A four-judge majority on the state Supreme Court in Wisconsin has ordered new maps for state legislative districts there after arguments that Republicans leading the redistricting process after the most recent census had pushed what amounted to gerrymandering that favored their side.
Gerrymandering refers to the creation of legislative district lines with generally contorted boundaries and often somewhat preconfigured outcomes. Republicans in past elections in Wisconsin have secured commanding majorities of state legislative seats that have flown far past their shares of statewide vote totals.
Reports from sources including The Associated Press and the voting rights organization Democracy Docket name issues raised by those challenging the maps that included the non-contiguous nature of some boundaries and past actions by a differently configured state Supreme Court to impose district maps despite a veto from the governor and the state legislature actually failing to override Democratic Governor Tony Evers’ decision against those very boundaries.
The challenged district lines were in place for last year’s elections after that state Supreme Court decision. A spot on the court has since been taken over by liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz, whose ascent following an election win earlier this year was very quickly followed by the filing of the challenge that resulted in the new decision. Despite GOP talk of potentially impeaching Protasiewicz after she openly spoke against the district boundaries before her win, that’s seemingly not actually happening in the still GOP-dominated Wisconsin state legislature.
The ruling will seemingly demand a sweeping reshuffling of the state’s maps as opposed to isolated patches, per early reports. There will be a quick turnaround, with state authorities running elections having previously cited a deadline of March 15 for new boundaries to use next year, when the state is also likely — based on precedent — to figure prominently in what could be another close race for president.
