MADISON, Wis. — In a positive step on the path to fair legislative maps in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has officially decided it will take up a case that challenges the current partisan gerrymander and seeks to ensure every Wisconsinite’s voice holds equal weight in our elections, and that politicians can no longer carve up our communities for their own political gain.
According to A Better Wisconsin Together Executive Director Chris Walloch, the progressive court majority’s decision to hear a case is a win for fair elections and the will of the people.
“Wisconsinites deserve maps that accurately represent our diverse communities, and to know that all of our voices hold equal weight in our elections,” said Walloch. “By deciding to take up this case, the Wisconsin Supreme Court is doing what the public elected them to do – hear cases where the rights and freedoms of Wisconsinites are at stake.”
According to an analysis from legal experts at UW-Madison, Wisconsin’s current Republican-drawn legislative maps are some of the most gerrymandered maps in the nation.
“Voters should pick our leaders, not the other way around,” Walloch continued. “Wisconsin’s current maps do not reflect that, and were drawn up by right-wing politicians in a way that only benefits their own political agenda. This means that Wisconsin’s partisan gerrymander is causing real and tangible harm to our communities.”
Public polling shows that 68% of Wisconsinites support safe and legal abortion access, 85% support common sense gun safety laws, and 64% support marijuana legalization – but the Republican-controlled legislature has blocked action on these popular policies at every turn, thanks to the partisan maps they rigged for themselves.
Further polling also shows that a majority (87%) of Wisconsinites oppose gerrymandering and want to see a change.
“The current maps reflect a long history of partisan map drawing that enables right-wing politicians to rig the rules for their own benefit, while the issues Wisconsin voters care about have gone unaddressed,” said Walloch. “We are appreciative of the court’s willingness to give fair maps a fair shot in Wisconsin.”
