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A months-long fight over Wisconsin's new legislative maps — and a years-long fight over the state's gerrymandering — ended Monday when Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed his proposal into law, offering the first chance for Democrats to regain power in more than a decade.
Evers' signature marks the end of assured Republican dominance in the state Legislature. The governor's maps will replace the maps that the new liberal majority on the state Supreme Court declared unconstitutional in December.
But there's still quite a bit up in the air.
New lawmakers might run in reshaped districts, and others could leave. Control of the Legislature could be up for grabs, and big policy changes could happen as a result.
Here's what we know about what the law means, and what we don't know yet:
So, is this it? Are these maps really official?
Yes. The maps could be challenged in court but they're in state law for now.
Evers said the maps would take effect immediately, though he will ask the state Supreme Court to clarify that the maps will be in place for upcoming special and recall elections.
The Legislature passed Evers' proposal just as the court was poised to implement one of several proposals. The court had said it would step in if Republican lawmakers and Evers couldn't agree on new maps.
Now that they have, it's unlikely the court would select a different map unless they had problems with Evers' proposal. The two consultants the court hired considered two of the submissions to be "partisan gerrymanders," but Evers' was not one of them.
What does this mean in the big picture?
The new maps present a huge opportunity for Democrats to gain more power in the Legislature, after being deep in the minority under maps that produced large Republican majorities.
It's far from certain that Democrats will win control in one or both chambers. But Evers' maps create a much more competitive landscape for both parties to try to win over voters.
If control of the Legislature does shift, Democrats could pass policies like legalizing marijuana, increasing the minimum wage and expanding Medicaid — ideas that Republicans have historically rejected.
Former Democratic lawmakers also said tighter margins in the Legislature would require more bipartisanship and compromise to get things done.
More: A game-changing moment for Wisconsin Democrats. New maps put legislative majorities within reach
When do the new maps take effect?
If the court does clarify that the maps will be in place for upcoming elections, they could be used fairly soon.
Evers said he hopes the court responds quickly so he can order a special election to fill a vacant Milwaukee Senate seat. Two Democratic state representatives have launched campaigns to take the place of former state Sen. Lena Taylor, who is now a Milwaukee County judge.
The maps could also be in place for a recall effort against Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. Democrats initially worried Republicans were trying to protect Vos from that effort by not putting the maps into effect until November. Evers said it did not matter to him and thought the new maps should be in place for any election.
Barring any future challenges, the maps will certainly be in place when many Wisconsin voters choose their state representatives and senators in November, and for the August primary to narrow down those candidates.
What elected offices do they apply to?
The new "maps" refer to one map for state Assembly districts, and another new map for state Senate districts. Those are the two chambers that make up the state Legislature.
There's another case before the state Supreme Court that challenges the state's congressional maps. The court hasn't said whether it will take up that lawsuit, and there would be a very tight turnaround to draw new U.S. House districts.
How do I know if my legislators will change?
Depending where you live, your state legislators could change. Your address might be in a reshaped district. Your current lawmaker could be placed in a district with another incumbent, and if they run against each other, one could leave the Legislature. Fresh faces might run in new districts, especially those created in Wisconsin's more populous cities.
Bottom line: You should check what district you're in when elections roll around this fall. The Journal Sentinel analyzed what the new districts look like, so you can get a rough idea of what district your town, city or village will be part of.
See the new state Assembly districts
This map shows Wisconsin state Assembly districts under the previous 2022 map on the left, and the new 2024 map on the right. Each district is colored according to whether itleans Democrat, leans Republican, or is acompetitive district (within 5%).
Old maps (2022)
New maps (2024)
Note: The partisan lean of districts is calculated based on voting data from national and local elections from 2016 to 2022. Districts with less than 5% difference in Republican and Democratic votes are considered competitive districts.
Map by Andrew Hahn and Eva Wen / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
See the new state Senate districts
This map shows Wisconsin state Senate districts under the previous 2022 map on the left, and the new 2024 map on the right. Each district is colored according to whether itleans Democrat, leans Republican, or is acompetitive district (within 5%).
Old maps (2022)
New maps (2024)
Note: The partisan lean of districts is calculated based on voting data from national and local elections from 2016 to 2022. Districts with less than 5% difference in Republican and Democratic votes are considered competitive districts.
Map by Andrew Hahn and Eva Wen / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
To get a more precise answer, you can enter your address into the Legislature's website to find your senator and representative. The website still has the old maps, but it should eventually update to the new ones.
More: See Wisconsin's new state legislative maps signed by Gov. Tony Evers
Can someone still sue to get rid of the new maps?
It's a possibility. No one has announced they plan to challenge the maps, but it's not entirely out of the question, either.
Vos has said he doesn't believe the maps would be challenged and is "supremely confident that that is the map that we will run on in November, whether I like it or not."
More: Confused by Wisconsin redistricting terms? Here's what they mean.
Rick Esenberg, president and chief counsel of the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, told CBS 58 he doubts anyone will end up suing over the new maps. But if someone brought forward a theory to sue on, the conservative law firm might consider it, he said.
Democratic Rep. LaKeshia Myers, who is running in the special Senate election, said she's concerned that Evers' map doesn't preserve communities of interest and meet Voting Rights Act requirements. The consultants said none of the maps, including Evers', had issues under that federal law.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin's new legislative maps: Questions, answers on redistricting
