Here's something that might surprise you. Across Wisconsin, fifty-six counties and dozens of municipalities have passed resolutions calling for nonpartisan redistricting. Thirty-two counties have put it to a countywide vote — and voters approved it by overwhelming margins every single time.

This isn't a close call. This isn't a partisan issue — at least not for the voters. Across the political spectrum, the people of Wisconsin have said: take the politics out of drawing our maps.

And yet, for over a decade, the legislature did nothing. The resolutions sat in a drawer. The people in power chose not to listen.

The one reform that would make them accountable is the one reform they refused to pass — because they don't have to.

But right now, there's a chance to break that cycle. On April 14th, the legislature convenes a special session on redistricting reform. Fifty-six counties have already said what they want. Call your representative and remind them.

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Overwhelming bipartisan support: Since 2013, 56 of Wisconsin's 72 counties have passed board resolutions calling for nonpartisan redistricting. Five additional municipalities in 3 other counties have done the same. Thirty-two counties and 21 municipalities have put the question to a countywide vote — and voters approved it by overwhelming margins every single time, in communities across the political spectrum. (Fair Maps Coalition History)

21 reform bills — zero floor votes. From 2009 to 2022, twenty-one bills or resolutions were introduced in the Wisconsin Legislature to create a nonpartisan redistricting process. None received an up-or-down vote on the floor of either chamber. (Fair Maps Coalition: Bills & Resolutions 2009-2022)

The Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition is a statewide coalition of dozens of organizations and thousands of volunteers. Member organizations include Common Cause, Law Forward, League of Women Voters, RepresentUs Wisconsin, All Voting is Local, and others. The coalition formed in 2017 after the federal court ruled Wisconsin's maps unconstitutional in Gill v. Whitford. (fairmapswi.com; About the Coalition)

What they're proposing: An independent, nonpartisan commission that draws district lines for state and federal office, then presents the maps to the legislature for an up-or-down vote — no amendments. This is the model used in several other states. (Wisconsin Farmers Union / Fair Maps)

The 2024 victory — and the unfinished work. Governor Evers signed new state legislative maps in February 2024 after the Supreme Court struck down the old ones. The 2024 elections showed immediate results: 14 seats flipped and both parties had to compete. But without a permanent change to the redistricting process, whoever controls the legislature and governor's office after 2030 will draw the next set of maps. The coalition's goal is to have an independent commission in place before then. (fairmapswi.com)

The coalition held public meetings across Wisconsin in summer 2025 — in North Shore, Dodgeville, Green Bay, Wausau, Waukesha, and Madison — to build support for independent redistricting commission legislation. (InfluenceWatch)

The April 2026 special session — a potential breakthrough. Governor Evers called the legislature into special session on April 14, 2026 to consider a constitutional amendment banning partisan gerrymandering. In a significant departure from past practice, Republicans did not immediately gavel the session shut — unlike every previous Evers special session. GOP leadership indicated willingness to negotiate, and conversations between Evers and Republican legislators continued after April 14. The session remains technically open. Whether this leads to action before the legislature adjourns remains to be seen, but the fact that the session stayed open signals a potential shift. (WPR; Wisconsin Examiner; Wisconsin Independent; Wikipedia)

Get involved: Contact the Fair Maps Coalition at fairmapswi.com or Carlene at carlene@fairmapswi.com / 608-513-7655. (Wisconsin Democracy Campaign redistricting resources)

General gerrymandering resources: See CM-5 for links to PlanScore, Princeton Gerrymandering Project, MIT Election Data + Science Lab, Brennan Center, and Dave's Redistricting App.

Related Civic Minute segments: What Gerrymandering Is (CM-7), Competition (CM-8), The Next Ten Years Are on the Ballot (CM-20)