CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – There is something curious about Wisconsin’s new political map in the 85th state assembly district.
A small part of Schofield, an area of about three city blocks, was moved out of the 85th district and put into the 87th district. The map looks as if a small rodent took a bite out of the old district.
I, of course, smell a rat.
The current officeholder in the 85th district, Pat Snyder, happens to live in the blocks that are being moved. Snyder has been redistricted out of his seat in the state legislature. His plans are to continue to run in the 85th. If he wins, he’ll have to either move or rent a place within the 85th in the 60 days after the election, as allowed under state law.
There is no question that whoever drew the new maps was completely aware of where Pat Snyder lives, and moved the boundary line intentionally. Hence, the Snyder notch.
I wish Pat Snyder was a man of unlimited financial resources and could sue over the new maps. Unfortunately, he is a man of modest means. The case that could be filed would be an important test for election integrity. We’re told that gerrymandering is baaaddd. But when it forces incumbent Republicans to run against another Republican, that’s okay.
The state Supreme Court never got to weigh in on the maps that include the Snyder Notch. As far as the justices are concerned, these are maps that were agreed to by the legislature and the governor. Still, such a lawsuit would be instructive. All that the state constitution says is that the state legislature draws the maps and that districts must have the same numbers of people in them. The state supreme court has taken an interest in gerrymandering – an issue that the constitution is silent on. And certainly nowhere in state law does it say that whoever draws the map shall determine the home address of the current officeholder and move the district boundaries by a few blocks. Let’s see if the state’s highest court has any problem with tha.
Or, is the Snyder Notch the new normal? Can Republicans return the favor when they control the levers of power again?
Chris Conley
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