People’s Maps Commission: Shares refined draft voting maps for public input

“The Commission has worked hard to update our preliminary maps, taking into account the input we’ve received since their initial release. We especially worked to ensure communities of interest weren’t split while ensuring that candidates of choice for minority populations get a fair shot,” said PMC Chair Christopher Ford. “We trust that our transparent and deliberate process will more clearly reflect the communities where Wisconsinites live, work, and vote.”  

Over the course of the last year, the nine PMC commissioners, representing Wisconsin’s eight congressional districts, have hosted multiple public hearings to ensure Wisconsinites were an integral part of the map drawing process.

Last month, on September 30, 2021, the Commission released a first, preliminary round of draft maps for public review and consideration. The updated preliminary maps released today incorporate feedback that the Commission received and consolidate the nine preliminary drafts into the seven released today. The Commission eliminated one of its previously released Congressional maps, and is releasing a fourth Congressional map for public input. Congressional Draft 4 responds to public input desiring more competitive Congressional districts, while respecting the Commission’s other criteria.

All preliminary maps and updated maps released today were drawn according to the Commission’s criteria, including best efforts to not split the communities of interest submitted by residents in each particular region of the state. 

Based on feedback received regarding preliminary maps released last month, the Commission is also providing additional information regarding how updated maps released today affect minority communities.

The Commission’s newest Assembly maps, labeled Refined Assembly 1 and Refined Assembly 2, each has nine districts in the Milwaukee area with majority-minority (non-white) voting age populations. Of those, both Refined Assembly 1 and Refined Assembly 2 have seven districts with substantial Black voting age populations, ensuring that in each the Black community’s candidate of choice is electable. There are also two districts in each plan with substantial Hispanic voting age populations, likewise allowing the Hispanic community to elect its candidates of choice. Each plan also has a tenth majority-minority district in the Racine area when considering population of all ages.

In the corresponding Senate maps, Refined Senate 1 and Refined Senate 2, each has two districts with substantial Black voting age populations, ensuring that the Black voting age population candidates of choice are electable. Refined Senate 1 includes two majority-minority districts and Refined Senate 2 has three majority-minority districts.  

Latest series of maps includes:  

The Commission will incorporate incoming feedback and plans to release final maps in early November.