Wisconsin’s current legislative maps have two lawsuits against them pending before our state supreme court. Adding to the map intrigue, this week several Republicans introduced a bill they claim is a completely nonpartisan way to redraw the maps. The bill is modeled after what Iowa has done for years. Under the bill, Republicans and Democrats have equal representation on a board that reviews every legislative district drawn by the non-partisan Legislative Reference Bureau. Maps will be drawn to keep communities together without regard to current representation or historical voting patterns.
Legislative maps really do matter, and our constitution requires the legislature approve new maps. If this is truly a nonpartisan approach, which it appears to be, this is a great opportunity for the legislature to settle the map matter and keep the supreme court out of it.
