Wisconsin governor trying to shame legislators to stop partisan gerrymandering
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Wisconsin governor trying to shame legislators to stop partisan gerrymandering
Wisconsin's Democratic governor has an idea — at once innovative and as old as time — for combating the gerrymandering he expects next year from the Republicans running the Legislature: He hopes to embarrass them to do the right thing.
On Monday he ordered the creation of an independent commission to show how the state's political lines could be drawn to promote political competition and minimize ridiculous contours. Once that work is done, Gov. Tony Evers said, he'll dare the GOP powers in Madison to spurn those nonpartisan maps in favor of their own.
The Republicans were quick to answer that the shaming strategy won't work, because on the pretty safe bet they win continued control in November they'll feel no restraint in drawing boundaries that keep it that way for another 10 years.
Washington may be 18th state to allow felons to vote right after prison
Washington looks on course to become the second state in as many months to restore voting rights to felons as soon as they leave prison.
Last week a state Senate committee approved a bill repealing a requirement that convicts complete probation before reclaiming the franchise. The measure now goes to the full Senate, which like the state House has a solid Democratic majority.
New Jersey, another state where the levers of power are all in Democrats' hands, re-enfranchised more than 80,000 people by enacting a similar law in December — becoming the 17th state, plus Washington, D.C., where discharge from prison is the only barrier to a felon voting.
Debate
Want to know what will happen in 2020? Look to state polls
"State polls can give a clearer sense of voters' priorities before and between elections," argues Daniel R. Birdsong of the University of Dayton.
Community
Census 2020: Nonprofits can shape the future
Learn how to message the Census in a way that builds trust in the process during this Nonprofit VOTE webinar on Jan. 30.