34th Wisconsin Legislature

The Thirty-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 12, 1881, to April 4, 1881, in regular session.

This was the first legislative session after the 1880 United States census, and—as prescribed by the Wisconsin Constitution—this legislature attempted to pass a redistricting law. For the first time, the Legislature failed in this task due to a technical problem with the proposed legislation—they forgot to include the town of Ridgeway, in Iowa County. The Governor vetoed the legislation due to this technical fault. Since the Legislature had already adjourned for the year, it was considered too late to complete redistricting before the 1881 election.

Senators representing odd-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first year of a two-year term. Assembly members were elected to a one-year term. Assembly members and odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 2, 1880. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the second year of their two-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 4, 1879.