In a landmark decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has overturned a Republican-favored set of legislative maps, striking a major blow to the GOP’s hold over the state.
The court ruled 4-3 on Monday to toss out the Republican-imposed maps, which were in effect since 2011. The court found that the maps violated the rights of voters by giving an unfair advantage to one political party.
The decision is the latest in a series of court decisions that have forced legislatures in states across the country to redraw their electoral maps after Republican maps were found to have violated state constitutional or federal laws or either party’s voting rights.
The court’s decision in Wisconsin could have sweeping political implications in the state. It’s a major victory for Democrats and progressives, who had argued that the Republican-drawn maps were partisan gerrymanders that gave their opponents an advantage in the state’s elections.
The decision means that the Republican-controlled legislature will be forced to draw new maps that are more fairly divided between the two major political parties. This could give Democrats an opportunity to win legislative races in a state that Trump won by a wide margin in 2016.
The issue of partisan gerrymandering has been controversial for years, and this ruling could be a sign of things to come. It could lead to more court interventions in map-drawing exercises in other states where Republicans have implemented partisan maps, and could lead to a more equitable political system in the future.
