Letter to the Editor: This Time, Wisconsin Deserves Fair Maps

You ask, “What are these yard signs all about? How can maps be unfair?”

The maps in question are the maps defining voting districts. They determine which candidates are on your election ballot for state and congressional races. If these maps are drawn so the boundaries define 

areas that favor one group of voters (principally by race or political-party preference) over another group, they’re considered to be unfair or “gerrymandered.”

Census data are used, every 10 years, to redraw those boundaries to account for population changes. The majority party and governor’s office drew the current maps in secret in 2011. The fairness of those maps has been legally and successfully challenged (and their defense by the legislature has cost Wisconsin taxpayers in excess of $4 million) all the way to the Supreme Court, which ultimately ruled it was not that court’s responsibility to ensure that the maps are fair. They kicked the can down to the state Legislatures.

Because unfair maps benefit the party that drew them – the party that’s currently in power – that party is not excited to redraw them in a more fair way. So the Wisconsin Legislature has refused to deal with the issue: It has refused to bring two proposed fair-maps bills to committee for debate, discussion or vote; and it refused to give citizens the opportunity to express their opinions about fair maps during public hearings. 

On Nov. 3, and during early fall voting, Door County voters can vote on an advisory referendum urging the Legislature to establish a nonpartisan procedure for redrawing those voting-district boundaries. The referendum is unambiguous: A “yes” vote favors fairness; a “no” vote favors partisan unfairness. To date, 17 other Wisconsin counties have passed such referenda, and 51 county boards (including Door County) have passed supporting resolutions.

The yard signs urge you to vote “yes” on the November referendum. To vote for fairness, and to end gerrymandering in Wisconsin, vote “yes.” This time, Wisconsin deserves fair maps. More information is available at fairelectionsproject.org.

Mike Brodd

Sister Bay, Wisconsin