Ward Boundaries

History of Ward Boundaries

W.S. 15-11-103. Officers of first class city; terms; how elected. The elective officers of a first class city, not including a city adopting the commission or city manager form of government, are a mayor and the number of councilmen determined by the governing body of the city when they provide for the number of wards in the city. The term of office of the mayor and a councilman is four (4) years and until his successor is qualified. The mayor shall be elected at large and the councilmen shall be elected at large or by wards or by a combination of at large and ward election districts. The governing body of the city shall determine by ordinance at the time wards are created or reorganized whether individual, multimember or at large election districts shall be provided. The districting system, as approved by the council to apply uniformly to the entire city, may provide individual member election districts, multimember election districts which do not exceed three (3) council members per district, or that a portion of the entire membership of the council not to exceed one-third (1/3) of the total members shall be elected from an at large district constituting the entire city. Once established, the districts, except to modify boundaries because of population changes and to encompass annexed territory, shall not be altered or amended more often than each ten (10) years or when the state reapportions.

W.S. 22-23-103 (a) A city may be divided into wards by ordinance of the governing body of the city. The wards shall be compact in form and as nearly equal in population as possible.

2000

June 19, 2000: A petition to change the method of selecting the members of City Council was made in accordance with W.S. 15-11-105 from the current at large system to one of the following options: 

  • To divide Laramie into nine wards, one councilman per ward
  • To divide Laramie into seven wards, one councilman per ward, with two councilmen elected at large

General Election of November 7, 2000 results show the public chose the option of seven wards, one councilman per ward, with two councilmen elected at large. 

Enrolled Ordinance No. 1381 adopted on March 5, 2002.

2011-12

In years prior to the 2011 Census Count the City of Laramie had 7 Ward Boundaries. 

June 21, 2011: A petition was received in accordance with W.S. 15-11-105 to change the method of selecting members of the Laramie City Council to one of the following: 

  • Three council wards with three council members from each ward; or 
  • Three council wards with two council members from each ward and three council members elected at-large. 

Special Election of November 10, 2011 results show the public chose the option of three (3) wards with three (3) councilmen elected from each ward. 

Enrolled Ordinance No. 1619 adopted on April 3, 2012.

2021-22 

Census numbers revealed the need to redraw the Ward Boundaries to be in compliance with W.S. 22-23-103 (a) A city may be divided into wards by ordinance of the governing body of the city. The wards shall be compact in form and as nearly equal in population as possible. 

November 30, 2021, 6:00 pm - Council held Ward Meetings to discuss Ward Boundaries
December 10, 2021 - Ward Boundary Map proposals are due from Councilors
December 28, 2021, 6:00 pm - City Council Work Session to discuss and select a map to move forward
March 1, 2022 - Discussion on ward boundaries 
March 8, 2022 - Original Ordinance No. 2042 (First Reading and Introduction)
March 15, 2022 - Original Ordinance No. 2042 (Public Hearing and Second Reading)
March 22, 2022 - Original Ordinance No. 2042 (Third Reading)
March 29, 2022 - Original Ordinance No. 2042 (Third Reading)
April 5, 2022 - Original Ordinance No. 2042 (Third Reading)

Enrolled Ordinance No. 2042 - Adopted April 5th and published on April 13th. 

Ward Boundary Map approved April 5, 2022