Analysis Shows New Wisconsin Voting Maps Would Shrink Republican Majority, But Party Would Maintain Upper Hand

Tuesday, January 16th, 2024 -- 9:01 AM

(Rich Kremer, Wisconsin Public Radio) Republican majorities would shrink but the party would maintain an upper hand in the Wisconsin Legislature under new redistricting plans proposed by the Democratic voters who convinced the state Supreme Court to declare the state's Republican-drawn legislative maps unconstitutional.

According to Rich Kremer with Wisconsin Public Radio, seven sets of map proposals were submitted to the court Friday afternoon by parties to a redistricting lawsuit that has generated national attention.

In its Dec. 22 opinion, the Supreme Court's liberal majority said remedial maps must comply with the Wisconsin Constitution's requirements that voting districts be compact, include equal populations and have boundaries that physically connect.

That last requirement, known as contiguity, was the justification the court's 4-3 liberal majority used to strike down current Republican drawn maps. The majority said it would also consider "partisan impact" to measure political fairness of new maps, telling parties that it would take care to avoid picking new maps that favor one political party over another.

The proposals submitted Friday mark the beginning of the court's efforts to replace maps that have helped Republicans cement lopsided legislative majorities in a state that's otherwise known for close elections.

A brief filed by Democratic voters who brought the redistricting lawsuit claimed their proposed maps comply with all requirements, including political fairness. An analysis they submitted to the court by a George Washington University political science professor suggests Republicans would win 52 percent of seats in the state Assembly, which works out to a GOP majority of around 52 of 99 seats.

Republicans currently hold a 64-35 majority in the Assembly, leaving them just shy of a two-thirds supermajority. In the state Senate, petitioners said, Republicans would also likely get a 52 percent majority, which works out to around 17 out of 33 seats.

The GOP currently holds 22 seats, giving Republicans a supermajority.

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