by Benjamin Yount
The next step for Wisconsin’s new political map is a veto from Gov. Tony Evers.
The State Assembly, as expected, on Thursday approved the Republican-drawn maps on two party line votes.
What wasn’t expected was the anger from Democrats at the maps drawn by Gov. Evers’ People’s Map Commission.
“It was all a con,” Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, D-Milwaukee, said during the vote. “We tried many times speaking with the governor’s office and the People’s Maps Commission, and we were gaslighted and ignored.”
Ortiz-Velez is one of several minority Democrats who say the People’s Maps carve up communities of color to try and create more Democratic-leaning districts.
“A map that cancels out our voices, prevents and cracks and dilutes our voices is wrong,” Ortiz-Velez said.
She said the Justice Department needs to investigate the People’s Maps for violation of the Voting Rights Act.
Rep. LaKeshia Myers, D-Milwaukee, didn’t vote for the Republican-crawn maps but said she couldn’t vote for the People’s Maps either.
“When it comes to looking at maps, I’m not willing to vote for any map that dilutes and or erases African American or Latino representation,” Myers said. “I don’t care who wrote it, who drew it, who took the crayon, who circled it, who did whatever, because it makes no sense.”
The Republican-drawn maps, however, are doomed.
Gov. Evers has promised to veto them, because of what he says is gerrymandering.
A veto from the governor will set-up a court fight over the maps, though it remains to be seen whether a federal court or the Wisconsin Supreme Court will decide the state’s new political boundaries.
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Benjamin Yount is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Wisconsin State Capitol” by Ander107 CC BY-SA 3.0.
