The Wisconsin Supreme Court ordered district boundaries to be redrawn before the 2024 presidential election.
The court ruled 4-3 in favor of a Democrat redistricting case.
According to the Associated Press, Democrats argued that the current district boundaries are unconstitutional because they are not drawn as attached territories.
“Because the current state legislative districts contain separate, detached territory and therefore violate the constitution’s contiguity requirements, we enjoin the Wisconsin Elections Commission from using the current legislative maps in future elections,” Justice Jill Karofksy wrote.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) celebrated the ruling, saying, “It’s clear to me that a Republican-controlled Legislature that has consistently gerrymandered itself into comfortable, partisan majorities for more than a decade is incapable of preparing fair, nonpartisan maps deserving of the people of this state. I agree with the Court’s determination that these maps are unconstitutional because the districts lack contiguity. Wisconsin is a purple state, and I look forward to submitting maps to the Court to consider and review that reflect and represent the makeup of our state.”
“And I remain as optimistic as ever that, at long last, the gerrymandered maps Wisconsinites have endured for years might soon be history,” Evers added.
Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said the ruling was a “sad day for Wisconsin.”
“I said this was going to happen earlier this week. The case was pre-decided before it was even brought,” he shared on X. “Sad day for Wisconsin when the state supreme court just said last year that the existing lines are constitutional. Fortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court will have the last word.”
New district maps are due by January 12 and must be in place by March 15.
