Legislative and congressional maps were drawn in secret to benefit Republican incumbents and jump start their political careers. State Senate seats that were once competitive are now out of reach or considered Safe R. There are two types of Gerrymandering. Packing and Cracking.
1st congressional District
To shore up U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan's district, the GOP kept a toe in Ryan's Janesville, cut out more of Democratic Rock County and added some of Waukesha County's most conservative suburbs. Paul Ryan has won with 54% or more since 2011.
3rd Congressional District
Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Kind was helped when the GOP created an arm connecting liberal Portage County and the already Democratic 3rd District, while also netting progressive-voting areas like Eau Claire and Wisconsin Rapids. He was also helped by giving St. Croix County to the 7th. Ron Kind was given a free ride in 2016.
7th Congressional District
Congressman Sean Duffy has represented the 7th after the retirement of Dave Obey. In the redistricting of 2011. Legislative Republicans gave him the conservative St. Croix County and expanded the district to North Eastern Wisconsin. Unfortunately, this is not Dave Obey's District anymore. Sean Duffy has won with 56% or more since 2011.
State Senate District 5
Senate District 5 now held by Leah Vukmir. Under the old map, it was close. Vukmir won by only 52% of the vote. Republicans took some townships out of her district and in 2014 Vukmir was completely uncontested. After 2016 election she was promoted to Assistant Majority Leader. Vukmir along with Duffy is on the short list for 2018 U.S Senate candidate.
State Senate District 8
Senate District 8 is now occupied by Senator Alberta Darling. Under the old maps, she only won by 53 %. After redistricting, they drew out places like Shorewood and now she has gotten free rides in two consecutive cycles. She still co-chairs the budget committee and is perfectly comfortable in her safe R seat.
Conclusion
This is how election districts are drawn in Wisconsin. Winners are predetermined and already have their career path set for them. For example. Senate Majority Leader was conveniently drawn into Congressman Sensenbrenner's Safe R seat. While Fred Clark and Julie Lassa were drawn out of districts they hoped to represent.
There is one solution. That is to go to the Iowa Model for redistricting. " The mapmakers are not allowed to consider previous election results, voter registration, or even the addresses of incumbent members of Congress. No politician — not the governor, the House speaker, or Senate majority leader — is allowed to weigh in, or get a sneak preview. (1)
All the Iowa congressional races except for one are all basically even. Former State Senator Dale Schultz (R) and Tim Cullen (D) support bringing the Iowa redistricting model to Wisconsin. Wisconsin Republicans have already spent $2 Million to defend the maps. They are ready to spend more as they hired outside council to help retain the maps that are already in place. How does Iowa do it?
In 1980, the Iowa legislature gave responsibility for drawing up redistricting plans to the Legislative Service Agency, a nonpartisan state agency that also manages the legislative library, computer services, and legal drafting. (1)
It also established a Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission of four members appointed by the House and Senate majority and minority leaders ( 2 Rs and 2 Ds per Chamber). The commission's chairperson, elected by the appointees. This person cannot hold a partisan political office or political party office. This person cannot work for the legislature or be related to or employed by a state or federal legislator. (1)
By law, the Legislative Service Agency starts with population equality (one man, one vote) as the most important criteria for a new map. Whenever possible, it must set district boundaries that match the boundaries of political subdivisions such as counties and keep to a minimum the number of counties or cities split into more than one district. (1)
Iowa law further requires that districts be reasonably compact in shape -- defined as "square, rectangular, or hexagonal ... and not irregularly shaped," and there are factors the agency is prohibited from considering. (1)
Its maps may not favor one political party or incumbent or attempt to dilute or augment the voting strength of a language or racial minority group. (1)
The Iowa Supreme Court also has ruled out redistricting that attempts to preserve districts or avoid joining part of a rural county with an urban county. ((1)
To enforce those restrictions, the Legislative Service Agency is barred from considering voter registration data, officeholders' addresses, previous election results or population data other than census head counts. (1)
By April 1, the agency submits its first plan to the legislature. The advisory commission begins public meetings to hear citizen comments (this year it held five) and submits a report within 14 days. The legislature must then wait three days before conducting an up-or-down vote on the plan. If passed, it goes unchanged to the governor for his signature or veto. (1)
Otherwise, the Legislative Service Agency submits the second plan within 35 days, taking into account any reasons cited for the defeat. Again, the legislature votes on it without amendment. (1)
If the second plan also fails, the agency again has 35 days to submit a third plan. This time, the plan is subject to amendment by the legislature, but must still meet all of Iowa's redistricting criteria. (1) A final deadline keeps the pressure on the legislature to get the job done: If no plan is enacted by Sept. 1, responsibility for state legislative redistricting shifts to the Iowa Supreme Court. (If a new redistricting plan is not approved in time for the next congressional election, the U.S. Constitution provides for all representatives to run on a statewide basis.) (1)
Iowa's track record: Redistricting plans have passed successfully on the third (after the 1980 census), first (after the 1990 census) and second attempts (after the 2000 census) and have never been challenged in court. The Legislative Service Agency's first redistricting draft is expected to pass this year, even though it will pit two incumbent Democratic congressmen against each other in one district and two incumbent Republicans in another. (1)
Testimony
“The system in Iowa, while it isn’t always the greatest thing for the candidates themselves because it does cause competitive races throughout the state, at least forces everyone to actually communicate and to hear all points of view,” Former Congressman Tom Latham said.
Even Boswell, a farmer who himself has moved in the past due to redrawn boundaries, holds no grudge against Iowa’s tradition of nonpartisan redistricting. “The negative impact on Republicans and Democrats has been pretty well-balanced over time,” “It works pretty well. More states should do it.” - Former Congressman Leonard Boswell (D) - lost reelection to Republican Tom Latham
“When I looked at the map, I wanted to challenge it,” “Who doesn’t want a map that’s more solid for their ideology? But it’s the right thing to have a redistricting plan designed to bring about the will of the people. If that means at some point I lose my seat in Congress because the redistricting plan disadvantages me in the long haul, the country is better off because it brought about the will of the people. ” - Tea Party Congressman Steve King (R)
"I see a pathway to Republican control. I can also see a pathway to Democrat control," "That tells me maybe there's a heightened level of fairness." - Iowa House Speaker Kraig Paulsen (R) "We both kinds of don't like what we see, which probably means it's a fair plan", says Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal.
1. www.timesunion.com/…
1. www.bostonglobe.com/...
The links underneath provide a hypothetical map of what Wisconsin would look like under an Iowa style redistricting map.
isthmus.com/...
www.wrjc.com/...
www.wrjc.com/...