Current state

The Wauwatosa School Board is a body of seven officials who serve staggered three-year terms. 

School board candidates run for one of seven numbered, open seats, none of which are specific to any geographical region in Wauwatosa. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 120.02(4), a petition conforming to the requirements of Wis. Stat. § 8.40 has been filed with the Wauwatosa School District clerk seeking to change the current system of numbered school board seats to a purely at-large system. 

In such an at-large system, rather than selecting a candidate for each numbered seat, voters would select from the entire pool of candidates and the open seats would be filled by the candidates receiving the most votes.

Example:  Under a purely at-large system, if three school board seats were up for election, those seats would be filled by the candidates receiving the three highest vote totals.

Currently, election of Wauwatosa School Board officials occurs via at-large elections with a “numbered seat” system to elect school board members. In this type of system, there are no “districts.” Instead, every seat on the governing body represents the entire jurisdiction. All seven of Wauwatosa’s School Board seats are city wide and not assigned to a specific area of the district.

The at-large seats are numbered, and candidates compete for each numbered seat. Every voter in the city casts one vote for their preferred candidates in each of these races for a numbered seat.

Official ballot language for April 1, 2025

The Wauwatosa School Board is a body of seven officials who serve staggered three-year terms. School board candidates run for one of seven numbered, open seats, none of which are specific to any geographical region in Wauwatosa. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 120.02(4), a petition conforming to the requirements of Wis. Stat. § 8.40 has been filed with the Wauwatosa School District clerk seeking to change the current system of numbered school board seats to a purely at-large system. In such a system, rather than being able to select a candidate for each numbered seat, voters would select from the entire pool of candidates and the open seats would be filled by the candidates receiving the most votes. For example, if three school board seats were up for election, those seats would be filled by the candidates receiving the three highest vote totals. Should the current system of numbered Wauwatosa School Board seats be changed to a purely at-large system? A “yes” vote is to change to an at-large system; a “no” vote is to retain the current numbered system.

Should the current system of numbered Wauwatosa School Board seats be changed to a purely at-large system? A “yes” vote is to change to an at-large system. A “no” vote is to retain the current numbered system.