Republican legislative leaders have not scheduled any hearings on redistricting legislation, so Democrats are holding a listening session in Appleton tonight. Representative Penny Bernard Schaber (D-Appleton says the state’s current redistricting formula puts too much power in the hands of whichever party controls the legislature.
“We have a redistricting process that . . . when we draw the lines we draw them to our benefit, and not to the benefit of the voters and constituents,” Bernard Schaber said.
Newspaper editorial boards have been calling on Republican legislative leaders to hold hearings on Iowa-style, non-partisan redistricting reform. Bernard Schaber stresses tonight’s listening session is not that. “This is not a formal public hearing, it’s not a committee hearing, but it is an opportunity for people to tell us what they think,” Bernard Schaber said.
The lawmakers will hear from the public from 5:00 – 7:00 tonight at the Appleton Public Library.
