Evers vetoes legislative maps bill passed by Republicans

MADISON, Wis. (Civic Media) – Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is vetoing the legislative maps bill, 2023 A.B. 415, according to an announcement by the Governor on Tuesday.

Legislative Republicans passed the bill along party lines last week.

Evers, who had previously promised to veto the bill, re-stated that he had promised fair maps for Wisconsin, saying last week that “moving legislative district lines so GOP-gerrymandered incumbents get to keep their seats is just more gerrymandering.”

“Allowing politicians to move district lines so their party can retain political power doesn’t help root out gerrymandering from our democracy; it further entrenches it. That’s wrong,” Evers said in a post on social media. “I remain as hopeful as ever that Wisconsinites will soon have the fair maps they deserve.”

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will draw new maps if the legislature and governor can’t come to an agreement by Feb. 1.

Democratic State Sen. Dianne Hesselbein said that Evers “continues to do the right thing.”

“These maps were gerrymandered by Republicans in a last ditch effort to protect their incumbents,” Hesselbein said on social media. “Wisconsinites want fair maps, not political games.”

“Thank you, Gov. Evers, for making sure fair maps are the priority in Wisconsin,” Congressman Mark Pocan wrote on social media Tuesday.

Wisconsin Assembly Republicans posted that Evers “vetoed his own maps,” writing that he “never wanted fair maps, simple as that.”

JUST NOW: Governor Evers vetoes his own maps! If they are gerrymandered, then why did you draw them that way in the first place??

Governor Evers never wanted fair maps, simple as that. https://t.co/0JRwqW8ABn

— Wisconsin Assembly GOP (@WIAssemblyGOP) January 30, 2024