Wisconsin Supreme Court Deals Blow to GOP with Redistricting Ruling

In a significant victory for Democrats, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has struck down Republican-drawn legislative maps, citing their unconstitutionality due to non-contiguous districts. The court ordered the creation of new district boundaries, potentially altering the political landscape of the state ahead of the crucial 2024 election.

In a significant victory for Democrats, the liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court has overturned Republican-drawn legislative maps, ruling that they are unconstitutional and ordering that new district boundary lines be drawn. The decision comes less than a year before the crucial 2024 election in a battleground state where presidential elections have been decided by narrow margins in recent years.

Court Ruling Favors Democrats' Arguments

The court ruled 4-3 in favor of Democrats, who argued that the legislative maps were unconstitutional because the districts drawn were not contiguous. They also contended that the Supreme Court had violated the separation of powers doctrine by adopting the Republican-drawn map that Democratic Governor Tony Evers had previously vetoed. Justice Jill Karofsky wrote for the majority, stating that the current state legislative districts violate the constitution's contiguity requirements and therefore cannot be used in future elections.

Implications for 2024 Election

The court's decision has significant implications for the upcoming 2024 election. The court has indicated that it will proceed with adopting remedial maps in time for the election unless the Republican-controlled Legislature can pass maps that Governor Evers will sign. Democrats have argued for having all 132 lawmakers stand for election under the new maps, including half of the members of the state Senate who are midway through their four-year terms. Republicans, on the other hand, have argued that no new maps should be enacted before the 2026 election.

Democrats Challenge Contiguity and Separation of Powers

Democrats argued that the majority of current legislative districts violate the state constitution's contiguity requirement. They asserted that 54 out of 99 districts in the Assembly and 21 out of 33 districts in the Senate are noncontiguous. Additionally, Democrats contended that the Supreme Court had overstepped its authority by adopting the Republican-drawn map that Evers had vetoed, thereby violating the separation of powers doctrine.

Republican Response and Legislative Impact

Republicans, who have held substantial majorities in the Legislature since 2011, expressed disappointment with the court's decision. They argued that the redistricting laws, supported by state and federal court rulings, have allowed for noncontiguous districts under certain circumstances. Republicans also maintained that even if the court addressed the contiguity issue, it should only affect specific areas where districts are not contiguous, rather than upending existing district lines.

The Republican-drawn legislative maps enacted in 2011 solidified the party's majorities, leading to the implementation of conservative policies such as the elimination of collective bargaining for public workers. Since 2019, Republicans have served as a roadblock to Governor Evers' agenda, firing his appointees and threatening impeachment proceedings against Justice Janet Protasiewicz and the state's elections leader.

Ongoing Litigation in Multiple States

The Wisconsin Supreme Court's decision adds to the ongoing litigation in more than a dozen states over U.S. House and state legislative districts following the 2020 census. These cases highlight the contentious nature of redistricting and its potential impact on political representation and electoral outcomes.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court's ruling overturning Republican-drawn legislative maps has significant implications for the 2024 election in the battleground state. The court's decision in favor of Democrats' arguments regarding contiguity and separation of powers sets the stage for new district boundary lines to be drawn, potentially altering the political landscape in Wisconsin.