In a significant move towards undoing the longstanding gerrymandering practices in Wisconsin, the state senate has voted to adopt legislative maps drawn by Democratic Governor Tony Evers. This decision, made by the Republican-dominated legislature, is indicative of a potential shift in power for the upcoming state legislative elections. If these maps are implemented, Democrats may have a chance to gain control of the state legislature for the first time since 2012.

The catalyst for this vote can be traced back to a ruling by the Wisconsin supreme court in December, which declared the current state assembly and senate maps as unconstitutional. The court mandated the adoption of new legislative maps before the 2024 election, with a mid-March deadline set. Consequently, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, along with the governor and several third-party groups, submitted revised maps for the court's consideration.

In a report released on February 1st, consultants hired by the court reviewed the submitted maps. The consultants concluded that the GOP-drawn maps maintained a partisan gerrymander and were deemed unworthy of further consideration. On the other hand, the Democratic-drawn maps were found to still possess a Republican advantage, though to a much lesser degree.

Despite this development, Democrats in the senate voiced their concerns and attempted to send the bill back to committee for review. They alleged that the legislation, which would not take effect until the fall of 2024, was designed to protect Republicans from special elections and recall efforts in the interim. Instead, they argued that the state supreme court should be responsible for selecting the legislative maps to be implemented. This move would potentially favor Democratic lawmakers more than Governor Evers' proposed maps.

"We should let the supreme court continue to do its job to put in place a fair map in just a couple of weeks," said Democratic Senator Mark Spreitzer.

Nevertheless, the approval of the maps by the state senate is only the first step in the process. The maps must also gain approval from the state assembly and be signed by Governor Evers before they can go into effect. Governor Evers has indicated his willingness to sign the legislation if it reaches his desk. On the assembly side, Republican Speaker Robin Vos previously expressed openness to Evers' maps, and a vote could occur as early as this afternoon.

According to a researcher from Marquette University, Evers' maps still afford Republicans a slight edge in retaining their legislative majorities, albeit significantly narrower than with the current maps.

By accepting Governor Evers' maps, Republicans in the senate avoid the uncertainty of a court-drawn map that could potentially be less favorable to their party. "The court will likely pick one of the other three maps," remarked Republican Senator Devin LeMahieu. "We're going to end this sham litigation and pass the governor's map."

This protracted battle over legislative maps in Wisconsin began when liberal judge Janet Protasiewicz secured a victory in a state supreme court race in April 2023, shifting the court's balance of power towards liberals for the first time in over a decade. Protasiewicz had criticized the Republican gerrymandering during her campaign, deeming the maps as "rigged." Republican legislators even considered impeaching her if she did not recuse herself from the case, but ultimately abandoned the idea after consulting with former Wisconsin supreme court justices who advised against pursuing impeachment.

The current legislative maps in Wisconsin, drawn by Republicans, are among the most gerrymandered in the nation. Despite statewide races often being decided by narrow margins, the GOP currently enjoys strong majorities in both houses of the state legislature. Should the new Democratic-backed maps be implemented, much of the partisan advantage historically held by Republicans would be erased.