# Wisconsin's 27th Senate district

The 27th Senate district of Wisconsin is one of 33 districts in the Wisconsin Senate. Located in south-central Wisconsin, the district comprises most of the northwest quadrant of Dane County. It includes much of the west side of the city of Madison, as well as portions of Madison's far north side. The 27th also includes the suburban cities of Middleton and Verona, and the villages of Black Earth, Cross Plains, Dane, Mazomanie, and Waunakee.

## Current elected officials

Dianne Hesselbein is the senator representing the 27th district since January 2023. She previously served ten years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 79th district.
Each Wisconsin State Senate district is composed of three Wisconsin State Assembly districts. The 27th Senate district comprises the 79th, 80th, and 81st Assembly districts. The current representatives of those districts are:
* Assembly District 79: Lisa Subeck (D–Madison)
* Assembly District 80: Mike Bare (D–Verona)
* Assembly District 81: Alex Joers (D–Middleton)
The district is located entirely Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, which is represented by U.S. Representative Mark Pocan.
* Downtown Cross Plains
* Epic Systems headquarters in Verona
* Wisconsin Trade Center in Middleton.
* Mazomanie
* Governor Nelson State Park

## Past senators

The district has previously been represented by:
Note: the boundaries of districts have changed repeatedly over history. Previous politicians of a specific numbered district have represented a completely different geographic area, due to redistricting.
| Senator | Party | Notes | Session | Years | District Definition |
| District created by 1856 Wisc. Act 109. | District created by 1856 Wisc. Act 109. | District created by 1856 Wisc. Act 109. | District created by 1856 Wisc. Act 109. | 1856 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, and Wood counties |
| Luther Hanchett | Rep. | | 10th | 1857 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, and Wood counties |
| Luther Hanchett | Rep. | | 11th | 1858 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, and Wood counties |
| Luther Hanchett | Rep. | | 12th | 1859 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, and Wood counties |
| Luther Hanchett | Rep. | | 13th | 1860 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, and Wood counties |
| Edward L. Browne | Rep. | | 14th | 1861 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, and Wood counties |
| Edward L. Browne | Rep. | | 15th | 1862 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, and Wood counties |
| Alexander S. McDill | Rep. | | 16th | 1863 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, and Wood counties |
| Alexander S. McDill | Natl. Union | | 17th | 1864 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, and Wood counties |
| Milan H. Sessions | Natl. Union | | 18th | 1865 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, and Wood counties |
| Milan H. Sessions | Natl. Union | | 19th | 1866 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, and Wood counties |
| Edward L. Browne | Natl. Union | | 20th | 1867 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, and Wood counties |
| Edward L. Browne | Natl. Union | | 21st | 1868 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, and Wood counties |
| Charles M. Webb | Rep. | | 22nd | 1869 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, and Wood counties |
| Charles M. Webb | Rep. | | 23rd | 1870 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, and Wood counties |
| Myron Reed | Dem. | Redistricted to 21st district. | 24th | 1871 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, and Wood counties |
| William M. Griswold | Rep. | Redistricted from 25th district. | 25th | 1872 | Columbia County |
| Evan O. Jones | Rep. | | 26th | 1873 | Columbia County |
| Evan O. Jones | Rep. | | 27th | 1874 | Columbia County |
| Levi W. Barden | Rep. | | 28th | 1875 | Columbia County |
| Levi W. Barden | Rep. | | 29th | 1876 | Columbia County |
| Levi W. Barden | Rep. | | 30th | 1877 | Adams and Columbia counties |
| Levi W. Barden | Rep. | | 31st | 1878 | Adams and Columbia counties |
| Charles L. Dering | Rep. | | 32nd | 1879 | Adams and Columbia counties |
| Charles L. Dering | Rep. | | 33rd | 1880 | Adams and Columbia counties |
| Gilbert E. McKeeby | Rep. | | 34th | 1881 | Adams and Columbia counties |
| Gilbert E. McKeeby | Rep. | | 35th | 1882 | Adams, Columbia, and Marquette counties 1880 population: 43,713 1885 population: 46,263 |
