MADISON, Wis. — Today, the Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case that challenges Wisconsin’s gerrymandered state legislative maps, and seeks to ensure through fair maps that every vote holds equal weight, and politicians can be properly held accountable at the ballot box.
“We are appreciative of the new court majority’s willingness to listen to the people of Wisconsin in a case where our rights and freedoms are at stake,” said Chris Walloch, executive director of A Better Wisconsin Together.
Legal experts agree that Wisconsin’s current Republican-drawn legislative maps are some of the most gerrymandered maps in the nation. According to Walloch, this has led to real and tangible harm done to Wisconsinites.
“Wisconsin’s 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.
Public polling shows that 68% of Wisconsinites support safe and legal abortion access, 81% 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.
“Voters should pick our leaders, not the other way around,” said Walloch. “We deserve maps that accurately represent our diverse communities, and to know that all of our voices hold equal weight in our elections.”
