“Wisconsin Supreme Court Strikes Down GOP-Supported Legislative Maps

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has overturned GOP-favored legislative maps that were drawn following the 2010 census, in a ruling announced Thursday. The decision could reshape future elections and potentially give Democrats a jump on the 2022 elections. The Supreme Court’s 4-3 ruling was a major blow to the Republican party which had drawn the maps to benefit its own interests. The ruling was also a major step forward for Democrats who have long argued that the Republican-controlled legislature had unfairly drawn the state’s voting maps to favor their party. The Wisconsin Supreme Court determined that the Republican-drawn maps were unconstitutional and violated the state’s right of fair representation, saying that they created an “extremely lopsided” electoral map that disenfranchised Democrats and marginalized their ability to elect representatives. The court ordered the maps to be redrawn and gave the legislature until November 1st to submit newly drawn maps for their approval. The new maps will need to be passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature, making it likely that the maps will be more favorable to Democrats when the 2022 elections roll around. The decision from the Wisconsin Supreme Court is a historic victory for voting rights advocates who have long fought to ensure that the electoral process is fair. The ruling could impact future elections in the state and potentially shift the political power in favor of Democrats and give them a much greater chance at winning seats in the state legislature.