Senator Hansen wants to change redistricting with new bill
By: Administrator
Updated: December 7, 2012
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV)-- Democratic State Senator Dave Hansen wants to change the way legislative districts are done.
Hansen wants the process taken out of the hands of lawmakers and have the non-partisan Legislative Reference Bureau do it instead .
"The goal with re-districting should always be 50/50 districts and as closest to that as we should get and if someone independently draws it we got a better opportunity where the races aren't set up so that one part or another is going to be favored," said Hansen.
The boundaries are re-drawn every 10 years. The latest maps were drawn by g-o-p lawmakers and passed by the g-o-p controlled legislature without input from democrats. Redistricting is credited for helping Republicans retain control of the Assembly by a large margin, 60-39.
"In those races there were 200,000 votes cast for more democrats, 60-39 does not reflect the fact that we are a blue, red, purple state, so what we would hope to do rather than have a partisan drawing like they had this time," said Hansen.
Hansen has not gotten the support of any Republicans at this time. Senator Robert Cowles, R-Allouez, said it's not something he's opposed to, but doesn't believe now is the time.
"In my case, I lost Oconto county, where I spent a lot of time in Oconto Falls, Suring, and surrounding townships, getting to know many people here," said Cowles, "Did I want to lose 10% of my district, No."
Cowles thinks it's too soon, and that concentration should be put on passing a budget and a mining bill.
"I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but having just gone through it i don't see it being brought up nor would I be pushing for it to be brought up right now," said Cowles .
Hansen argues that it should be done now, because most of the legislators won't be in office in 2020. He plans to introduce the bill when session begins in January.
