On April 28, City Council will meet to continue their discussion of redrawing the lines for Madison’s 20 aldermanic districts. The discussion takes place every 10 years and is used to determine whether the current districts accurately represent Census data.

Like most things City Council does, the redistricting process promises to be a drawn-out process. The topic was first broached in a meeting in February, and disagreement already abounds among alders. With the deadline for a final map set for August, we don’t expect a resolution any time soon.

As of today, eight possible maps have been proposed with a new set on the way for the next meeting. Debating the merits of each one is a task best left to the council, yet there are several proposed changes that will have a direct impact on students. District 8 Alder Scott Resnick has identified several elements that we as students should push to see on the final map.

Maintaining districts 2, 4, 5 and 8 is essential to preserve the student voice. Redistricting these areas to push students into other districts threatens the limited say they have in city politics, and separating student areas that are currently in the same district will only cause confusion. As Resnick asserted, proposals that split Ogg and Smith or remove Spring Street from District 8 are especially worrisome.

Although it is in the student interest to preserve some aspects of the current district lines, several changes can be made to further strengthen their role in city government. Adding Smith, Ogg, and the Lakeshore dorms to District 8 would place them with the rest of the dorms, making sure residents have adequate representation.

While students have failed at utilizing their role on the County Board, they have made a positive impact on city politics. This board cannot come up with a logical reason to limit that voice given such a strong success. On a related note, we are pleased that Resnick has taken the initiative to support his constituents so early in his term.