Madison’s Task Force on Government Structure wrote in their final report that “the city’s current government structure is an impediment to full participation and representation and, therefore, that the city’s structure is fundamentally unfair to a large portion of the city’s population, including, most notably, the city’s residents of color and low income.”

As a result, there are four advisory referendum questions on the April 6 ballot asking about the size and shape of Madison Common Council, including pay for alders, the size of city council, and term length and limits for alders.

Today on the show, we learn more about the task force’s work, the ballot questions, and the possible ramifications of making these changes with assistant city attorney John Strange and Eileen Harrington, who served as chair of the task force.

For more information, WORT producer Jade Iseri-Ramos posted an explainer on the referenda earlier this month.

Wisconsin is holding its 2021 spring election on Tuesday, April 6. More information from the Wisconsin Elections Commission here. You can register to vote, see what’s on your ballot, request an absentee ballot, and more at myvote.wi.gov.

You can find WORT’s ongoing election coverage here.