(The Center Square) – A new lawsuit challenging Wisconsin’s congressional maps has been filed with the Wisconsin Supreme Court with Elias Law Group representing nine Wisconsin voters.
The challenge claims that the current maps are gerrymandered, leaving the state with two Democrats in Congress despite Democrats winning state offices such as governor and a recent state supreme court race.
“Wisconsin voters deserve congressional districts that ensure all voices and viewpoints are fairly represented,” Elias Law Group partner Abha Khanna said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Wisconsin’s current congressional map has unfairly rewarded Republicans with a significant electoral advantage and will continue to do so for the remainder of the decade. Wisconsin voters should not have to endure another election cycle under unconstitutional district lines, and we are proud to represent voters who are calling on the court to strike down this illegal map.”
The challenge was expected by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, which wrote a statement in early April about how such a challenge would be unconstitutional.
“The narrative that Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election would determine control of the House of Representatives was created by political operatives on both sides for fundraising and to drive turnout in the election,” WILL wrote in a memo on the topic. “Now that the dust has settled, while it is certainly a possibility that the Wisconsin Supreme Court will again be asked to re-draw Wisconsin’s congressional district maps before the next census, it is clear that such a legal challenge would have to overcome a number of significant hurdles.”
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, claims the maps violate equal protection.
“Wisconsin’s congressional map is antithetical to virtually every principle necessary to sustain a representative democracy,” the lawsuit says. “It impermissibly disadvantages voters based on their political views and partisan affiliation, systematically disfavoring Democrats because they are Democrats.”
