- Two consultants have been hired to analyze Wisconsin's new legal boundaries after the state Supreme Court invalidated an existing map drawn by Republicans.
- Wisconsin is among more than a dozen states facing map redistricting challenges after the 2020 U.S. Census.
- The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled last month that the current congressional map is unconstitutional and asked the Legislature to pass a new map.
Under terms of a contract made public Thursday, two consultants hired to analyze Wisconsin's new legal boundaries after the state Supreme Court threw out the current map drawn by Republicans. Each would have to pay up to $100,000 in taxes.
Each consultant will be paid $450 an hour, up to a total of $100,000, but the contract says the state court commissioner has the authority to exceed the maximum amount if he deems it necessary.
Wisconsin is one of more than a dozen states currently working on redistricting maps that were redrawn after the release of the 2020 U.S. Census and applied for the first time to the 2022 election. A court challenge could result in new U.S. House and state legislative maps being drawn before the November election.
Wisconsin Supreme Court throws out Republican-drawn legislative map and orders new voting boundaries
In Wisconsin, a court ruled last month that the current congressional map is unconstitutional because many districts are not contiguous. The court ordered that either the Legislature pass a new map, which Democratic Gov. Tony Evers intends to sign, or that the court move forward with adopting its own map.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court hears arguments from Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Anthony D. Russomanno on behalf of Governor Tony Evers during redistricting hearings at the State Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin, on November 21, 2023. listening to. Two consultants were hired for the analysis. The new legal boundaries were drawn after the state Supreme Court invalidated an existing map drawn by Republicans. (Lucy Hauge/Capital Times, via AP, Pool, File)
Consultants were hired to analyze maps submitted to the court by Congress, Evers and others and report on their findings.
The consultants have the authority to recommend changes to submitted maps, create their own maps, and have worked on redistricting in other states.
Jonathan Servas of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh redrawn the New York State Assembly and State Senate maps after a court invalidated the maps adopted by the Democratic-led Legislature. Bernard Grofman of the University of California, Irvine, helped overhaul Virginia's federal and state legislative districts after a bipartisan commission stalled.
Conservative justices also opposed the hiring of consultants, arguing that the legal authority and responsibility for selecting and appointing consultants all raised serious questions.
Wisconsin passes redistricting reform plan; Gov. Evers calls it 'phony'
Litigants have until January 12 to submit maps, with supporting arguments due 10 days later. The consultant's report will be submitted by February 1st, with responses expected one week later. That means the court will likely issue new maps in late February or early March unless Congress acts first.
The State Board of Elections said maps must be in place by March 15 if new districts are to be used in the November election.
Republican lawmakers asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court last week to suspend and reconsider a 4-3 decision that threw out the Republican-drawn map. Thursday was the deadline for litigants to file arguments.
It is unlikely that the court will overturn the decision. A majority of four liberal justices voted in favor of ordering the new maps, while three conservative justices dissented.
Congressional maps drawn by Congress in 2011 solidify the Republican majority, with a current supermajority of 64-35 in the House and 22-11 in the Senate.
