Wisconsin Needs A New Way To Construct Redistricting Maps

There is no reason that Wisconsin continues to grapple every 10 years in the most partisan fashion over redistricting maps.  Why such an antiquated system, with the results now before a federal court, continues to seemingly be the only method for creating election boundaries is truly amazing.

If Wisconsin Republicans this session, and had Democratic members last session, taken their respective political heads out of the sand they might have looked around and found a more sane and rational way to deal with census numbers and election boundaries.

In fact, they would have had to look no further than Iowa.

Since 1981, Iowa’s congressional and state legislative maps have been drawn by nonpartisan legislative staffers without considering voter registration numbers or the location of incumbents. Their main considerations are keeping districts compact and uniform in population.

Wow!!  What a concept!

What were the results of the efforts of the nonpartisan staffers this redistricting cycle?

The Iowa House approved the new maps on a 90-7 vote, and the Senate weighed in with a vote in favor, 48-1.  Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican I might note, enthusiastically supported the maps.  He acknowledged that the new maps allow for  a healthy competitiveness between the two parties.

As it should be.

The problem is that too many partisan heads in the Wisconsin Legislature are not able to think beyond their narrow interests, and consider the greater good when it comes to redistricting.