First term Democratic members of the state assembly introduced a bill that would move the responsibility for redistricting from the assembly to an independent commission.
Thursday’s proposal would require the maps to be drawn without giving consideration to which party would benefit or where incumbents live. The plan is based on Iowa’s redistricting law, which has won praise for producing competitive districts.
The current process has “been abused by both sides of the aisle for decades,” said Rep. Mandy Wright (D-Wausau), one of the measure’s authors.
She and others said now was the time to change the process because no one knows who will run the Legislature in 2021, when the next round of redistricting occurs.
I don’t care which party is in control of the state house…they shouldn’t even be allowed to be tempted to improve their chances at re-election or maintaining control unethically…so this bill is way way overdue!
I’d like to see our state move towards a model similar to the one used in Iowa to handle redistricting.
Good idea, at least it gets it out there in public and the Dems should run on this in 2014 (especially since it’s possible the gerrymandered maps get tossed due to obstruction of justice).
Just wish the Dems would have thought of this when they were the majority in 2009. There probably wouldn’t be a GOP majority in 2010 if Dems acted for reform in 2009.