The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 11, 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.

If you follow the American Democracy Minute you know that until last year Wisconsin held the infamous title as one of the most gerrymandered states in the U.S.  That changed November 5th.

Former Governor Scott Walker accelerated gerrymandering of the Wisconsin Assembly, Senate and Congressional maps during his 2011 to 2019 tenure, engineering a 64 to 35 majority in the Wisconsin Assembly, and a 22 to 11 majority in the Senate, despite an evenly divided liberal and conservative electorate. 

In 2023, the GOP was short of a supermajority by only two Assembly seats. Vetoes by current governor Tony Evers tried to keep even worse maps at bay, but a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court ultimately allowed them.   But a Supreme Court election in 2023 shifted the ideology of the court, and the court’s reconsideration of the Assembly and Senate maps led to new, fairer maps for the 2024 general election.  

While Republicans maintain control of both houses, fair maps reduced the artificial Republican advantage in the Assembly to 54 to 45, and the Senate 18 to 15.  Veto overrides of the Governor are far less likely, forcing the legislature to compromise on more legislation.  The Congressional district map, which did NOT change but is also widely recognized as gerrymandered, gave a 6-2 advantage to Republicans.

We have links to local reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – (2022) Wisconsin Republicans do not secure a supermajority

Wisconsin Examiner – (2023) Special election moves Republicans closer to Assembly supermajority
American Democracy Minute – (2023) With Court Cases and Elections Looming, the Wisconsin Assembly Scrambles to Protect its Gerrymandered Voting Districts
American Democracy Minute – Wisconsin Supreme Court Puts State Legislature’s Maps on Naughty List, Orders Legislature to Draw Constitutional Voting Districts
Wisconsin Public Radio – Republicans retain majority in Wisconsin Assembly
Wisconsin Watch – Democrats flip 14 legislative seats, affirming GOP gerrymander is dead

WBAY – Republicans retain Wisconsin Senate control but lose supermajority

Groups Taking Action:

Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, Law Forward, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Wisconsin #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering

The post Restoration of Fair Voting Districts in Wisconsin Ends GOP Near Supermajority in Assembly and Senate appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 23, 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.

We’re in Wisconsin today, where Governor Tony Evers signed on to a state supreme case to restore drop boxes, and disability and democracy groups are pushing to allow electronic ballots for disabled citizens.

The pre-August 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court allowed heavily-gerrymandered and non-contiguous state legislative maps to stand.  After a power shift last year, those maps were thrown out by the new court, and more equitable maps approved.   The previous court also banned most ballot drop boxes, and required that absentee ballots could only be returned physically by the voter, not by others.   

In March 2024, the current Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed to reconsider the case, brought by a voter, Priorities USA, and the Wisconsin Alliance of Retired Americans.  April 19th, Governor Tony Evers’ request to be an intervenor in the case was accepted, and oral arguments are scheduled for May 13th.

A district court case filed April 16th by Disability Rights Wisconsin and the League of Women Voters, asks the court to compel the Wisconsin Election Board to allow disabled voters to vote absentee electronically.  The Wisconsin Examiner reports the state has no accommodation for blind and low-vision voters that doesn’t require assistance, violating ballot secrecy.  Twelve states allow the disabled to  vote electronically, and 33 allow electronic ballots for overseas and military voters, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.  The case will likely be heard later this year.

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
NPR – The Wisconsin Supreme Court says ballot drop boxes aren’t allowed in the state
Democracy Docket – (2022)  Wisconsin Drop Box Ban Challenge
Wisconsin Public Radio – Wisconsin Supreme Court case could set up do-over of 2022 ruling banning drop boxes

Wisconsin Watch/Votebeat – Wisconsin voters with disabilities demand a better way to vote absentee

Wisconsin Examiner – Wisconsin voters with disabilities demand a better way to vote absentee
National Conference of State Legislatures – Electronic Ballot Return

Groups Taking Action:
Disability Rights Wisconsin, League of Women Voters WI,  Wisconsin Alliance of Retired Americans

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #disabled #disabledvoters #DropBoxes #VoteatHome #WisconsinPolitics

The post Pro-Voter Pushback in Wisconsin on Drop Boxes and Electronic Voting for Disabled Citizens appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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

The post WI Gov. Signs Fairer Maps, MO High Court Rejects Challenge to State Senate Map, and NV’s Redistricting Commission Ballot Question Struck Down appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 15, 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.

