The state Assembly will vote Tuesday on a resolution backing a policy to “retain as much as possible the core of existing districts.”
The Rules Committee added the resolution to the Assembly calendar one day after the state Supreme Court agreed to take original jurisdiction in a redistricting suit.
The conservative voters who filed the suit argued that the Supreme Court should make “the least number of changes to the existing maps as are necessary to meet” various requirements if the Legislature and guv are unable to reach an agreement.
One line in the Assembly Joint resolution states the new seats should, “Retain as much as possible the core of existing districts, thus maintaining existing communities of interest, and promoting the equal opportunity to vote by minimizing disenfranchisement due to staggered Senate terms.”
The resolution, authored by Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, would declare “the public policy of this state” in establishing legislative districts. The other principles include:
*complying with federal and state law;
*creating districts that are nearly equal in population, compact and contiguous;
*maintaining whole communities of interest where practicable and avoiding municipal splits if possible;
*avoiding the pairing of incumbents unless necessary;
*following natural boundaries where practicable.
Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, said the resolution sends a message that Republicans’ goal is to keep in place the gerrymandered maps they created a decade ago. He noted in 2011, Republicans dramatically reworked existing districts, arguing it was needed to reflect population changes.
“Let me be clear: If Wisconsin’s new maps have any connection to Wisconsin’s current gerrymandered maps, the will of the people will continue to be ignored by legislative Republicans for another decade to come,” Hintz said.
See the resolution:
https://www.wispolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/210923Resolution.pdf
See the final calendar:
https://www.wispolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/210923Final.pdf
