Wards of the United States

Wards of the United States

In the United States, wards are political divisions which usually have leaders elected by the party committee members within their boundaries. Ward leaders are often major forces within the political and civic life of their neighborhoods, influencing zoning, the provision of governmental services, patronage, and the selection of candidates for office. Winning the leadership of a ward helped launch the Kennedy and Daley families, among many others, into elective office. Other cities in the US, such as Minneapolis, use the term ward to refer to an elective district of their city councils, and is not used in party leadership elections, as is the case with the wards of New Orleans. In smaller boroughs and townships wards typically allow a closer, more direct representation of the local voters.