Common Cause Wisconsin Executive Director Jay Heck hopes you do not have to deal with any redistricting arguments until the next U.S. Census in 2030, after several states have threatened to redraw their election maps ahead of next year’s midterms. Over the weekend, Democratic Texas state legislators fled the area to Chicago and other places to deny Republicans the quorum needed to pass new congressional maps that could potentially take away five seats currently held by Democrats. California Governor Gavin Newsom and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, both Democrats, have threatened to reopen redistricting conversations in their state in retaliation for Texas’s efforts. Heck says both sides are wrong, and the voters are the real losers in these conversations.

 

In June, the Wisconsin State Supreme Court declined to hear two cases that claimed that the current congressional map is rigged in favor of Republicans. Heck is unsure if redistricting would end up with more competitive congressional seats, but knows nothing will happen before the midterm elections in 2026. He still hopes that Wisconsin and other states will adopt the Iowa redistricting model, where drawing political boundaries is up to a non-partisan review board and not to the legislators.