Fair Voting Maps, Voting Rights and Democracy Itself are At Stake in 2024
As we draw near to the end of an eventful and tumultuous 2023 in Wisconsin, it's worthwhile taking a moment to look back and review some of the significant events that occurred this year in the ongoing battle for democracy and representative state government.
Wisconsin Voters Day in Court Begins Tuesday, November 21st
After more than a dozen years of pushback and struggle, the proponents of fair voting maps and ending partisan gerrymandering of state legislative districts in Wisconsin will finally get their day in court before the newly constituted Wisconsin Supreme Court.
The bill lacks safeguards to prevent partisan manipulation.
On Thursday evening, September 14th, less than 48 hours after unveiling a massive, comprehensive overhaul plan for redistricting of Wisconsin’s state legislative districts, majority Assembly Republicans passed their legislation – Assembly Bill 415. The bill was drafted entirely in secret, with no consultation or input from Democrats or public interest groups who have long advocated for redistricting reform.
Ten years ago this July, Wisconsin experienced the most partisan, secretive, costly (to taxpayers) and voter-unfriendly redistricting process of its state legislative and congressional districts in history. It was also the most hyper partisan gerrymander of voting maps of any state in the nation in 2011.
There are some elections which prove to be more important than others in the operation of our democracy. One such election is this November. This importance will require voters truly concerned about the health of our nation's democracy to put the current state of hyper-partisanship, and too often single issue voting, aside and do some broader candidate analysis.
