Whatever our color, background, or zip code, as Americans we value our freedom–the freedom to have a say in decisions that affect our lives. A decade ago political operatives gerrymandered all of us. They took away our freedom to have our say through our vote. Throughout history Americans have come together to fight for freedom. This is OUR MOMENT. Here is today’s update:
10/27/21 Action Update from North Shore Fair Maps
1. Contact your Legislators and tell them to vote NO to SB621/622. But watch our movie first!
Today the Wisconsin Map Assessment Project (WIMAP) went live with a twelve minute video – Maps Matter: Your Districts for the Next Decade – discussing the maps proposed by the Legislature under SB621/622. WIMAP encourages members of the public to watch the video, then contact their legislators and tell them to vote NO to SB621/622. It’s time for the Legislature to go back to the drawing board and do a better job. A WIMAP Status Report was issued simultaneously with the video. You can watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The WI Legislature holds a Joint Hearing in Madison at 9 AM Thursday October 28. The Legislative bills to adopt the maps are SB 621 and SB 622. The maps are so bad the Princeton Gerrymandering Project gave them all an “F,” and PlanScore found them bad as well. As did WIMAP. Tell your representatives to vote NO.
2. Community Tabling October 30-31:
We need to continue to build public awareness of how crucial this fight to end gerrymandering is. We hope to staff tables at 4 local libraries the weekend of October 30-31 – Mequon, Brown Deer, Whitefish Bay and North Shore – to hand out literature from the League of Women Voters, answer questions, gather signatures on the fair maps petition, and distribute yard signs. If you can help, contact Cheryl Maranto at CMaranto4860@gmail.com.
3. WWNVD Monthly Meeting – Maps Matter: Your Districts for the Next Decade
7:00-8:15 PM Thursday, November 4 (virtual)
From Western Wisconsin Nonpartisan Voting Districts. We’ve got the PMC maps, the Legislature’s maps, and we’ll have maps from lawsuits, so join us to learn what criteria we can use to analyze maps and understand if they are good for WI or bad for WI. What do we need to know about WI geography to help us in our analysis? Retired math professor from UW River Falls, Don Leake, will guide us through our learning journey. We’ll also cover the latest on Western WI fair maps efforts and hear statewide updates from Carlene Bechen. Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/
4. North Shore Fair Map’s November meeting: We Are Part of Something Bigger
7:00-8:15 PM Monday November 8 (virtual):
This North Shore Fair Maps meeting explores the national fair maps movement and the current efforts to sabotage elections in Wisconsin and other states. From the WI Legislature’s election investigation debacle and their effort to get another decade of rigged maps, to anti-democratic election efforts in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Texas, we are part of something going on from sea to shining sea! With Jeff Mandel, founder of Law Forward (additional guest TBA). Register at https://bit.ly/NSFMMonthly.
And then there’s….
- On Sunday October 24 we manned the Community Table at the Shorewood Farmers Market. A smashing success! It’s clear that folks know enough about gerrymandering to know they don’t like it! We distributed lots of lit and yard signs and had a great time.
- Monday October 25 was a big redistricting briefing day in the WI Supreme Court. More to come on that. For legal beagles who like to read pleadings, you can find them at https://www.wicourts.gov/
courts/supreme/origact/ 2021ap1450.htm. (Included among the many filings was an Amicus Brief prepared and filed by Harvard’s Election Law Clinic for several Whitford plaintiffs, including Debbie Patel. Read about the Amicus brief: https://www.hlselectionlaw. org/press/johnson.)