MADISON — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has told Republican lawmakers to start over on their redistricting plans, saying they must “do better” if they expect him to sign the proposals that would solidify the majorities already in place.
According to Evers, the GOP’s plan would further solidify gerrymandered maps, which redraws electoral districts in order to disproportionately favor one political party.
“We’ve seen time after time how Republicans have tried abusing their power to cheat and pre-determine our elections, and they’re doing it again now. It's unconscionable and insulting to the people of this state, frankly, that Republicans think they can pass another set of gerrymandered maps modeled after the same gerrymandered ones we’ve had for a decade,” Evers said.
The GOP-proposed maps are largely based on the current lines drawn by Republicans a decade ago, districts that Democrats have assailed as unconstitutionally gerrymandered.
Republicans unveiled their legislative and congressional maps on Wednesday and scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 28 before voting on them in early November. Evers, a Democrat, would have to sign the bills to make the maps law, but he was clear Thursday that won't happen with the current proposals.
In 2020, Evers created the People's Maps Commission, stated to be a nonpartisan commission for the redistricting process. Evers has called upon Republicans in the legislature to delay public hearings on the redistricting, set to begin on October 28, until the Commission has completed its maps.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
