Governor Evers Signs New Legislative Maps

Tuesday, February 20th, 2024 -- 12:00 PM

(Rich Kremer, Wisconsin Public Radio) Gov. Tony Evers has signed new legislative maps into law, potentially loosening the GOP grip on power in Wisconsin state government for the first time in well over a decade.

According to Rich Kremer with Wisconsin Public Radio, Evers’ signature effectively ends a years-long fight by Democrats to rebalance the political playing field in Wisconsin, where Republican-drawn maps have cemented lopsided GOP majorities in a state that otherwise has a penchant for close elections.

It also likely ends the months-long redistricting lawsuit before the Wisconsin Supreme Court that teed up these maps. The court’s new 4-3 liberal majority struck down the current district lines in December and was laying the groundwork to draw new maps if Evers and the Legislature couldn’t do it first.

Surprisingly, they did. The new maps passed by the Legislature and signed by Evers are identical to those the governor submitted to the court as one of six options to replace the Republican-drawn districts.

Redistricting experts hired by the court’s liberal majority say the governor’s maps have a slight Republican tilt but are competitive enough that “the party that wins the most votes will win the most seats” in the state Legislature.

In a social media post, Evers said, “When i promised I wanted fair maps, not maps that are better for one party or another, I damn well meant it. The people should get to choose their elected officials, not the other way around,” Evers said. “And under the maps I’m signing today, I am making good on that promise.”

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