Right now, the Wisconsin Supreme Court is deciding on the maps that will determine political boundaries in the state for the next 10 years.
Despite wind chills as low as -30 on Friday, a group of about 40 people gathered outside the Vilas County Courthouse in Eagle River to push for fair elections maps.
They held signs reading “End Gerrymandering” and “Stop Voter Suppression”.
Jackie Cody is a member of the Fair Maps Coalition, a nonpartisan group that wants to see Wisconsin district maps drawn by those who aren’t focused on political gains.
She helped organize the rally in Eagle River, one of 16 held around the state Friday.
While gathered outside the courthouse in Vilas County, it’s the justices in the courthouse in Madison that the group wants action from.
“We hope that the court takes notice that we want them to be fair when they hand down their decision,” said Cody.
Tara Woolpy with Northwoods Progressives and Dorthey Skye with League of Women Voters in the Northwoods spoke at the rally.
They called current maps heavily gerrymandered.
The group wants the Wisconsin Supreme Court to completely redraw the maps that will be in place for the next 10 years, not take the least changed approached as the justices said they would in November.
“I would like to see the Wisconsin Supreme Court act fairly and move beyond partisan politics and finally give the voters in Wisconsin what they desire and have voted on either through resolutions or referendums and that is fair maps,” said Cody.
Vilas, Forest, Lincoln and Langlade counties are among the 56 out of Wisconsin’s 72 counties that have either passed referendums or resolutions in favor of banning gerrymandering.
