Democrats poised to challenge legislative maps once Supreme Court control flips in August
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- On the heels of Janet Protasiewicz's decisive victory in the race for Wisconsin's Supreme Court seat, proponents of fair voting maps are already planning for legal challenges.
Protasiewicz will be seated on the court August 1st, and a legal challenge to the maps is expected to follow.
It's not a matter of if gerrymandering will go before the next court, but when.
Advocates say Tuesday night's Supreme Court race was a win for all Wisconsinites.
Carlene Becher, the Organizing Director for the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, said, "What we're talking about is not a Democratic or Republican map. We're talking about a fair map."
For years, grassroots groups, high-powered legal teams, and democratic lawmakers have called for new legislative maps in Wisconsin. Change could be one court case away once the state supreme court flips to a 4-3 liberal majority.
Ben Wikler, the Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said, "They want a set of legislative maps that allow people to choose whether they're represented by a Democrat or a Republican, that create an even playing field."
But a legal win would be a short-term fix. A long-term solution would come from lawmakers.
A group of attorneys at Law Forward has challenged the maps in the past. They're expected to lead the way on the next challenge.
Executive Director Nicole Safar issued a statement Wednesday after Protasiewicz's win that read in part "the opportunity to repair the damage that has been done and start the work of building a functioning multi-racial democracy that includes all of us is possible."
Becher said, "One that is more responsive and accountable to the voters of the district."
Joe Biden won Wisconsin in 2020. Tony Evers won re-election in 2022 by a larger margin than his 2018 win. And Protasiewicz won Tuesday by 12 points.
Yet Republicans currently hold 65% of the seats in the state legislature.
Becher said, "The maps, as they exist right now in our state, are not reflective or representative of the residents and voters of the state."
Wikler said that means "You get a set of policies that don't reflect what the public wants. That is a broken Democracy."
Republicans say their advantage is due to the quality of their candidates.
But several independent studies rank Wisconsin as one of the most gerrymandered states in the country.
Princeton's Redistricting Report Card graded the current map an "F". The map proposed by Governor Evers' last year that was tossed out by the US Supreme Court was given an "A" grade.
Wikler says Democrats don't want gerrymandered maps in their favor, either. He cited 2008, when Democrats first won control of both chambers, then Republicans won them back in 2010. "That is fine, that's how it's supposed to work. What we're talking about here is the basic principle: should the party that wins the most votes get the most seats?"
The Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition is calling for nonpartisan redistricting reform, in which a commission would hold hearings throughout the state to get input from voters.
Their plan would then be submitted to lawmakers for approval.
The state Democratic Party will not take part in any lawsuits over legislative maps; since the party contributed to Janet Protasiewicz's campaign, she has vowed to recuse herself from any case in which the party is involved.