Wards of the United States
Encyclopedia
In the United States, a ward is an optional division of a city
or town
, especially an electoral district, for administrative and representative purposes. Depending upon the state and local laws, the term ward can mean either:
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
or town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
, especially an electoral district, for administrative and representative purposes. Depending upon the state and local laws, the term ward can mean either:
- an elective district of a city councilCity councilA city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
or town board, created for the purpose of providing more direct representation, from which a single council member is elected; or - a division used in partyPolitical partyA political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
leadership elections, as is the case with the wards of New OrleansWards of New OrleansThe city of New Orleans, Louisiana is divided into 17 wards. Politically, the wards are used in voting in elections, subdivided into precincts. Under various previous city charters of the 19th century, aldermen and later city council members were elected by ward. The city has not had officials...
. - an administrative division, as in Wards of Newark, NJCentral Ward, Newark, New JerseyCentral Ward is the heart of Newark. It was initially populated by Connecticut Puritans, became for a time primarily Jewish, and is currently primarily African-American....