Letter to the Editor: How to End Gerrymandering in Wisconsin: Lessons from Other States

The National Conference on State Legislatures’ (NCSL) mission is to “advance the effectiveness, independence and integrity of legislatures; foster interstate cooperation; and facilitate the exchange of information among legislatures.” It’s the source of information in this letter (ncsl.org/research/redistricting/redistricting-systems-a-50-state-overview.aspx).

Every 10 years, the census is conducted, and based on how it finds that the number and distribution of Americans have changed, state legislative and congressional district lines are redrawn. Until 1956, state legislatures – without instructions about whether, when or how to do so – redrew the maps. Since then, court cases have established the legal foundations for redistricting. 

Starting in 1956, states – seeking to insulate redistricting from partisan politics – have changed how they redistrict. Some have changed who redraws the maps. Others have modified the criteria used in redrawing the maps. Some have reformed only how they redraw just their legislative districts or just their congressional districts. Six states have established a commission that serves only in an advisory capacity to the state legislature, and five have established commissions that operate only as a backup in the event that the legislature doesn’t meet the deadline for redrawing the maps. The NCSL website details the structure and processes of each state. 

Iowa has an unusual approach: It appoints the legislative staff of a nonpartisan legislative-support agency (similar to Wisconsin’s Legislative Reference Bureau) to redraw the maps without using political or election data. The maps are submitted to the state legislature for approval, thus requiring no constitutional amendment. During the 40 years since establishing this approach, Iowa’s maps have never been rejected. Iowa is a model for Wisconsin.

Of Wisconsin’s counties, 74 percent have expressed support for a nonpartisan redistricting process. Vote “yes” on the redistricting referendum. It’s time to start healing Wisconsin and restoring representative democracy.

Jack Fiedler

Sister Bay, Wisconsin