Senate, Assembly approve legislative maps proposed by Gov. Evers

MADISON, Wis. (Civic Media) – Both houses of the Wisconsin Legislature voted to approve legislative maps proposed by Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday.

The state Senate voted 18-14 to approve the redistricting maps, while the Assembly voted 63-33 in concurrence.

Senate Bill 488 amends the process in drawing legislative maps and would adopt maps that Evers previously drew up.

Evers previously said he would sign the maps into law if they were sent to his desk without any changes.

No lobbying groups publicly supported the legislation, with six registering in opposition.

The bill narrowly passed in the Senate, just barely eclipsing the 17-vote threshold needed to move on to the Assembly. One Democrat, Sen. Robert Wirch, joined 17 Republicans in passing the bill. Five Republicans voted against it.

The bill easily cleared the Republican-held Assembly.

“There was no public hearing or public comment on what is before us today,” Sen. Melissa Agard said in a statement. “It is clear that Senate Republicans are afraid or unwilling to listen to the people’s voice on the critical issue of legislative maps.”

The new maps would place six incumbent state senators and 15 representatives in the Assembly in the same district ahead of this fall’s partisan elections.

Adoption of the new maps into law would bypass ongoing legislation in the state Supreme Court, where redistricting consultants rejected Republican maps as ‘partisan gerrymanders.’

The Wisconsin Elections Commission said that the new maps need to be in place by March 15 so candidates can begin filing their nomination paperwork.

If approved, the new maps wouldn’t take effect until November, not affecting any special elections before then.

You can see or download the new legislative maps approved by lawmakers on Tuesday below.