Wauwatosa voters are about to pick a smaller, reshuffled Common Council on April 7, 2026, as the city switches from 16 alderpeople in eight districts to 12 alderpeople in 12 single-member districts. The change, approved in a 2022 referendum and completed through redistricting, has pushed several incumbents off the ballot and produced only a few truly contested races. The new setup also staggers initial terms and reshuffles how council pay is divided.
How the change came to be
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, voters signed off in April 2022 on trimming the Common Council from 16 to 12 members and imposing term limits that generally cap service at two consecutive four-year terms. After that vote, city officials and staff spent months drawing new district lines, presenting draft maps, and walking residents through how the first election under the new structure would work.
Who is on the ballot and how contested it is
Local coverage points out that only four of the 12 new seats ended up contested once the filing window closed, which means many races were effectively decided the moment nomination papers were turned in. Tosa Forward News reports that the competitive showdowns are in District 3 (Ernst Franzen vs. Mark Peters), District 4 (Amanda Saso vs. Sean Hurley), District 8 (Michael Indy Stluka vs. Matthew Wicker), and District 11 (Mike Morgan vs. Melissa Dolan).
The same outlet notes that several incumbents will glide back into office unopposed, while others will simply disappear from the ballot altogether. Current council members Andrew Meindl, James R. Moldenhauer, Margaret Arney, Joseph Makhlouf II, David R. Lewis, Aletha Champine, and Jason Wilke are among those who will not appear on the April ballot.
Staggered terms and when winners take office
The City of Wauwatosa election notice explains that winners in odd-numbered districts will serve two-year terms in 2026, while winners in even-numbered districts will serve four-year terms, with all alderperson terms beginning April 21, 2026. That staggered schedule is designed so that, starting with the 2028 election, every alderperson seat will be on a regular four-year cycle. The notice also spells out filing deadlines, any primary dates, and other calendar details for both candidates and voters.
Pay bump and budget math
City referendum materials show that existing council pay was essentially re-sliced rather than expanded. Under the old 16-member council, each member earned $5,400 a year. With only 12 seats, that same pool of money works out to about $7,050 a year per alderperson, an increase of roughly 30 percent. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes that this figure reflects what the city laid out in its referendum FAQ.
Where to find your district map and your ballot
The City of Wauwatosa hosts the 2026 aldermanic district map and other local election resources through the City Clerk. Sample ballots and polling-place lookup tools are available via MyVote Wisconsin. Voters who need details on absentee options, curbside voting, or acceptable photo ID are encouraged to reach out to the City Clerkâs office well before Election Day…