TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
Every 10 years, individual states in the United States re-draw legislative district lines. Those lines are re-drawn following the completion of the United States Decennial Census so that the current population is accurately represented. [The Decennial Census, counting every person living in the United States, has been conducted every 10 years since 1790.]
Now that the 2020 US Census has been completed, the 2020/2021 Redistricting Cycle begins. The public is invited to be a part of this process, and now, tools on the internet make it possible for anyone interested in contributing to the process, to get involved.
A press release from Representative Calvin Callahan (R-Tomahawk), who represents the 35th Assembly District in the State of Wisconsin, which includes all of Lincoln County and portions of Marathon, Langlade, Oneida, and Shawano Counties, explains how that affects Wisconsinites: “The Wisconsin State Legislature is responsible for drawing new district boundaries every 10 years, once the federal government has provided the most recent Census data. These new boundaries will be used for all upcoming elections (local, state, and congressional) for the next decade.”
Rep. Callahan is inviting Wisconsin residents to review the data and submit their own proposed re-districting maps and plans online, for the legislature to review and consider as they re-district the state. A new website enables interested residents to participate in the process: drawyourdistrictwisconsin.com
“Where and how the lines are drawn influences everything from who is likely to be elected to how resources get allocated,” the website explains. “And when it comes to democratic representation, communities matter. If your community is split up into different small pieces every 10 years, it makes it harder to have a voice in government.”
“I invite my constituents to check out this website,” Rep. Callahan said in his August 13 press release. “Submissions are being accepted from September 1, 2021, through October 15, 2021. I look forward to seeing everyone’s submissions.”
“Wisconsin’s Constitution requires the new boundary lines be drawn through the legislative process and this website allows Wisconsinites to be a part of that process,” Rep. Callahan said. “Using the tools on the website, you can make a statewide map or a regional plan, or identify a community of interest.”
The state’s rules for districting, along with various tools, are available on the site, and enable anyone with a computer to create a proposed re-districting map of the entire state of Wisconsin or a smaller area. Residents will be able to submit their own re-districting plan/map online from the site, as well.
You can use one or more of the map creation tools on the website to create your map, and the tools incorporate the data from the Census to assist you in creating a fair, legal map for the legislature’s consideration.
This is one way the public can provide meaningful input into the process that guides the electoral process in the State of Wisconsin and help prevent gerrymandering [the process of manipulating the boundaries of an area whose voters elect a representative of a particular legislative body in order to favor one party].