The Wisconsin Supreme Court passed an order for the redesign of legislative maps crafted by the Republican controlled legislature, marking a triumph for Democrats in the pivotal political battleground state.
In a 21-page ruling, the Supreme Court justices sided with the left-leaning non-profit group Law Forward, which had filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the maps, citing non-contiguity as a primary concern.
Analysts anticipate that the revised congressional map will heighten the competitiveness of two Republican-held seats.
Despite Wisconsin’s status as a swing state, Republicans currently control six out of eight seats.
This year witnessed the most expensive state Supreme Court election campaign in U.S. history, resulting in a new liberal majority.
Janet Protasiewicz, the victorious candidate sworn in August, had criticized the Republican-drawn maps as “rigged” during the campaign.
Justice Jill Karofsky, writing for the 4-3 majority, emphasized the need for redrawing state legislative district maps before the 2024 elections, prohibiting the use of the current maps.
Law Forward celebrated the decision, stating, “Today’s decision from the Wisconsin Supreme Court is a victory for a representative democracy in the state of Wisconsin,” and accused right-wing interests of manipulating rules without consequences.
In a dissenting opinion, Justice Annette Ziegler accused her liberal colleagues of partisan motives, characterizing the decision as an instance of “judicial activism on steroids.”
Brian Schimming, chair of the state Republican Party, criticized the court’s decision, stating, “Democrats have decided to try elections in the courtroom rather than actually earn voters’ trust at the ballot box.”
A parallel legal dispute is ongoing in Georgia over congressional maps, with lawsuits alleging that Republican-drawn district lines in the state illegally diluted the voting power of minority residents near Atlanta.
