WI Gov. Signs Fairer Maps, MO High Court Rejects Challenge to State Senate Map, and NV’s Redistricting Commission Ballot Question Struck Down

Brian Beihl

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb 21, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

Wisconsin’s governor signed off on state legislative maps February 19th, fixing  some of the worst gerrymandering in the U.S.  Missouri’s Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the state senate map, and a Nevada court rejected a citizen ballot initiative to implement an independent redistricting commission.

We reported last week that the Republican-dominated Wisconsin legislature approved maps proposed by Governor Tony Evers, rather than having the Wisconsin Supreme Court mandate even more competitive maps.   The Wisconsin Examiner reports that Monday, Evers signed those maps into law, saying it was “a new day in Wisconsin.”  Thus ends two decades of an inflated Republican majority, engineered by heavily-gerrymandered maps.   

In Missouri, a 2022 state senate redistricting map implemented by a judicial panel after the state’s redistricting commission deadlocked was upheld by the Missouri Supreme Court.   The Missouri Independent reports that citizens had challenged the map, saying the map did not follow the requirements of state constitution, including compactness and communities of interest. 

The Las Vegas Review Journal reports that two citizen ballot initiatives proposing an independent redistricting commission for Nevada were struck down by a circuit court judge, saying the cost of the commission was an unfunded mandate and unconstitutional.  The now-removed 2024 ballot question proposed a transparent, citizen-run commission to create competitive voting district maps. 

We have more on these stories at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Wisconsin Examiner – Gov. Evers signs new legislative maps, says they give every party a ‘fair shake’
Missouri Independent – Missouri Supreme Court upholds state Senate district map drawn by judicial panel
Nevada Independent – Advocates again push ballot measure to take redistricting out of Legislature’s hands
Las Vegas Review Journal – Judge blocks 2024 ballot initiatives seeking independent redistricting

Groups Taking Action:
Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, League of Women Voters WI, Common Cause WI
League of Women Voters SW Missouri, Fair Maps Nevada

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering #NevadaPolitics #WisconsinPolitics #MissouriPolitics