RESOLUTION TO CREATE A NONPARTISAN PROCEDURE FOR THE PREPARATION OF LEGISLATIVE AND CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING PLANS

Resolution to Create a Nonpartisan Procedure for the Preparation of Legislative and Congressional Redistricting Plans

WHEREAS, currently under the state constitution, the legislature is directed to redistrict legislative districts according to the number of inhabitants at its next session following the decennial census by the majority party, and at the same intervals, the legislature also reapportions congressional districts pursuant to federal law; and,

            WHEREAS, legislative and congressional redistricting plans enacted pursuant to this procedure are used to elect members of the legislature and members of Congress in the fall of the second year following the year of the census; and,

            WHEREAS, historically legislative and congressional plans in Wisconsin have been subject to partisan influence that puts the desires of politicians ahead of the electoral prerogative of the people; and,

WHEREAS, the 2011 process to draw the maps and fight litigation contesting those maps cost taxpayers nearly $1.9 million; and

WHEREAS, a panel of federal district court judges has ruled that the redistricting that was done in Wisconsin in 2011 was unconstitutional; and,

WHEREAS, redistricting to achieve partisan gains is improper, whether it is done by Republicans or Democrats; and,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Sauk County Board of Supervisors, met in regular session, does hereby urge the creation of a nonpartisan procedure for the preparation of legislative and congressional redistricting plans; and,

RESOLUTION NO. _____ - 2017

Resolution to Create a Nonpartisan Procedure for the Preparation of Legislative and Congressional Redistricting Plans

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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board strongly support requiring the State Legislature to wait to create their districts until local governments produce and provide their numbers, wards and district information to the State; and require the State to use those local boundaries to create state districts, providing for more efficient election administration; and,

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the process promotes more accountability and transparency and prohibits the consideration of voting patterns, party information, and incumbents’ residence information or demographic information in drawing the maps, except as necessary to ensure minority participation as required by the U.S. Constitution; and ,

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Clerk is directed to send a copy of this resolution to the Governor of the State of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Counties Association, the Wisconsin Towns Association, the Wisconsin League of Municipalities, all members of the state legislature, and to each Wisconsin County.

For consideration by the Sauk County Board of Supervisors on September 19, 2017.

Respectfully submitted:

EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE

_______________________________                      ____________________________

MARTIN F. KRUEGER, chairperson                   JOAN FORDHAM

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DENNIS POLIVKA                                                 WALLY CZUPRYNKO

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WILLIAM HAMBRECHT