Ward (electoral subdivision)

A ward is a local government area, mostly used for elections.

In some countries, wards are given names. It is common in the United States for wards to simply be numbered. In Ireland they are called electoral divisions. In Australia, some local government areas (LGAs) have wards; some of them are numbered and others have names. Most Australian wards elect multiple members, but some (such as those of the Brisbane City Council) elect only one member per ward.

The word "ward" seems have first been used in the City of London in the the 11th century. There are now 25 wards there, all very small.^[1]

1. ↑ London 800-1216: The Shaping of a City, Brook and Keir Ch 7