Evers signs his maps into law
Governor Tony Evers (D) held a press conference today to sign his proposed legislative maps into law despite push back from fellow Democrats to let the state Supreme Court choose the maps. Gov. Evers began the press conference by acknowledging the importance of this decision and how it will define the state’s future. Gov. Evers outlined Wisconsin’s redistricting history and how Republican lawmakers took control of the Wisconsin State Legislature along with the executive branch in 2010. He stated that following 2010, Republicans gerrymandered themselves into safe seats. Gov. Evers stated that he ran for office in 2018 to secure fair maps and fight for an independent, nonpartisan redistricting process.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the current maps drawn by Republicans this past December, leaving Wisconsin with no legislative maps for 2024 elections. The court accepted proposed maps to consider and had nonpartisan, independent experts review the maps. The maps submitted by Republicans were deemed “partisan gerrymanders.” Gov. Evers recalled Republicans’ attempt to pass his maps with modifications which he vetoed.
When SB 488 was on the floor last week, there was some push back from some Democrats surrounding a potential challenge in federal courts, along with general distrust of the Republicans who were pushing to pass the maps. Governor Evers told reporters that he did not anticipate a challenge in the federal courts, saying that it was a small risk that he feels his maps will prevail in. When asked by reporters if the state Supreme Court should move on congressional maps, he stated that would be preferable. When asked what he says to members of his own party saying that the maps should have gone through the courts, Governor Evers stated that the process is that maps are supposed to be passed through the legislature and that is “how it works.”
Governor Evers went on to say that he made a promise to the people of Wisconsin to do the right thing even if the members of his party disagree with him. People, state, and country should come before politics and party, or at least they have to him. “I’m Tony Evers, and I will always try to do the right thing for our state. Wisconsinites want fair maps, and Wisconsinites deserve fair maps. So, today, Wisconsinites, I’m enacting fair maps for the great state of Wisconsin,” he said. He added that he did have discussions with all of the members of his own party who had concerns but did not consider vetoing the maps. He continued with the maps will take effect immediately after publication for the fall elections as well as any special elections before then.
He concluded his remarks with the maps are “fair, responsive, and reflect the will of the people.” Wisconsin is a purple state, and the maps should reflect it. He also said, “If the people of Wisconsin vote to send Democratic majorities to Madison this November, I’ll tell you right now: one of the first orders of business in our first 100 days together will be enacting a fair, independent, and nonpartisan redistricting system in Wisconsin.” Governor Evers reiterated that tighter margins next legislative session will hopefully lead to the ability to find more middle ground. He said that the top of his list for items he would like to see action on next session is Medicaid expansion, and that he feels that there has to be one Republican out there who agrees with him on that.
To read Gov. Evers’ press release, click here.
To watch the press conference, click here.
To read Gov. Evers’ press conference remarks, click here.
Ever’s Remarks
Good morning. Thank you for being here.
Folks, it is a new day in Wisconsin, and today is a beautiful day for democracy.
Wisconsin, of the 1,869 days I’ve been proud to serve as your governor, few have been as consequential as this one. This is an important day—an historic day—for our state and for every person who calls Wisconsin home. Today is a day that, I believe, will define our state’s future. But before I get there, Wisconsinites, I want to begin today with our history.
In 2009, on the eve of the 2010 U.S. Census, Democrats had unified control of the executive branch and majorities in both houses of the Wisconsin State Legislature. Heading into the 2010 elections, that Democrat trifecta was faced with a choice: secure fairness for posterity or wait and hold out for the possibility of retaining power for another decade.
And we know how that story ended. In 2010, Republicans swept control of the executive branch and both houses of the Legislature, giving Republicans control over the map-drawing process that went on to define our state for a generation. Republicans set up shop behind closed doors with high-paid attorneys, made their Republican members sign secrecy pledges, and used new technology and algorithms to draw some of the most undemocratic, gerrymandered legislative maps in the United States of America.
And we know how that story ended, too. Republicans who gerrymandered themselves into safe seats have done irreparable damage to our state’s traditions, our institutions, and our basic functions of government over the last decade. We’ve seen them sow more division, obstruct basic government functions, and ignore the will of the people by refusing to even consider basic, commonsense policies that should easily earn bipartisan support.
When I ran for this office in 2018, I promised I’d never stop working to right that wrong—to fight for an independent, nonpartisan redistricting process, to secure fair maps for Wisconsin, and, if faced with a similar choice for which Wisconsinites have spent a decade paying dearly, to have the courage to do what is right when that time came. And that is the choice before me today.
In December, the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Republicans’ most recent gerrymandered maps, ruling that they were unconstitutional and that no further elections could be conducted under those maps. Wisconsin currently has no legislative maps in place for the 2024 election. The Court said it would accept maps for them to consider and that they’d hire nonpartisan, independent experts to review the maps that were submitted.
And here’s what those experts said. Importantly, the experts concluded maps submitted by Republicans in the Legislature and their right-wing allies were both, and I quote, “partisan gerrymanders.” So, in other words, just more of the same. On the other hand, the experts reviewed the other four maps, one submitted by me as well as three others, and concluded, and I quote, “The four other submitted plans are similar on most criteria.” They are “nearly indistinguishable,” they said.
Last month, Republicans took up another set of gerrymandered maps to protect Republican-gerrymandered incumbents, passed them, and sent them to my desk. I kept my promise and vetoed them like I said I would. Then, last week, Republicans passed the maps I submitted to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and those are the exact maps before me today—they’re my maps, nothing more, nothing less.
