Some Marthasville residents will likely have different aldermen representing them beginning next month following a decision by city officials on ward redistricting. East Ward Aldermen John Graham and Jim Struckhoff and West Ward Aldermen Mike Kloeppel and Leo Tobben will continue to represent their same wards, though the boundaries have been changed slightly. City officials agreed to adopt a realigned map, which would change the boundaries for the city’s two wards, at the Oct. 19 board of aldermen meeting. The proposed map favored by city officials, chosen over three others, reflects the least amount of change from the current boundaries. The proposed West Ward will now include residences west of Griswold Street and south of Tiffany Street in the West Ward. Currently, the dividing line runs south of East Main Street and west of Fourth Street. “The citizens in the affected area were with Aldermen John Graham and Jim Struckhoff. Now they’ll have Aldermen Mike Kloeppel and Leo Tobben,” City Clerk Carla Heggemann said. Population numbers between both wards must remain within 10 percent of each other, according to city officials. Under the proposed boundary change, 609 people will reside in the West Ward with 527 in the East Ward. Currently, 428 people live in the West Ward and 708 in the East Ward. In 2000, there were 429 people in the West Ward and 408 people in the East Ward. Over the past 10 years, the city’s population increased to 1,136 from 837. “It has to change every time a census comes out and there’s a 10 percent population difference, which the last time we had to do this was after the 2000 Census,” said Heggemann. Booneslick Regional Planning Commission Engineer Christopher Michael said maintaining a ward population difference under 10 percent is the only way to make sure elections are fair and balanced. “Maps are based upon redistricting data files, such as total population, which the Census Bureau released in late February 2010,” he said. “How a map is drawn can influence whether all residents are fairly represented and how elected officials respond to the community’s needs. The primary purpose of the map is to ensure that one person’s vote carries the same weight as any other person’s vote.” Heggemann said although the ward redistricting was necessary, there were virtually no benefits to the changes other than a fair and balanced election process. “There’s no concern from any aldermen about having extra citizens in their ward,” she said. “It makes it more fair if anything because we found out the population in the East Ward is a considerable amount more.”