(MADISON) – Wisconsin Senate District 16, created by the State’s new, fair maps, has a new State Senator: Melissa Ratcliff was sworn into office on January 6, 2025. She is one of six new Democratic Senators elected to the State’s upper chamber in November.
“We have work to do in the Legislature this session and I am eager to roll up my sleeves and get started,” Senator Ratcliff said. “Many families in District 16 are struggling with high costs for groceries, childcare, and housing. Residents, especially in rural areas, do not have necessary access to high-speed internet. Public schools and our UW System deserve more support. I look forward to this year’s budget deliberations and working with my colleagues from both parties to make progress on the issues that matter most to Wisconsinites.”
Wisconsin Senate District 16 now includes Stoughton, Fitchburg, Fort Atkinson, Cambridge, Lake Mills, Waterloo, Marshall, Sun Prairie, Deerfield, several wards in Madison, a portion of McFarland, and Cottage Grove.
Senator Ratcliff’s committee assignments reflect the breadth and depth of her experience with key issues:
- Senate Committee on Utilities and Tourism (Ranking Democratic member)
- Joint Legislative Audit Committee
- Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules
- Joint Committee on Information Policy and Technology (Ranking Democratic member)
- Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems
Having served on the Cottage Grove Village Board, Dane County Board, the Wisconsin Assembly and now in the Senate, Ratcliff understands firsthand how important cooperative efforts are. “My focus will always be on how to work together to get things done for the people we serve,” Senator Ratcliff said. “I will always stand up for our shared values including defending reproductive rights and reducing gun violence. And, I will always have an open door when there are opportunities to find common ground.”
