The Waushara County Board of Supervisors will hear a presentation at their Aug. 18 meeting in support of creating a non-partisan congressional re-districting plan following the 2020 census.
Every 10 years, following the National Census, state legislatures and governors re-draw congressional district boundaries. In past redistricting efforts the party in power, whether republican or democrat, do what they can to redraw boundaries in a way that would be beneficial to their remaining in power.
Congressional districts are “gerrymandered,” allowing an unfair advantage for legislators to choose their constituents instead of voters choosing who represents them (see chart). After the 2010 census highly partisan and controversial maps were drawn resulting in over $3 million of tax dollars spent litigating the results.
In the past 5 years a grass roots Fair Maps Coalition has organized in Wisconsin to promote a non-partisan solution to redistricting. Since that time 52 out of 72 County Boards in Wisconsin have considered and passed resolutions urging the state legislature to adopt this strategy. Other counties, including Waushara, have yet to weigh in on this matter. When given the opportunity, voters in 17 Wisconsin counties have already overwhelmingly expressed support through referendum, most by more than 72 percent.
Some states have already successfully accomplished non-partisan redistricting. Iowa, for example, solved this problem over 40 years ago directing career civil servants to use specific criteria that prohibit them from using voter data to rig districts that favor one party over another. Such a system helps to assure that elected officials are responsive to the wishes of a majority of their constituents and that they seek solutions instead of gridlock.
Joe Horvath of the Waushara County Fair Maps Coalition will present the benefits of non-partisan redistricting to the County Board at their monthly meeting followed by two separate votes by the board.
The first vote will be to consider a County Board resolution in support of recommending the creation of a non-partisan procedure for developing congressional redistricting maps. If passed the results would be forwarded to the governor, all members of the state legislature and others.
The second vote is to consider support for conducting a countywide advisory referendum at the November general election to give voters an opportunity to express their opinion on this most important issue.
Citizens are encouraged to stay informed about Fair Maps (https://www.fairelectionsproject.org/fair-maps-wi/) and, if inclined, to express your opinion to your County Board Supervisor prior to their meeting on Aug. 18.
