From Matt Sheaffer

Monroe

Have you been paying attention to the gerrymandering issue here in Wisconsin? I have been amazed to see how many issues that are important to the people of Wisconsin get so little attention in the Republican-controlled state legislature. Advocacy organizations working diligently to support popular policy measures such as funding for veterans’ health, women’s rights, voting access, clean water, schools, and gun control have basically run up against a brick wall of disinterest in Madison. Measures that have broad statewide appeal see little daylight when legislators are beholden to corporate interests and party leadership instead of their constituents. Legislators toe the party line and have no incentive to listen to voters because they live in noncompetitive districts. This is bad for both conservatives and progressives alike. This coming November, 25 of 100 assembly seats and 4 of 33 senate seats have only one candidate. The broad plan to diminish the power of the Wisconsin electorate — that’s you and me! — is no secret and is laid bare for all to see on the Wisconsin Legislative District Viewer — https://maps.legis.wisconsin.gov/#.  There you can zoom in and see meandering district lines that adhere to no existing political boundaries. You will find islands of neighborhoods, in a few cases individual homes, embedded in other districts — a shocking example of legislators literally choosing their voters! Tell your legislator this can’t stand, and when November comes, vote for those who support empowering the community by taking redistricting out of the hands of party leadership.