In a game of chicken with the Wisconsin Supreme Court, GOP legislators passed somewhat competitive redistricting maps proposed Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, to avoid having truly fair maps forced upon them by the court.

Gov. Evers’ state legislative maps were among seven submitted to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in January after it deemed the GOP-dominated legislature’s  gerrymandered and non-contiguous maps unconstitutional.   In its ruling, it said if the legislature couldn’t pass fair maps, the court would pick them instead.

A Marquette University analysis showed that the Governor’s maps were not as competitive – and therefore more favorable to a GOP majority – than other submissions.  The legislature had passed a more partisan version of Evers’ maps in January, but it was passed late at night with no public hearing or input. It abandoned those maps when the court’s redistricting consultants found them not to be constitutional.

In a last-ditch effort to hang on to its power, the GOP majority passed the Evers maps February 13th, again with no public hearing, and included a provision that the maps not be implemented until Nov. 2024. Until then, any special or recall elections would take place under current gerrymandered maps.  The Wisconsin Examiner reports that Gov. Evers previously said he would sign the bill if there were no changes.

We have more on this evolving story at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.  

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Wisconsin Public Radio – Wisconsin Supreme Court overturns Republican-drawn legislative maps
Wisconsin Examiner – Seven sets of legislative maps submitted to Supreme Court, most would reduce GOP advantage
Marquette University – Analysis of Proposed Legislative Redistricting Plans submitted to the Wisconsin Supreme Court
Wisconsin Examiner – Senate Republicans pass last-ditch effort to institute maps that protect incumbents
Wisconsin Examiner – Legislature adopts Evers’ maps in second attempt to choose before state Supreme Court
Democracy Docket – Wisconsin Legislature Passes Evers’ Legislative Maps With Poison Pill

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

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMapsWI #StopGerrymandering #WIPolitics #FairMaps

The post In a Game of Chicken with the Wisconsin Supreme Court, GOP Legislators Pass Somewhat Competitive Redistricting Maps in Effort to Avoid Truly Fair Maps appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 30, 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.

After having its earlier state assembly and senate maps thrown out by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in early January, the Wisconsin legislature tried to preserve its partisan advantage with its new maps.  But it won’t have the last word. 

The Wisconsin Examiner reports that January 23rd, the Wisconsin Senate passed maps which attempt to protect incumbent districts.  Governor Tony Evers posted on Twitter, “Moving legislative district lines so GOP-gerrymandered incumbents get to keep their seats is just more gerrymandering. ”

After a gerrymandering-friendly court flipped to a pro-voter majority in 2023, the court threw out Wisconsin’s state legislative maps as not “contiguous” as required by the state constitution.   Seven new maps submitted by the legislature, democracy groups and plaintiff groups ranged from a status quo, heavy Republican advantage, to very competitive with a slight Republican edge.  

The Senate’s new maps, though contiguous, rearrange Governor Tony Evers’ maps in an effort to protect GOP incumbents.  The Senate also created a firestorm after releasing the 169-page map proposal 24 hours before a Tuesday Senate vote, a tactic allowing no analysis by experts or the public.

The undemocratic tactic is not likely to work.  Evers is likely to veto the maps, punting the decision back to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which, with the help of two outside consultants, will choose among the submissions.  

We have links to more on these maps at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
CBS News – The Wisconsin Supreme Court has thrown out the GOP-drawn district maps. That could mean a huge change for the purple state
Wisconsin Examiner – Seven sets of legislative maps submitted to Supreme Court, most would reduce GOP advantage
Wisconsin Examiner – Senate Republicans pass last-ditch effort to institute maps that protect incumbents
Associated Press – Wisconsin’s Democratic governor promises to veto last-ditch Republican redistricting effort
Governor Tony Evers – State of the State Address

WI Supreme Court – Map and Document Filings

Groups Taking Action:
Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, Common Cause Wisconsin,  Represent.Us WI, Fair Elections Project 

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #Gerrymandering #WisconsinPolitics #WisconsinSupremeCourt

The post Wisconsin Senate Defiantly Passes Gerrymandered Replacement State Assembly and Senate Maps, But Won’t Have the Last Word appeared first on American Democracy Minute.