By Tim Kowols

Buoyed by a Democratic sweep of Wisconsin’s top offices and support from local officials like the Door County Board of Supervisors, State Senator Dave Hansen will once again aim to end gerrymandering. Senator Hansen renewed his call for redistricting reform by announcing his plans to reintroduced legislation earlier this week. Twelve states including Iowa currently use non-partisan redistricting plans. Iowa’s model has been the plan many Wisconsin redistricting advocates prefer. Senator Hansen admits it was a mistake for the Assembly to wait on a redistricting plan when Democrats controlled both houses prior to the 2010 election. He says now is the time to stop the blame game and start working together on redistricting reform.

Four counties passed referendums supporting nonpartisan redistricting reform last Tuesday while 41 county boards including those in Door, Brown, Oconto, and Manitowoc counties have passed similar resolutions.