MADISON – In the final Assembly floor session before the holiday recess, Representatives took up two bills relating to the outcomes of the 2020 census results and statewide redistricting. The bills proposed, AB 624, legislative redistricting, and AB 625, congressional redistricting, have been drafted by Republican Assembly and Senate leadership in closed-door conversations intended to further entrench unjust partisan districts that deepen voter disenfranchisement. Rep. Shelton (D-Green Bay) released the following statement in response:
“Wisconsin Republicans are doubling down on their undemocratic, selfish attempts to avoid accountability and ignore the voices of Wisconsinites. Republican leaders, Representative Vos and Senator LeMahieu, have proposed deeply problematic, unfair maps that, if you can believe it, are actually even worse than the 2011 maps. Despite having not a single public voice in support of their bill in the public hearing on October 28th, Republicans today once again decided that the overwhelming public support of fair maps did not overrule their unwavering commitment to rigged maps.
“The message from my constituents in the 90th Assembly District has been crystal clear: people want fair maps that honor our communities and uphold our democracy. The people of Wisconsin have continuously requested this as well. My Assembly Republican colleagues responded with a message as well: their maintenance of power is more important than the voices of the people.
“Wisconsin is a purple, battleground, often 50-50 state. The people of our state deserve maps that look like this – not firmly partisan districts that protect legislators from losing their seat due to incompetence. Fair maps reinforce one of the many core values of democracy that we all champion: that elected officials come to state and federal offices to represent the voices and interests of their constituents.”
