A special session of the Legislature called by Governor Tony Evers to ban partisan gerrymandering will continue this week.The Assembly and Senate gaveled in on Tuesday, but unlike prior special sessions called by the Democratic governor, did not immediately gavel out without taking any action. Instead, both chambers adjourned until Thursday, with Republican leaders issuing statements:
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August (R-Walworth) released the following statement regarding a special session on nonpartisan redistricting:
“Today, Assembly Republicans decided to leave Governor Evers’ special session on nonpartisan redistricting open in an effort to continue meaningful dialogue.
“We view the Governor’s proposal as a first step on which to build a more comprehensive, workable solution for Wisconsin and we hope that Governor Evers will agree to meet face-to-face with us to discuss our ideas on how to accomplish this shared goal. We’re committed to a transparent and balanced solution that reflects the interest of all Wisconsinites.”
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) issued the following statement regarding the governor’s special session call today:
“Redistricting is a core legislative power and any changes to the current process have to be made intentionally and specifically using normal legislative procedure.
“Leaving the special session open allows the legislature to gain public input in order to make an informed decisions on how to proceed.”
Senate President Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) issued the following statement after the State Senate kept the governor’s special session open to allow for further work and discussions on the topic under consideration:
Senate Republicans will continue to work on the delicate, complex topic that redistricting is to ensure that Wisconsinites have full confidence in the system when they vote. We cannot allow such a critical part of our governmental system to be used as a political weapon or an easy talking point.
In a lengthy response, Evers doubled down on banning partisan gerrymandering in Wisconsin, telling lawmakers “There’s nothing to negotiate because there’s no room for compromise when it comes to making sure Wisconsinites’ voices matter and their votes count.”