AOTL: PMC's Process Stands in Stark Contrast to Legislature's

For Immediate Release: 
October 20, 2021

Contact:
Brooke Lillard
lillard@redistrictingaction.org

Madison, WI - Today, the People’s Maps Commission released a second set of draft State Assembly, State Senate, and congressional maps based on the public input the Commission received from thousands of Wisconsinites across numerous public hearings. These maps stand in stark contrast to the current maps, which are egregious partisan Republican gerrymanders rammed through the legislature that have left Wisconsin voters without fair maps and without accurate representation over the past decade. Additionally, the process leading up to the release of the PMC’s maps stands in stark contrast to the process leading up to the Republican-led legislature’s release of maps today.

“The release of a second set of draft maps by the People’s Maps Commission is another critical step in the process to create fair maps that reflect the will of Wisconsin voters,” said Elizabeth Treviño, AOTL Wisconsin State Director. “The Commission’s process leading up to the release of these maps deserves praise. The Commission hosted a fair and transparent process allowing thousands of Wisconsinites from across the state to make their voices heard by submitting written comments, testifying at hearings, and submitting community maps. I am disappointed to see that the Republican-led legislature released a set of maps today without holding any public hearings beforehand. My hope -- and the hope of many other Wisconsinites -- is that the legislature changes course quickly and follows the PMC’s example with a transparent, accessible redistricting process. ”

In 2020, Governor Tony Evers created the People’s Maps Commission, a nonpartisan advisory commission made up of everyday citizens, and tasked the Commission with drawing fair maps that better reflect the competitive nature of Wisconsin. The Commission held public hearings from October 2020 to March 2021 to collect the public’s input on how their communities should be represented in the maps. Following the release of these drafts, the People’s Maps Commission will be collecting additional public input until noon on Oct 27 before presenting a final map to the Wisconsin Legislature in early November.

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