Politics

Gov. Evers submits ‘least change’ redistricting maps after court order

December 15, 2021 1:20 PM

Kyle Jones,

Posted: December 15, 2021 1:20 PM

Updated: December 15, 2021 3:21 PM

by Kyle Jones

MADISON, Wis. – Gov. Evers submitted new redistricting maps to the Wisconsin Supreme Court Wednesday, his office announced.

The maps follow a “least change” approach the court required in an order last month.

Evers opposed the approach, asking the court to consider a map drawn by the People’s Maps Commission.

Evers established the commission as a non-partisan body.

“I urged the Wisconsin Supreme Court to consider the maps prepared by a nonpartisan redistricting commission,” Evers said in a statement Wednesday. “It’s unfortunate the Wisconsin Supreme Court rejected those maps and decided they will only consider maps that make minimal changes from the gerrymandered maps we have now.”

Evers’ map differs from the one drawn by the Republican-led Legislature.

The governor said his map leaves 13 Assembly districts untouched, while the Legislature’s map makes changes to every district.

Evers vetoed the Legislature’s map last month.

In a joint statement, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahiew (R-Oostburg) and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) blasted Evers’ maps, calling them secretive.

“Bipartisan supermajorities rejected the governor’s People’s Maps Commission (PMC) maps, the PMC failed,” the duo wrote. “Now Governor Evers has abandoned his campaign rhetoric promising for independently-drawn maps to rapidly and secretly draw his own rigged maps without public input. The hypocrisy of the governor is impossible to ignore.”