APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Wisconsin’s State Assembly will be voting today on redistricting maps. But, not everyone supports the maps proposed.
With pen and paper in hand, people came together to write postcards to legislators, demanding fair maps for the next ten years. The Outagamie Fair Maps team hosted a “Postcards from the People” event at Appleton North Wednesday night.
“The maps that were formed in 2011 were formed on partisan data, and not census demographic data as they should be. We want to make sure that same type of gerrymandered map is not enacted again,” said Debra Cronmiller, the Executive Director for the League of Women Voters, Wisconsin chapter.
Wisconsin’s GOP controlled-senate has already passed maps drawn by its party leaders. It will move to the state’s representatives on today. The maps will likely have strong support from Republicans, like state representative Elijah Behnke of Oconto, who spoke with FOX 11 last week.
“This is a very large project, and I think you know the maps the Republican legislatures put forward are something we can be proud of.”
However, Gov. Tony Evers has already said he will veto the GOP maps when they get to his desk. The governor created his own task force to re-draw maps.
Anthony Phillips was part of the Peoples’ Maps Commission, representing the 8th congressional district.
“They split less counties, they split less cities and as a result they are more proportional, more competitive, they have more swing districts, so votes count more.”
If Evers issues a veto, Wisconsin’s next set of legislature and congressional maps will ultimately be decided by the courts.
“It’s really up to the court to decide if we can’t get a congruent map between the governor’s office and the legislature,” said Behnke.
“There’s no reason that the Supreme Court would need to enact any of the maps we’ve seen today,” said Cronmiller. “That would be in my estimation the best outcome is truly trying to incorporate what are all the opinions of all who are trying to have their voice heard.”
There are already two pending lawsuits over gerrymandering in Wisconsin: one in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, the other in federal court.
