Evers sets redistricting panel limits
Order prohibits lobbyists, party or elected officials
MADISON – Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order MonThe day to establish a redistricting commission that excludes political party officials, lobbyists and lawmakers.
He took that step as GOP Assembly Speaker Robin Vos left open the possibility he would require lawmakers to sign secrecy pledges as part of the redistricting process he will use, just as Republican leaders did the last time they drew maps.
At a Capitol news conference, Evers said the current maps are so pro-Republican that lawmakers feel they can ignore issues that polls have shown to be overwhelmingly popular, such as medical marijuana and universal background checks for gun purchases.
“Elected officials can ignore those numbers and say, ‘Go jump in a lake’ — something’s wrong,” Evers said.
move is part of Evers’ long-running effort to draw new legislative and congressional districts without concern for partisan advantage. Vos, of Rochester, scoffed at the notion that the commission would come up with truly nonpartisan maps and said Republicans who control the Legislature will draw
their own.
“This is just Democrats rallying their base. This is not something that actually has a huge appeal to anybody outside of the Democrat activists,” Vos said on Wisconsin Public Radio.
All states must draw new maps after this year’s census to account for changes in population. The maps can be drawn in ways that give one political party an edge in campaigns — all but guaranteeing one side a majority.
Republicans controlled all of state government in 2011 and drew maps that have greatly helped them in elections since then. They drew their maps behind closed doors and required Republican lawmakers to sign nondisclosure agreements to get a look at maps of their districts before the public could see them.
Republicans were roundly criticized for that practice at the time and Rick Esenberg, president of the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, last week said lawmakers should not do it again. But Vos said he may have members sign secrecy pledges again if attorneys for lawmakers believe it is necessary.
“I don’t know if we’re going to use that process again,” Vos said in his radio interview. “That was not my choice last time, but I certainly don’t want to say that we will not until we talk to our attorneys and make sure that we follow the law and do it in a way that allows us to have the best possible maps adopted for the state of Wisconsin.”
Evers’ executive order said the commission will consist of people from each of the state’s eight congressional districts and include some experts in nonpartisan redistricting and representatives of “communities of interest.” Lobbyists, party officials and public officials will be barred from serving on it.
“This will be a commission of the people and for the people,” said Evers, who is now seeking volunteers to serve on the commission.
The commission is to draw districts that are compact, free of political bias and avoid diluting the votes of minorities. The maps are supposed to avoid splitting municipalities into multiple districts as much as possible, Evers’ order says. (Some large municipalities, such as Milwaukee, must be broken into multiple districts because they are so populous.)
“We have 5.5 million people in the state of Wisconsin. I think we can come up with a bunch that are nonpartisan. There are people in this state that are nonpartisan.” Gov. Tony Evers
The commission will hold hearings in each of the state’s congressional districts and develop maps next year for the Legislature to consider.
Vos said lawmakers would follow a “normal process” in line with what they’ve done in the past. He said Democrats have lost legislative races in recent years because of bad candidates — and not because of maps that are problematic for them.
“This is a clear example of Democrats fielding faulty candidates where their agenda does not appeal to anybody outside big cities like Madison and Milwaukee,” he said on Wisconsin Public Radio.
Evers acknowledged legislative leaders planned to disregard his commission’s plans.
“I’m not surprised,” he said. “It worked for them well in the past, and I guess they feel confident it will work for them in the future.”
He dismissed the idea that his maps would be covertly partisan.
“We have 5.5 million people in the state of Wisconsin. I think we can come up with a bunch that are nonpartisan,” Evers said. “There are people in this state that are nonpartisan.”
Evers could veto the maps Republicans draw. If Evers and lawmakers can’t settle on a set of maps, it will be up to courts to decide what maps to use.
Republicans have questioned whether Evers’ plans are in keeping with a provision of the state constitution that says lawmakers are responsible for redistricting. Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul dismissed that idea, saying the plan is constitutional.
Under Evers’ plan, the commission would initially draw the maps, but the Legislature would ultimately have to approve them.
“Bringing power back to the people is not only allowed by our constitution, but that is how we best honor our constitution, by empowering the people of Wisconsin,” Kaul said.