		53rd	1917–1918
Herman C. Schultz	Rep.		54th	1919–1920
Oscar Morris	Rep.	Died in office	55th	1921–1922
			56th	1923–1924	Northeast Milwaukee County Town of Milwaukee Village of Shorewood Village of Whitefish Bay Wards 13, 18, 21, 25, city of Milwaukee
			57th	1925–1926
			58th	1927–1928
			59th	1929–1930
			60th	1931–1932
			61st	1933–1934	Northeast Milwaukee County Town of Milwaukee Village of Fox Point Village of River Hills Village of Shorewood Village of Whitefish Bay Wards 13, 18, 21, city of Milwaukee
			62nd	1935–1936
			63rd	1937–1938
--Vacant--			64th	1939–1940
Milton T. Murray	Rep.	Won 1939 special election.	64th	1939–1940
			65th	1941–1942
			66th	1943–1944
John C. McBride	Rep.		67th	1945–1946
John C. McBride	Rep.		68th	1947–1948
George A. Mayer	Rep.		69th	1949–1950
George A. Mayer	Rep.		70th	1951–1952
Harry F. Franke Jr.	Rep.		71st	1953–1954
Harry F. Franke Jr.	Rep.		72nd	1955–1956	Northern Milwaukee County Town of Granville Town of Milwaukee Village of Bayside Village of Brown Deer Village of Fox Point Village of River Hills Village of Shorewood Village of Whitefish Bay City of Glendale Wards 1, 18, 20, city of Milwaukee
Kirby Hendee	Rep.		73rd	1957–1958
Kirby Hendee	Rep.		74th	1959–1960
Jerris Leonard	Rep.		75th	1961–1962
			76th	1963–1964
			77th	1965–1966	Northern Milwaukee County Village of Bayside Village of Brown Deer Village of Fox Point Village of River Hills Village of Shorewood Village of Whitefish Bay Wards 3, 18, city of Milwaukee
			78th	1967–1968
Nile Soik	Rep.		79th	1969–1970
Nile Soik	Rep.		80th	1971–1972
Robert W. Kasten	Rep.	Resigned after election to U.S. House.	81st	1973–1974	Northeast Milwaukee County Village of Bayside Village of Brown Deer Village of Fox Point Village of River Hills Village of Shorewood Village of Whitefish Bay City of Glendale Wards 2, 18, 20, city of Milwaukee South Ozaukee County Village of Thiensville Most of the city of Mequon Southeast Washington County Town of Erin Town of Farmington Town of Germantown Town of Polk Town of Richfield Town of Trenton Town of West Bend Village of Germantown Village of Jackson Village of Slinger
--Vacant--			82nd	1975–1976
Jim Sensenbrenner	Rep.	Won 1975 special election. Resigned after election to U.S. House.	82nd	1975–1976
Jim Sensenbrenner	Rep.		83rd	1977–1978
--Vacant--			84th	1979–1980
Rod Johnston	Rep.	Won 1979 special election.	84th	1979–1980
			85th	1981–1982
			86th	1983–1984	Northeast Milwaukee County Village of Bayside Village of Brown Deer Village of Fox Point Village of River Hills Village of Shorewood Village of Whitefish Bay City of Glendale Part of the city of Milwaukee
Barbara Ulichny	Dem.		87th	1985–1986
			88th	1987–1988
			89th	1989–1990
			90th	1991–1992
Gwen Moore	Dem.		91st	1993–1994	Northern Milwaukee County Ward 12, village of Shorewood Wards 1, 2, 7, city of Glendale Part of the city of Milwaukee
			92nd	1995–1996
			93rd	1997–1998
			94th	1999–2000
			95th	2001–2002
			96th	2003–2004	Northwest Milwaukee County Wards 1, 6, 12, city of Glendale Part of the city of Milwaukee Wards 23, 24, city of Wauwatosa
Lena Taylor	Dem.		97th	2005–2006
			98th	2007–2008
			99th	2009–2010
			100th	2011–2012
			101st	2013–2014	Northwest Milwaukee County Wards 1, 2, 6, 7, 12, 18, city of Glendale Part of the city of Milwaukee Wards 80, 81, city of Wauwatosa
			102nd	2015–2016
			103rd	2017–2018
			104th	2019–2020
			105th	2021–2022

Notes[]

^ 2011 Wisconsin Act 43 and 44 with Baldus et al vs. Brennan et al by Municipal Ward (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. October 18, 2012. pp. 20–23. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
^ Wisconsin Legislative District Health Profile - Senate District 4 (PDF) (Report). University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
^ "Senate District 4". Wisconsin Legislature. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
^ "Wisconsin Legislative Districts - Senate District 4 Boundaries". Wisconsin Legislature. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
^ "Senator Lena C. Taylor". Wisconsin Legislature. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
^ District Map
^ Congressional District Map
^ "Constitution of the state of Wisconsin: Article XIV, Sec. 12" in Manual for the use of the assembly, of the state of Wisconsin, for the year 1853 Madison: Brown and Carpenter, Printers, 1853; p. 37
^ "Members of the Wisconsin Legislature 1848–1999 State of Wisconsin Legislative Bureau. Information Bulletin 99-1, September 1999. p. 4

External links[]

4th Senate District, Senator Taylor in the Wisconsin Blue Book (2005–2006)

[1] 2011 Wisconsin Act 43 and 44 with Baldus et al vs. Brennan et al by Municipal Ward (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. October 18, 2012. pp. 20–23. Retrieved January 30, 2021.

[2] Wisconsin Legislative District Health Profile - Senate District 4 (PDF) (Report). University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2021.

[3] "Senate District 4". Wisconsin Legislature. Retrieved March 6, 2021.

[4] "Wisconsin Legislative Districts - Senate District 4 Boundaries". Wisconsin Legislature. Retrieved February 9, 2021.

[5] "Senator Lena C. Taylor". Wisconsin Legislature. Retrieved February 9, 2021.

[6] District Map

[7] Congressional District Map

[8] "Constitution of the state of Wisconsin: Article XIV, Sec. 12" in Manual for the use of the assembly, of the state of Wisconsin, for the year 1853 Madison: Brown and Carpenter, Printers, 1853; p. 37

[9] "Members of the Wisconsin Legislature 1848–1999 State of Wisconsin Legislative Bureau. Information Bulletin 99-1, September 1999. p. 4

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Wisconsin's 4th State Senate district

Contents

Current elected officials[]

Past senators[]

See also[]

Notes[]

External links[]