More than 1,000 comments roll in on map redistricting

The People’s Maps Commission has announced that it has heard from over 1,000 Wisconsinites, representing 65 counties and 245 municipalities, since their first virtual hearing in October 2020.

“Over the last six months, we’ve learned a great deal as a commission on redistricting and considerations involved in the process,” said Dr. Christopher Ford, chairman of the People’s Maps Commission. “Most of our lessons have come from the people of Wisconsin, who have consistently spoken out about the need for a non-partisan, objective and transparent approach to the creation of our state’s legislative maps. It is only under these circumstances, maps can be drawn that best represent citizens and their communities.”

Committed to transparency throughout the map development process, the hearings held in each of Wisconsin’s eight congressional districts, were part of the commissioners’ first phase of their work. This phase included learning directly from Wisconsinites how they have been impacted by redistricting, as well as ideas from community members on how to achieve fair maps in the state.

During the virtual live hearings, the commissioners also heard from 18 redistricting and voting rights experts from throughout the country, and Wisconsin.

Following the hearings, the commissioners will move into the next phase of their work, which includes establishing map drawing criteria and identifying “Communities of Interest” throughout the state. This phase of their work will inform the map drawing process that begins when the synthesized census data becomes available later this summer.

In the meantime, members of the public continue to be encouraged to engage the commissioners by submitting written comments, using the feedback form available on the People’s Maps Commission website. Written comments will be reviewed by the commissioners and are public record.

“As our name implies, we are genuinely a commission representing the people of Wisconsin,” said Ford. “Working together, we will create maps that will reflect the diverse voices of our state. We will draw maps that honor the votes of average citizens, rather than gerrymander for political gain.”

Every 10 years, each state redraws their legislative and congressional districts, using data from the decennial census. In addition to the data from the 2020 U.S. Census, the commission will use information gathered during the public hearing process to prepare new maps. It will then be up to the Legislature to take up and approve the maps created by the commission.