On Thursday, consultants retained by the Wisconsin Supreme Court said that conservative legal firms and the Republican-controlled legislature had presented gerrymandered maps. They deferred to the Supreme Court on the issue of constitutionality and did not voice any objections to the other four maps created by Democrats.
Because the consultants found no significant differences between the four surviving maps, either they or the court might make adjustments to improve the maps' adherence to certain requirements, such as maintaining political balance, conserving communities of interest, and ensuring contiguity.
The consultants' report must be responded to no later than February 8th.
Wisconsin is more committed than ever before to putting a stop to Republican gerrymandering, according to public remarks made by Democratic attorneys and Governor Tony Evers. Republicans, in the meantime, called the Democratic maps' supporting study a "fog of faux sophistication" and said it was fraudulent.
Among the four options presented, the court might request that the consultants alter an existing map, or it may choose to go with one of the other two options.
Between February 9 and March 15, the timeframe set by the Wisconsin Elections Commission for the new lines to be in place for the fall election, will most likely see the release of the new maps. Before submitting their nomination papers, candidates must be aware of the district borders in order to be eligible to appear on the ballot.
The 2020 census resulted in the creation of new congressional and state legislative districts, which are the subject of ongoing litigation in over a dozen jurisdictions.
As for the state's congressional district borders, Democrats have petitioned the Wisconsin Supreme Court to consider a challenge to them. The case contends that the possibility of contesting the congressional map is made possible by the court's decision to mandate new state legislature maps. Out of the eight congressional seats in the state, five are held by Republicans.
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