A long-awaited redistricting report that recommends new maps expected to reshape the balance of power in the Wisconsin Legislature is scheduled to be filed Thursday in the state Supreme Court.
The political stakes are huge in the battleground state, where Republicans have held firm control of the Legislature since 2011, despite Democratic victories in statewide elections, including the 2018 and 2022 gubernatorial races. Four of the past six presidential winners in Wisconsin have been decided. Less than 1 point.
Based on maps first enacted by Republicans in 2011 and then re-enacted with minor changes in 2022, Republicans have tightened their grip on the Legislature, with major shifts by Gov. Tony Evers and Democratic lawmakers over the past five years. It has largely blocked policy initiatives.
Democrats turn to state courts as political ‘weapons’ amid 2024 gerrymander blitz: Expert
The victory of a liberal candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court last year, who claimed that the current Republican map was “rigged,” led to the conclusion that the map is unconstitutional because the districts are not contiguous, as required by law. This paved the way for the court’s December ruling.
The court ordered a new map to mark contiguous districts, but also said it should not give one political party an advantage over the other. Republicans have indicated they plan to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, alleging due process violations, but it’s unclear when that will happen.
The Wisconsin State Capitol Building in Madison, Wisconsin, December 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Molly Gash, File)
Consultants reviewed map proposals submitted by Mr. Evers and fellow Democrats, Republicans and academics that would reduce the Republican majority in the House, 64-35, and in the Senate, 22-10.
Thursday’s consultants could recommend adopting one of these proposals, a variation of them, or an entirely different map.
The final decision on which map to enact will rest with the Wisconsin Supreme Court, where liberals hold a 4-3 majority. The State Board of Elections said this must be completed by March 15 to meet the fall deadline for candidates to run.
Evers on Tuesday vetoed a last-ditch effort by Republicans to enact a new provision to circumvent the court’s map order. Republicans largely adopted Evers’ maps, but changed some lines to reduce the number of Republican incumbents they would have to run against in new districts.
Evers rejected the move, calling it another attempt by Republicans to gerrymander districts to their advantage.
Most of the new proposed maps would leave Republicans with a majority in Congress, but the gap would narrow significantly, judging by an analysis by Marquette University researchers.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is also being asked by Democrats to hear a challenge to the state’s congressional district lines. The lawsuit argues that the court’s decision to order new state legislative maps opens the door for challenges to the congressional maps. Republicans hold five of the eight seats in the state Legislature.
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The move in Wisconsin comes amid ongoing litigation in more than a dozen states over the U.S. House of Representatives and state legislative districts established after the 2020 census.