| William T. Parry | Rep. | | 36th | 1883–1884 | Adams, Columbia, and Marquette counties 1880 population: 43,713 1885 population: 46,263 |
| William T. Parry | Rep. | | 37th | 1885–1886 | Adams, Columbia, and Marquette counties 1880 population: 43,713 1885 population: 46,263 |
| Levi E. Pond | Rep. | | 38th | 1887–1888 | Adams, Columbia, and Marquette counties 1880 population: 43,713 1885 population: 46,263 |
| Levi E. Pond | Rep. | | 39th | 1889–1890 | Adams, Columbia, and Marquette counties 1880 population: 43,713 1885 population: 46,263 |
| Russell C. Falconer | Dem. | | 40th | 1891–1892 | Adams, Columbia, and Marquette counties 1880 population: 43,713 1885 population: 46,263 |
| Russell C. Falconer | Dem. | | 41st | 1893–1894 | Sauk County and Western Columbia County 1890 population: 44,629 |
| William F. Conger | Rep. | | 42nd | 1895–1896 | Sauk County and Western Columbia County 1890 population: 44,629 |
| William F. Conger | Rep. | | 43rd | 1897–1898 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| William G. Bissell | Rep. | | 44th | 1899–1900 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| William G. Bissell | Rep. | | 45th | 1901–1902 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| George Wylie | Rep. | | 46th | 1903–1904 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| George Wylie | Rep. | | 47th | 1905–1906 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| Charles L. Pearson | Dem. | | 48th | 1907–1908 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| Charles L. Pearson | Dem. | | 49th | 1909–1910 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| John M. True | Rep. | | 50th | 1911–1912 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| John M. True | Rep. | | 51st | 1913–1914 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| George Staudenmayer | Dem. | | 52nd | 1915–1916 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| George Staudenmayer | Dem. | | 53rd | 1917–1918 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| George Staudenmayer | Rep. | | 54th | 1919–1920 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| George Staudenmayer | Rep. | | 55th | 1921–1922 | Columbia and Sauk counties 1895 population: 63,787 1900 population: 64,127 1910 population: 63,998 |
| George Staudenmayer | Rep. | | 56th | 1923–1924 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| George Staudenmayer | Rep. | | 57th | 1925–1926 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Robert Caldwell | Rep. | | 58th | 1927–1928 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Robert Caldwell | Rep. | | 59th | 1929–1930 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Fred W. Zantow | Rep. | | 60th | 1931–1932 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Fred W. Zantow | Rep. | | 61st | 1933–1934 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| E. Myrwyn Rowlands | Prog. | | 62nd | 1935–1936 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| E. Myrwyn Rowlands | Prog. | | 63rd | 1937–1938 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 64th | 1939–1940 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 65th | 1941–1942 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 66th | 1943–1944 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 67th | 1945–1946 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 68th | 1947–1948 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 69th | 1949–1950 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 70th | 1951–1952 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 71st | 1953–1954 | Columbia, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 72nd | 1955–1956 | Columbia, Crawford, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 73rd | 1957–1958 | Columbia, Crawford, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 74th | 1959–1960 | Columbia, Crawford, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 75th | 1961–1962 | Columbia, Crawford, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 76th | 1963–1964 | Columbia, Crawford, Richland, and Sauk counties |
| Jess Miller | Rep. | Died Dec. 1965. | 77th | 1965–1966 | Adams, Columbia, Juneau, Marquette, and Sauk counties |
| Adams, Columbia, Juneau, Marquette, and Sauk counties |||
| Walter Terry | Rep. | | 78th | 1967–1968 | Adams, Columbia, Juneau, Marquette, and Sauk counties |
| Walter Terry | Rep. | | 79th | 1969–1970 | Adams, Columbia, Juneau, Marquette, and Sauk counties |
| Everett Bidwell | Rep. | | 80th | 1971–1972 | Adams, Columbia, Juneau, Marquette, and Sauk counties |
| Everett Bidwell | Rep. | | 81st | 1973–1974 | Columbia, Marquette, and Sauk counties and Southern Adams County Western Dodge County Southern Juneau County Part of Jefferson County |
