New Map Commission will give regular people a chance to help draw district boundaries that can be used fairly.

MADISON - State Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) is encouraging constituents who are interested in creating a non-partisan redistricting process and fair maps for future elections to apply to serve on Governor Evers’ People’s Commission on Maps.

“Throughout my efforts to pass non-partisan redistricting in the Legislature I have heard from many constituents who support the idea that the people, not politicians, should be in charge of drawing the legislative maps used in our elections,” said Hansen. “Thanks to Governor Evers’ creation of the People’s Map Commission people will now have a chance to help draw district boundaries that can be used to create fair and competitive elections.”

Governor Evers announced the creation of the People’s Map Commission on Thursday with the goal of having the public draw legislative district maps that are used to elect state legislators. 51 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties support a nonpartisan redistricting process.

When Republicans took full control of state government they created one of the worst gerrymanders in the country that locked them into power ever since. They did it cloaked in secrecy even setting up a private office outside the Capitol and requiring their members to sign on-disclosure agreements to hide their scheme from the public.

It was shameful. Their actions showed a complete distrust in the voters and denied the people the ability to elect the candidates they preferred. When people wonder why the issues they care about continue to go unaddressed in Madison it is because the Republicans and their corporate donors don’t support the people or the issues they truly care about.”

Senator Hansen is inviting anyone interested in serving on the commission to fill out an application at the Commission website.

“It’s way past time that the people have their say in how our elections are run. And the first step starts with creating fair, competitive maps that are drawn in an open and transparent way.”