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Letter to the editor:
Wisconsin is a classic “purple state,” split nearly 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans. In statewide elections, sometimes Republicans win and sometimes Democrats win, but for more than a decade, Republicans have held strong control of both houses of the State Legislature, thanks to the gerrymandered district lines they drew in 2011.
Gerrymandering results in uncompetitive districts, which diminishes the influence of moderates, and amplifies the influence of more radical candidates on both sides of the political spectrum. It also creates an environment where elected officials no longer need to be accountable to their constituents.
In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that partisan gerrymandering was not to be decided at the federal level, but they explicitly left the door open for state courts to consider it. Judge Janet Protasiewicz has said that the Wisconsin Supreme Court made a mistake when it upheld the current maps. At a candidate forum in January, Protasiewicz stated that the current Wisconsin maps are, “Absolutely, positively rigged. They do not reflect the people in the state.”
If you value democracy, and believe that the legislators who make the policies that drive our state should not be able to ignore the people who sent them there, join me in voting for Judge Janet Protasiewicz for Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 4.
Steve Tesmer
Fort Atkinson
File photo.
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