| Everett Bidwell | Rep. | | 82nd | 1975–1976 | Columbia, Marquette, and Sauk counties and Southern Adams County Western Dodge County Southern Juneau County Part of Jefferson County |
| Everett Bidwell | Rep. | | 83rd | 1977–1978 | Columbia, Marquette, and Sauk counties and Southern Adams County Western Dodge County Southern Juneau County Part of Jefferson County |
| Everett Bidwell | Rep. | | 84th | 1979–1980 | Columbia, Marquette, and Sauk counties and Southern Adams County Western Dodge County Southern Juneau County Part of Jefferson County |
| Everett Bidwell | Rep. | | 85th | 1981–1982 | Columbia, Marquette, and Sauk counties and Southern Adams County Western Dodge County Southern Juneau County Part of Jefferson County |
| Russ Feingold | Dem. | Resigned 1992 after elected to United States Senate. | 86th | 1983–1984 | Columbia County and Most of Sauk County Most of Richland County Northwest Dane County Western Dodge County |
| Russ Feingold | Dem. | Resigned 1992 after elected to United States Senate. | 87th | 1985–1986 | Columbia County and Western Dane County Part of Dodge County Part of Green County Part of Rock County Part of Sauk County |
| Russ Feingold | Dem. | Resigned 1992 after elected to United States Senate. | 88th | 1987–1988 | Columbia County and Western Dane County Part of Dodge County Part of Green County Part of Rock County Part of Sauk County |
| Russ Feingold | Dem. | Resigned 1992 after elected to United States Senate. | 89th | 1989–1990 | Columbia County and Western Dane County Part of Dodge County Part of Green County Part of Rock County Part of Sauk County |
| Russ Feingold | Dem. | Resigned 1992 after elected to United States Senate. | 90th | 1991–1992 | Columbia County and Western Dane County Part of Dodge County Part of Green County Part of Rock County Part of Sauk County |
| --Vacant-- | --Vacant-- | --Vacant-- | 91st | 1993–1994 | Green County and Western Dane County Western Rock County |
| Joe Wineke | Dem. | Won 1993 special election. | 91st | 1993–1994 | Green County and Western Dane County Western Rock County |
| Joe Wineke | Dem. | Won 1993 special election. | 92nd | 1995–1996 | Green County and Western Dane County Western Rock County |
| Joe Wineke | Dem. | Won 1993 special election. | 93rd | 1997–1998 | Green County and Western Dane County Western Rock County |
| Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | | 94th | 1999–2000 | Green County and Western Dane County Western Rock County |
| Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | | 95th | 2001–2002 | Green County and Western Dane County Western Rock County |
| Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | | 96th | 2003–2004 | Green County and Western Dane County Part of Lafayette County Part of Rock County |
| Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | | 97th | 2005–2006 | Green County and Western Dane County Part of Lafayette County Part of Rock County |
| Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | | 98th | 2007–2008 | Green County and Western Dane County Part of Lafayette County Part of Rock County |
| Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | | 99th | 2009–2010 | Green County and Western Dane County Part of Lafayette County Part of Rock County |
| Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | | 100th | 2011–2012 | Green County and Western Dane County Part of Lafayette County Part of Rock County |
| Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | | 101st | 2013–2014 | Western Dane County Most of Sauk County Eastern Iowa County Part of Columbia County Part of Green County |
| Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | | 102nd | 2015–2016 | Western Dane County Most of Sauk County Eastern Iowa County Part of Columbia County Part of Green County |
| Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | | 103rd | 2017–2018 | Western Dane County Most of Sauk County Eastern Iowa County Part of Columbia County Part of Green County |
| Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | | 104th | 2019–2020 | Western Dane County Most of Sauk County Eastern Iowa County Part of Columbia County Part of Green County |
| Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | | 105th | 2021–2022 | Western Dane County Most of Sauk County Eastern Iowa County Part of Columbia County Part of Green County |
| Dianne Hesselbein | Dem. | Elected 2022. | 106th | 2023–2024 | Western Dane County, eastern Sauk County eastern Iowa County parts of Columbia County northwest Green County |
| Dianne Hesselbein | Dem. | Elected 2022. | 107th | 2025–2026 | Northwest Dane County |