WE DESERVE FAIR MAPS
DON’T TAKE THE BAIT
In yet another brazen attempt at a power grab, the Wisconsin GOP is currently attempting to jam through a last-minute redistricting proposal that they are disingenuously calling a “fair maps” bill.
We know it for what it really is: a way to delay the current fair maps case in front of the Supreme Court and a way to seize power that voters didn’t give. For 12 years, right-wing interests have rigged our voting maps. We aren’t falling for anyone’s dirty tricks.
As always, this month’s guide is intended to help us talk about this complicated issue in an understandable way and to show how to steer clear of reacting and responding exactly how they want us to.
The Opposition’s Agenda
The proposed districting legislation is an attempt by the right-wing legislature to hold onto power that allows them to pick and choose who counts and tear our neighborhoods apart to consolidate power.
They also want to distract and delay from the current Supreme Court case, which could restore power to Wisconsin voters, where it belongs.
What they are hoping we do is:
Argue about the nitty-gritty details of their legislation - because most of the public will tune this out and, therefore not hold the legislature accountable.
Get into the weeds when they claim it’s what fair maps activists have been asking for - because it keeps their narrative front and center.
Get distracted from the other authoritarian stunts they are trying to pull, like baseless impeachment threats and recusal requests and attempts to fire the Wisconsin Election Commission Administrator.
What to Say and Do
Things to remember:
Remind people why this matters. Having fair districts is about so much more than who represents who. It’s also about where funding gets allocated and what issues get attention in the Legislature. When we draw the map, we choose what hospitals, schools and resources are funded in our neighborhood.
We must not respond to their absurd false claims. The best response to them is that the legislature should not be allowed to manipulate their own maps, period.
Without getting stuck into why the bill is bad, simply call this out for what it is: another attempt at a power grab and a distraction from Law Forward’s case.
Do not call it a “non-partisan” gerrymandering legislative proposal. That leans into their narrative and is patently false. This is just another partisan attempt to rig the maps.
Adopt, edit, and personalize these suggestions to work for you.
Start with values and leaning into what our communities mean to us:
Whether we’re digging a neighbor out of the snow, cooking up a Sunday block party, or planting a neighborhood garden, nobody knows our communities better than the people who live in them. Our voting maps are used to choose what hospitals, schools and resources are funded in our neighborhood.
Most of us believe that all Wisconsin voters, no matter who we are or where we’re from, deserve an equal voice and an equal say in electing leaders whose decisions impact our lives. We define our communities, communities set their own boundaries, and every community gets an equal say.
Name what’s happening, who’s doing it, and WHY:
But for the last 12 years, some GOP politicians have divided us into districts serving their political interests instead of our communities’ needs. They want to keep community districting out of our hands so they can pick and choose who counts, tearing our neighborhoods apart.
And now, some politicians are scheming new ways to keep control of manipulating our maps. We see through their plotting and stand firm. The legislature should not be allowed to manipulate their own district lines, period.
The Republican-controlled legislature did not get the results it wanted in the last election, so now they’re trying to seize power and manipulate their way into making sure none of our votes ever count again. We see through their scheme and stand firm. The legislature should not be allowed to manipulate their own district lines, period.
Vision and Call to Action:
When it comes to our districts, we draw the line. By joining together to speak out in favor of true fair districting, we can ensure our communities thrive for the next ten years and the generations that follow.
