Wisconsin's New Legislative Boundaries Creating a Shakeup Within the Two Chambers

Friday, March 1st, 2024 -- 11:00 AM

(Molly Beck, Jessie Opoien, Andrew Hahn, and Eva Wen, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Redrawing Wisconsin's legislative boundaries is creating a shakeup within the two chambers of the state Legislature, with a slate of lawmakers choosing to retire or run in new districts to avoid competing against fellow incumbents.

According to Molly Beck, Jessie Opoien, Andrew Hahn, and Eva Wen with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, an analysis by the paper also shows a handful of Republican lawmakers will face more Democratic voters in their new districts as a result of the new maps, including a leader of the most powerful committee in the state Legislature, a coveted position.

The reshuffle comes after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed into law new legislative maps after Republican lawmakers agreed to pass them as a last resort to avoid having the liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court write new legislative boundaries.

At the same time, the new district boundaries have pushed some Republican incumbents who are now paired together in one district to move their residences. Republican incumbents would be paired in 15 districts while Democrats are paired in two districts, according to an analysis by the Journal Sentinel.

Four districts feature a Democratic and Republican incumbent pairing. In the Senate, 13 incumbents paired together. In the Assembly, there are 30 Democratic and Republican incumbents grouped in the same district.

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