By Kim McDarison
The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday, April 15, ruled that legislative maps as drawn by the State Legislature will be used to define Assembly and State Senate districts for the next 10 years.
The new ruling reverses an earlier decision, which was made by the Wisconsin Supreme Court and published in February, adopting legislative maps as submitted by Gov. Tony Evers.
The Supreme Court of the United States published its reversal of the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s February ruling in March.
Commentary, published by Fort Atkinson Online as written by Jefferson County resident Dan Russler — who was among members of an ad hoc analytical group called the Wisconsin Map Assessment Project (WIMAP) — notes, “these new district maps are a drastic change from the maps selected by the court in February.” Russler has been following closely the full redistricting process. His three commentaries on the subject are found here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/wisconsin-redistricting-2022-is-historic-and-surprising/, here https://fortatkinsononline.com/commentary-scotus-wisconsin-and-the-election-risk/, and here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/commentary-a-wisconsin-supreme-court-surprise/.
New maps adopted on April 15 will affect, to varying degrees, the state’s 99 Assembly districts and 33 State Senate districts.
Those interested in running for a state office will find pertinent information here: https://elections.wi.gov/candidates/state.
Candidates running for a seat on the Assembly must collect between 200 and 400 signatures and file a declaration of candidacy and nomination papers with the Wisconsin Elections Commission by 5 p.m. on June 1.
Candidates running for a seat on the State Senate must collected between 400 and 800 signatures and meet the same filing criteria as those running for Assembly seats.
All 99 Assembly seats come due for election this year. State representatives serve two-year terms.
Seventeen of 33 State Senate seats come due for election in November. State Senators serve four-year terms.
Wisconsin’s fall general election will be held Nov. 8. Primary elections will be held Aug. 9.
Changes brought about by redistricting affecting State Senate and Assembly districts including the cities of Fort Atkinson and Whitewater, Jefferson County and the surrounding area, follow.
Assembly District 33
In Jefferson County, earlier changes made to the boundaries of Assembly District 33, which had formerly included a portion of Mukwonago, left Rep. Cody Horlacher, R-Mukwonago, residing outside of his district. He has since announced that he will not seek another term in the Assembly.
Before redistricting maps were adopted in February, the 33rd Assembly District included portions of Jefferson, Waukesha and Walworth counties, holding within its boundaries the communities of Cambridge, Jefferson, Fort Atkinson, Hebron, Palmyra, Eagle and Mukwonago.
After maps were adopted in February, boundaries excluded Mukwonago and added, in part or full, the communities of Johnson Creek, Rome, Sullivan, Ixonia, Lebanon, Neosho and Watertown.
Final maps approved April 15 show the communities, in part or full, of Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Milton, Helenville, Hebron, Sullivan, Oakland and Palmyra included in the district. A portion of the city of Whitewater, which resides in Jefferson County, also is included. The portion of Whitewater residing in Walworth County is included in Assembly District 31.
Assembly District 38
In Assembly District 38, maps adopted in February, which included a portion of Jefferson County, placed Rep. Barbara Dittrich, R-Oconomowoc, residing outside of her district. Before the February Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling, the district contained a portion of Oconomowoc, along with the Jefferson County community of Lake Mills. Boundaries adopted in February excluded communities formerly included within the district east of Watertown and added communities to the city’s north, extending into Dodge County and including Clyman and Lowell.
Final maps approved April 15 show the communities, in part or full, of Marshall, Deerfield, Cambridge, Waterloo, Lake Mills, Aztalan, Johnson Creek, Farmington, and Rockdale included in the district.
Assembly District 43
In February, maps adopted by the Wisconsin Supreme Court made virtually no changes to borders delineating Assembly District 43. In March, Rep. Don Vruwink, D-Milton, announced he would run for reelection to the seat. At that time, the district included portions of Rock, Walworth and Jefferson counties, including the communities of Evansville, Edgerton, Milton and Whitewater.
Assembly District 43, as adopted on April 15, includes the communities, in part or full, of Footville, Edgerton, Brooklyn, Stoughton and Oregon.
Vruwink, after maps were adopted on April 15, resides in Assembly District 33.
Assembly District 31
Maps adopted April 15 show the following Rock and Walworth county communities, in full or part, included in Assembly District 31: Whitewater, Elkhorn, Darien, Avalon and Clinton. Maryann Zimmerman, a resident and school board member within the Whitewater Unified School District, has announced on her Facebook page that she is running for the seat. Likewise, Ellen Schutt, Clinton, has announced her intent to run for the seat on her Facebook page and has declared her candidacy for the Republican primary, according to Ballotpedia.org.
