Politics
Final maps by nonpartisan commission, narrows Wisconsin GOP majorities
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The final version of new political maps drawn up by a redistricting commission established by Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers would narrow — yet still maintain — Republican legislative and congressional majorities in the state, Evers said Tuesday.
The People’s Maps Commission proposal for the once-in-a-decade job of redistricting look nothing like the guidelines approved last month by the Republican-controlled Legislature. The GOP plan would keep the boundaries nearly identical to the ones that have given Republicans strong majorities in both chambers.
“Wisconsinites won’t stand for gerrymandering 2.0 and neither will I, so I want to be clear today if the Republican maps come to my desk as they are currently drafted I will veto them,” Evers said. “It’s just as simple as that.”
According to a Princeton Gerrymandering Project analysis using past election results, the maps commission’s Assembly boundaries would create 42 GOP-leaning districts and 39 Democratic-leaning districts.
Eighteen districts would be considered competitive, with seven leaning Republican and 11 leaning Democrat. In the Senate, 12 districts would lean Democrat, 14 would lean Republican and seven would be competitive, with four leaning Democrat and three leaning Republican.
GOP-drawn maps for the Assembly would create 51 GOP-leaning districts, 35 Democratic-leaning districts and 13 competitive districts, with eight of those leaning Republican and five leaning Democrat. In the Senate, 15 districts would lean Republican, 10 would lean Democratic and eight would be considered competitive, with all but one of those leaning Republican, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
Evers said he may call the Legislature into a special session to take up the commission’s proposed maps, an idea that has not been entertained by Republicans. The GOP has filed a lawsuit in the conservative-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court and Democrats have sued in federal court.
Republican leaders have criticized the commission and some have called it unconstitutional.
The People’s Maps Commission Report is available here and outlines the full process, guidelines, and standards the Commission followed in developing the maps and provides a statistical breakdown for each map compared with existing maps enacted in 2011. The Commission’s final maps that were presented to the governor and Legislature today are available below.
Corresponding legislation to enact The People’s Maps also being introduced today is available below:
Final maps and additional information are available on the People’s Maps Commission website at: Wisconsin.gov/peoplesmaps.