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Local government directory
Madison, WI: council, meetings and contacts
Madison is the 77th largest city in the United States with about 286,233 residents, in Dane County. Here is who governs it, when they meet in public, and where the agendas are posted.
City government at a glance
- Form of government
- Mayor-council
- Governing body
- Common Council — 20 members
- Regular meetings
- Regular meetings Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the City-County Building
- City Hall
- City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Madison, WI 53703
- Main information line
- 608-266-4071 (Common Council Office)
- Population (2025 est.)
- 286,233 (2020 census: 269,840)
- County
- Dane County
- Planning body
- Madison Plan Commission
Twenty alders represent districts and serve part-time; the state capital shares the City-County Building with Dane County.
Official links
- Madison official website
- Common Council
- Agendas, minutes and meeting video
- Dane County Board of Supervisors
- Madison Metropolitan School District
The bodies that decide things in Madison
| Body | What it decides | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Common Council | Ordinances, the city budget, zoning changes, contracts, police and fire funding | Official page |
| Dane County Board of Supervisors | County budget, sheriff and jail, public health, elections administration, county roads | County website |
| Madison Metropolitan School District board | School budget, boundaries, calendar, curriculum adoption, superintendent | District website |
| Madison Plan Commission | Rezonings, site plans, variances and long-range land use recommendations | City website |
Questions people ask about Madison government
When does the Madison Common Council meet?
Regular meetings Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the City-County Building Always confirm the date and location on the official agenda before you attend, because meetings can be cancelled, moved or continued.
How do I contact Madison city government?
The main information line is 608-266-4071 (Common Council Office). City Hall is at City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Madison, WI 53703, and the official website is https://www.cityofmadison.com.
How do I speak at a Madison public meeting?
Find the agenda for the meeting, check the sign-up deadline (many cities close the list before the meeting starts), prepare remarks for the posted time limit — usually two or three minutes — and state your name, your district and your specific ask.
No debates for Madison yet. If something is on the council agenda — a rezoning, a fee increase, a transit change — open the first debate and invite both sides.
Start here if you are new to this
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