Senate District 11
In February, changes made in Wisconsin Senate District 11, represented by Sen. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater, largely mirrored changes made in Assembly District 33. The senatorial district contained Assembly Districts 31, 32 and 33.
Maps adopted on April 15, show, in part or full, the following communities included within the district: Jefferson, Helenville, Sullivan, Fort Atkinson, Hebron, Palmyra, Whitewater, Milton, Avalon, Elkhorn, Delavan, Johnstown, Richmond, Darien, Clinton, Sharon, Williams Bay, Lake Geneva, Fontana, Walworth, Beloit and Genoa.
Senate District 15
In February, borders delineating Wisconsin Senate District 15, represented by Sen. Janis Ringhand, D-Evansville, were virtually unchanged. The senatorial district contains Assembly Districts 43, 44, 45.
In March, Ringhand announced that she would not be seeking another term as a state senator.
Maps adopted on April 15, show, in part or full, the following communities included within the district: Oregon, Stoughton, Brooklyn, Edgerton, Janesville, Footville, Orfordville, Brodhead, Albany, and Evansville.
A map including all of the Wisconsin Assembly Districts adopted by the Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 15 is here: https://data-ltsb.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/LTSB::sb621-assembly-districts-1/explore.
A map including all of the Wisconsin Senate Districts adopted by the Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 15 is here: https://data-ltsb.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/sb621-senate-districts-1/explore?location=45.089939%2C-89.517808%2C8.21.
A map showing Assembly and Senate districts combined on one map as adopted by the Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 15 is here: https://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=57249db1dfc442478d3f2f55f8b66cad.
A map shows Assembly District 33 before the February Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling.
A map shows Assembly District 33 using maps as proposed by Gov. Tony Evers.
A map shows Assembly District 33 as drawn by the Legislature. The map was adopted by the Wisconsin Supreme Count on April 15 for use within the state until 2032. The city of Fort Atkinson and a portion of the city of Whitewater, which resides within Jefferson County, are included in this district. With the adoption of maps on April 15, Rep. Don Vruwink, D-Milton, no longer lives in the 43rd district he represents. Vruwink had earlier announced he would be running for reelection. His next run will be made for an Assembly seat representing the 33rd district. Rep. Cody Horlacher, R-Mukwonago, after maps were adopted in February, no longer resided within the 33rd district, which he represents. He announced earlier this month that he will not seek another term in the Assembly.
A map shows Assembly District 38 before the February Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling.
A map shows Assembly District 38 using maps as proposed by Gov. Tony Evers.
A map shows Assembly District 38 as drawn by the Legislature. The map was adopted by the Wisconsin Supreme Count on April 15 for use within the state until 2032. The district extends from Dane County, across northern Jefferson County, and into Waukesha County.
A map shows Assembly District 43 before the February Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling.
A map shows Assembly District 43 using maps as proposed by Gov. Tony Evers. The map shows virtually no change between the district’s borders drawn before and after the February ruling made by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
A map shows Assembly District 43 as drawn by the Legislature. The map was adopted by the Wisconsin Supreme Count on April 15 for use within the state until 2032.
A map shows Senate District 11 before the February Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling.
A map shows Senate District 11 using maps as proposed by Gov. Tony Evers.
A map shows Senate District 11 as drawn by the Legislature. The map was adopted by the Wisconsin Supreme Count on April 15 for use within the state until 2032. In February, changes made in Wisconsin Senate District 11, represented by Sen. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater, largely mirrored changes made in Assembly District 33. The senatorial district contained Assembly Districts 31, 32 and 33. Maps adopted on April 15, show, in part or full, the following communities included within the district: Jefferson, Helenville, Sullivan, Fort Atkinson, Hebron, Palmyra, Whitewater, Milton, Avalon, Elkhorn, Delavan, Johnstown, Richmond, Darien, Clinton, Sharon, Williams Bay, Lake Geneva, Fontana, Walworth, Beloit and Genoa. The senatorial district continues to include Assemble Districts 31, 32 and 33.
A map shows Senate District 15 before the February Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling.
A map shows Senate District 15 using maps as proposed by Gov. Tony Evers.
A map shows Senate District 15 as drawn by the Legislature. The map was adopted by the Wisconsin Supreme Count on April 15 for use within the state until 2032. In February, changes made in Wisconsin Senate District 15, represented by Sen. Janis Ringhand, D-Evansville, were virtually unchanged. The senatorial district contained Assembly Districts 43, 44, 45. Maps adopted on April 15, show, in part or full, the following communities included within the district: Oregon, Stoughton, Brooklyn, Edgerton, Janesville, Footville, Orfordville, Brodhead, Albany, and Evansville. The senatorial district continues to include Assembly Districts 43, 44 and 45. Ringhand has announced that she will not be seeking another term as a state senator.
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