The issue of state redistricting reform presents itself every 10 years as State Senate and Assembly Districts are redrawn following the latest census. The Wisconsin Constitution mandates that Legislative districts are redrawn according to the number of inhabitants. This process is, and always has been, overseen by the majority party at the time, meaning that Wisconsin Republicans redrew the most recent districts in 2010. The issue, however, is that as Wisconsin becomes more politically divided, so do the districts.
Recently proposed bipartisan legislation from senators Dale Schultz, R-Richland, and Tim Cullen, D-Janesville, would put district maps into the hands of the Legislative Reference Bureau, a nonpartisan service agency. Senate Bill 163, which was proposed during the current session by Schultz and Cullen and will probably not make it out of committee, would also establish a Redistricting Advisory Commission.
Earlier this year, UW-Madison political science professor David Canon testified at a public meeting for the bill. The College Democrats spoke with Professor Canon about the benefits of redistricting reform. While there are several different methods of nonpartisan redistricting utilized across the United States, Canon believes the “Iowa Model” is best; nonpartisan staff draws lines based solely on numbers and not political data, a system that is unique to Iowa. This model effectively “takes politics out of redistricting,” says Canon, and results in more even, compact districts. The United States Constitution requires districts to be drawn to be compact and contiguous, have equal numbers of constituents, and allow for fair competition.
While gerrymandering may be mutually beneficial — both Democrat Mark Pocan and Republican Paul Ryan have benefited from increasingly safe congressional districts — partisan redistricting is hurting Wisconsin. Every 10 years, millions of dollars in taxpayers’ money is spent on court cases against unfairly drawn districts. Why would fiscal conservatives not jump at the chance to save the taxpayers of Wisconsin this unnecessary expense? Many Republicans argue against redistricting reform because this is just the way “it always has been.” However, it may be more accurate to say that state Republicans believe they will still be in power in 2020, the next time districts are to be redrawn. The next census is still several years away, which, according to Professor Canon, is “exactly the reason to do it [reform] now.” However, the issue, says Canon, is that “both parties think they could be in power” in 2020. Republicans currently oppose reform because they believe they will still hold the majority, but, says Canon, “never in the history of Wisconsin has one party controlled state government for that long.”
We do not know what our state Legislature will look like in the next 10, 20 or 100 years. It is our representatives’ duty to change Wisconsin now to make for a fairer future. No more closed doors, secret maps and expensive lawsuits. No more districts that don’t allow for competitive races or fair representation. Redistricting reform overcomes partisan boundaries so that all Wisconsinites may move forward, together.
