Group highlighting state candidates who back redistricting reform in Wisconsin

Time is getting short for the process by which political boundaries in Wisconsin can be changed.

The next redistricting happens in three years — 10 years from when Republicans solidified political control in the state through party-centric legislative boundary maps.

A challenge to that process in front of the U.S. Supreme Court went nowhere this year, which is why Common Cause in Wisconsin is among the groups pushing for a legislative change to the mapping process.

“We have to change the system bc we can’t rely on the US SUpreme Court to make the redistricting process fair,” Common Cause executive director Jay Heck said. “There’s a lot of iffs involved and that’s why we’re saying we can’t depend on the courts to do this. “This has to be done in the Wisconsin legislature.”

The group is highlighting lawmakers who have committed to making the redistricting process non-partisan. Of the 68 who have made that commitment, only 2 are Republicans.

“I will say that having two Republicans is double the number we had two years ago,” Heck said. “So, there’s some progress there.”

Heck’s group will continue to keep a running tally of those state candidates for office who support moving to a non partisan redistricting model.

Onalaska Assembly Rep. Steve Doyle and La Crosse Rep. Jill Billings are both on the list of those supporting redistricting reform.