Fair Maps!
Good news! Some of you may remember the old billboard that the St. Croix County Democrats displayed more than 2 years ago. It read, Slay the Gerrymander! And that is indeed what is happening. In December, the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the Republican-drawn legislative maps. Yay! Here’s an update:
The consultants hired by the Wisconsin Supreme Court to review the Wisconsin maps submitted through the legal process have determined that the current maps in place by the Wisconsin GOP are indeed gerrymandered. In a last- ditch effort the Wisconsin GOP Legislature tried some monkey business and submitted a bill regarding the redistricting process. In summary, the Bill was vetoed by Governor Evers leaving the Supreme Court to make the final decision on the legislative maps. This process has confirmed what we as Wisconsinites already knew, the deep gerrymandering is happening in our state. Soon (between February 9 and March 15) the final map will be determined that will actually represent a true Wisconsin.
Here's a chronology of the fair maps issue:
GOP gerrymandered maps from 2011 and 2022
August 2023: Complaint filed and the Wisconsin Supreme Court to hear gerrymandering case
September 2023: Legislative GOP drafts AB415 redistricting plan in private
December 2023: The Supreme Court determined that maps are unconstitutional and asked for new maps to be submitted. The Court found that the current Wisconsin legislative district maps are unconstitutional based on the contiguity requirement in the Wisconsin State Constitution ( Article IV, Sections 4 and 5). At least 50 of 99 Assembly districts and at least 20 of 33 Senate districts violate this mandate, the maps are unconstitutional. This affects the legislative maps (Assembly and Senate) not congressional maps at this time (soon come!).
Late December 2023: The Wisconsin Supreme Court hired consultants Dr. Bernard Grofman and Dr. Jonathan Cervas to review six submitted maps including the current legislative maps. Maps will be reviewed with the following criteria; 1) Population Equality, 2) Political Subdivision Splits, 3) Continuity, 4)Compactness, 5)Federal law Compliance, 6)Community Consideration, and 7) Political Neutrality.
January 30, 2024: Governor Evers vetoed the amended AB415. Evers commented in his veto video address, "Wisconsinites don’t want Republican or Democrat maps because Wisconsin isn’t a red or blue state—we’re a purple state, and our maps should reflect that basic fact."
February 2, 2024: Consultants determine GOP legislative and the Johnson drawn maps are indeed gerrymandered. Determines the other forms of maps (4) submitted meet the requirements of a fair map.
Next step: Wisconsin Supreme Court to either request a new map submitted by consultants, improve one or more maps or to accept one of the other fair maps submitted.
Final map resolution to occur between February 8 and March 15th.
Stay tuned!