LETTER: Voters oppose unfair districts, but court gives them blessing

To Ozaukee Press:

On Nov. 30, in a 4-3 decision, our Wisconsin Supreme Court sided with the Republican-backed Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty lawyers to defend the legislators’ proposed district maps for the next 10 years. The majority justices (Bradley, Hagedorn, Roggensack and Ziegler) announced the court’s primary consideration when choosing new voting district maps will be “least change” to the current maps. Justice Dallet (joined by Bradley and Karofsky) dissented from the “least change” ruling.

Wisconsin is already one of the most heavily Republican-gerrymandered states in our country. This means Republicans here choose their voters by drawing district lines to assure them favorable election results. There are seriously Democratic-gerrymandered states, too, such as Illinois. Gerrymandering is immoral no matter which party does it because it weakens, and can eventually destroy democracy by negating our vote based on where we live. It also fosters a sense of cynicism and futility: Why vote if it doesn’t count? Gerrymandering should scare every person of integrity regardless of political affiliation.

And it does. Polls show Wisconsinites overwhelmingly want representative maps, and where Wisconsin county boards have allowed ballot referendums on the upcoming district mapping, a majority of voters choose representative maps. Unfortunately, in 2020, the Ozaukee County Board denied petitions for a fair maps ballot referendum.

I am scared for our democracy’s future, and I hope other voters are too. Fear can be a wake-up call and motivator to take notice of what is seriously wrong and who is promoting egregious threats to our democracy and to become exquisitely informed voters. Speak up. Our safety lies in our collective involvement and bravery.

Marcia Kaminski
Grafton