On Oct. 16, attorneys representing a group of Wisconsin voters asked the state supreme court to redraw the state’s legislative district maps before March and require all 2024 elections to be held under the new boundaries. The group of voters originally filed the lawsuit in August alleging that the maps the Legislature approved on April 15, 2022, are unconstitutional. In their complaint, plaintiffs allege that “Wisconsin’s current legislative districts are unconstitutional in multiple ways. They are extreme partisan gerrymanders that violate multiple provisions of the Wisconsin Constitution.”
Senior Director of Redistricting for Campaign Legal Center Mark Gabver said, “State courts across the country have invalidated partisan gerrymandered maps that are far less extreme than this. What we’re asking the court to do here is follow the lead of those state courts who are enforcing their constitution’s principles of equal protection, free speech, freedom of association and the right to have a free government.” Attorneys for the Legislature said Democrats were using the new Democrat majority on the court to overturn its 2021 decision approving the current maps. The attorneys said, “A change in this Court’s membership cannot justify overturning that precedent.” Oral arguments in the case are scheduled for Oct. 21, and Gov. Tony Evers (D) filed a motion to intervene in the case on Oct. 11.
Janet Protasiewicz defeated Daniel Kelly in the nonpartisan general election for Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 4, 2023. Protasiewicz’s election meant the balance of the court would switch from a 4-3 conservative majority to a 4-3 liberal majority for the first time in 15 years.