To me, the decision to enact these maps boils down to this: I made a promise to the people of Wisconsin that I would always try to do the right thing. And keeping that promise, to me, matters most even if members of my own party disagree with me.
Folks, that’s what having fair maps means—it means elected officials actually have to listen and do what is best, not for their own political party, but for the people who elect them. People, state, and country should come before politics and party—or at least they always have and always will for me.
I’m Tony Evers, and I will always try to do the right thing for our state. Wisconsinites want fair maps, and Wisconsinites deserve fair maps. So, today, Wisconsinites, I’m enacting fair maps for the great state of Wisconsin.
This will be the first time in over 50 years that Wisconsin will have fair legislative maps enacted through the legislative process rather than through the courts. These maps will take effect immediately after publication and will be in place for the fall elections, providing certainty for candidates and campaigns that are gearing up to circulate nomination papers this spring. I will also be asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to clarify that these maps will be in place for any special elections that occur between now and the fall.
My maps that I’m signing today are fair, responsive, and reflect the will of the people. And this is so important, Wisconsin, so I want to explain what that means.
First, these maps are fair. We’re aiming to make sure each party has a fair shake at winning the Legislature. Under these maps, it’s more likely that each party will win a majority of legislative seats when they earn a majority of your votes. That’s common sense.
Second, these maps are responsive. Under these maps, we’ll see more competitive, contested races by making it more likely that legislative districts will flip from one party’s control to another when voters’ preferences change. Every vote matters. And that’s good for democracy.
Finally, these maps reflect the will of the people. Under these maps, the people will be able to elect Republican majorities or Democratic majorities or even a split Legislature if they want. But the most important part is Wisconsinites decide. That’s how elections should work.
Wisconsin, when I promised I wanted fair maps—not maps that are better for one party or another, including my own—I damn well meant it. Wisconsin is not a red state or a blue state—we’re a purple state, and I believe our maps should reflect that basic fact.
I believe, as I’ve often said, that the people should get to choose their elected officials, not the other way around. And under the maps I’m signing today, I am making good on that promise.
This is a great day for Wisconsin, and there is much to celebrate. And we’re not going to stop here. I—and we—are going to continue our fight for a fair, independent, and nonpartisan redistricting process for Wisconsin. If the people of Wisconsin vote to send Democratic majorities to Madison this November, I’ll tell you right now: one of the first orders of business in our first 100 days together will be enacting a fair, independent, and nonpartisan redistricting system in Wisconsin.
Today is a victory, not for me or any political party, but for our state and for the people of Wisconsin, who’ve spent a decade demanding more and demanding better of us as elected officials, including many of the people here behind me today. Thank you.
Now, let’s sign some fair maps for Wisconsin.
Reactions
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R)
“Today, Governor Evers signed the most Republican-leaning maps out of all the Democrat-gerrymandered maps being considered by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. We sent him those maps, not because they are fair, but because the people of Wisconsin deserve certainty in state government. This legislation brings to end this sham of a litigation designed to deliver judicially gerrymandered Democrat maps to the liberal special interest groups funding said litigation. “This fall Republicans will prove that we can win on any maps because we have the better policy ideas for the State of Wisconsin. We are happy that the Governor’s signature brings to an end decades of liberal special interest litigation over maps in Wisconsin.”
To read the full press release, click here.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R)
“The liberal majority of the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s primary objective has been to benefit legislative Democrats to the greatest extent possible. The Governor’s action today will end the pending redistricting case and provide voters and election officials certainty ahead of the 2024 election. These maps are not perfect. They are gerrymandered to benefit Democrats. But these maps have the most competitive districts of the remaining maps the court was considering. Senate Republicans have won competitive races for twenty years. We don’t plan on stopping now.”
To read the full press release, click here.
Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D)
“My Democratic colleagues and I have long argued that voters should choose their elected officials, not the other way around, and this will now become a reality. While I remain disappointed with the legislative process that brought these maps forward, especially the lack of opportunity for public input, I am moving forward with optimism that fair maps and representative democracy have been restored in Wisconsin.”
To read the full press release, click here.
Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D)
“Thanks to the hard work of countless people over many years, Wisconsin will no longer be among the most gerrymandered states in the nation. Today’s victory belongs to those advocates, voters, and people across the state who continued to believe that our democracy is worth fighting for and never gave up in the struggle for fair maps. This is the beginning of a new era in Wisconsin — where the will of the people will once again be the law of the land.”
To read the full press release, click here.
Senator Mark Spreitzer (D)
“I thank Governor Evers for his diligent review of this bill and the legal impact of enacting fair maps through the legislative process. I trust the Governor and his legal team have made the best decision for fair maps and for the people of Wisconsin. I thank the plaintiffs who pursued a legal challenge that found our previous maps to be unconstitutional, and forced Republican legislators to send fair maps to the Governor’s desk. The signing of Act 94 ends the lengthy legal battle that has been fought over redistricting in Wisconsin, and it reaffirms the need to enact a better redistricting process into law.”
To read the full press release, click here.
Senator Duey Stroebel (R)
“The Governor’s maps are a political gerrymander. They specifically and disproportionately target Republican incumbents (including myself) and pit them against each other, pairing 29 incumbent Republicans together across 15 different districts while only pairing 4 Democrats together across both houses. His maps are the exact type of partisan gerrymandering that Democrats have claimed to oppose for over a decade.”
To read the full press release, click here.
