So if multi-member districts with proportional representation are such a good idea, why don't we have them? Two reasons.

For Congress, there's a 1967 federal law that requires single-member districts. A bill called the Fair Representation Act has been introduced to repeal it. It would let states elect their representatives proportionally from larger, multi-member districts. That bill is in Congress right now.

For the Wisconsin state legislature, it's the state constitution. It requires single-member districts. Changing that means a constitutional amendment — passed by two consecutive legislatures, then approved by voters. Governor Evers called a special session on redistricting — and this time, the legislature didn't gavel it shut. That's a start — but if all we do is change who draws the lines, we're still stuck with a system where the lines decide everything.

Tell your legislators: don't just reform who draws the map. Reform the map itself. Learn more at fairvote dot org.

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The federal barrier: The Uniform Congressional District Act of 1967 (Public Law 90-196) requires single-member districts for U.S. House elections. This law must be repealed or amended before states can use multi-member districts for congressional races.

The Fair Representation Act (H.R. 4632), reintroduced in July 2025, would repeal the 1967 mandate and replace it with multi-member districts using proportional ranked-choice voting. States with 6+ representatives would use 3-5 member districts. (FairVote)

The state barrier in Wisconsin: The Wisconsin Constitution requires single-member Assembly districts. Changing this requires a constitutional amendment — passed by two consecutive legislatures, then approved by voters in a statewide referendum. That's a multi-year process.

Independent redistricting vs. proportional representation: Governor Evers called a special session for April 14, 2026, to debate a constitutional amendment banning partisan gerrymandering. Republicans postponed rather than adjourning — leaving negotiations open. But even if successful, changing who draws the maps only addresses one part of the problem. As long as single-member winner-take-all districts remain, geographic sorting alone can produce unfair outcomes. Proportional representation addresses the structural problem, not just the process. (See CM-11, The Special Session)

The Redistricting Reform Act of 2025 (Rep. Lofgren, Sen. Padilla) would prohibit mid-decade redistricting and require independent commissions. This is complementary to the Fair Representation Act — one fixes the process, the other fixes the structure. (Rep. Lofgren press release)

Take action:

• FairVote — national organization advancing proportional RCV and the Fair Representation Act
• FairVote Wisconsin — state chapter
• Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition — fighting for an independent redistricting commission

Related Civic Minute segments: The End of Gerrymandering (CM-16), Not a New Idea (CM-18), The Special Session (CM-11)